"But He said to them, "You give them something to eat." And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people." Luke 9:13
"You give them something to eat!" What was Jesus thinking? He was the one with the power. He was the one who claimed to have been there at creation. How could 12 men possibly do anything with this crowd?
"You give them something to eat!" What did He mean? Give them something to eat? What? A quick search revealed five small loaves of bread - personal size - more like biscuits really. Oh, there were the fish. Two little dried fish. A feast for a little boy. An insult to a multitude like this.
"You give them something to eat!" Something? Oh, we'll give them something. Let's send them all home. Sure, some of them may faint from hunger, but that's their fault. Coming into the wilderness with no food! How ridiculous! I don't suppose they have any water either. Let them drink from the lake. We have nothing to give. What we do have is a little boy's lunch. At least his mother was thinking! Go ahead, Jesus. Send them away. "You give them something to eat!" Do you think you can do any better, Jesus? Go ahead. Give it a try. What's that? Tell them to sit down in small groups. OK. You're the boss. You say you want the bread? Are you going to eat it in front of them? How tacky! Get some baskets? Yeah, sure. Oh there they are. Yes, we have 12 of them. So what?
"You give them something to eat!" Oh. Sure, we must pray before this meal! Let's all bow our heads and enjoy our crumb! . . . . . . . . . . . . Wow! John, did you see that? He broke a chunk off that loaf and . . . . and . . . . and it's still whole! And the chunk is a whole loaf too! Amazing! What's that? Oh, pass the baskets around to all the crowd? Sure.
"You give them something to eat!" Hey! Can you do that with the fish, too? You can? WOW!!!!! Look at that would you! He can. I told you he could, James. Thomas, why did you ever doubt? I knew He could do it! Yeah, I really did. Don't you remember me telling you He could? You don't? Well I did. . . . . . sorta . . . . . . .well in my mind I did. . . . . . . . OK! It surprised me too!
"You give them something to eat!" What do you have in your hand? Give it to Jesus. He can take it - no matter how small or how insignificant or how humble - and make it feed your multitudes. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Luke 14:33
"So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple." Luke 14:33
There was a sign outside a local church. It said, "Free trip to Heaven. Details inside." I saw this sign and had varying thoughts about it. My first thought was "evangelistic aren't they?"
My second thought was "no, not really. The details should be carried by each member to the interested persons." That would make them evangelistic. Jesus never intended for the details of His grace to be locked up in a brick building with a cross on it.
Then I thought "Free? You've got to be kidding!" Yes, grace is free. God's mercy is free. But salvation? That's not free." - and salvation is what is being offered as the ticket to Heaven.
So how expensive is salvation? It cost Jesus His life. It cost Paul a lucrative career in the Jewish services. It cost many early Christians a trip to an arena full of hungry lions.
So what does it cost, this "Free" salvation. Jesus says it in today's verse, "no one of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions." That "Free trip to Heaven" seems a little expensive - but it is well worth it if you have any foresight at all! Amen.
There was a sign outside a local church. It said, "Free trip to Heaven. Details inside." I saw this sign and had varying thoughts about it. My first thought was "evangelistic aren't they?"
My second thought was "no, not really. The details should be carried by each member to the interested persons." That would make them evangelistic. Jesus never intended for the details of His grace to be locked up in a brick building with a cross on it.
Then I thought "Free? You've got to be kidding!" Yes, grace is free. God's mercy is free. But salvation? That's not free." - and salvation is what is being offered as the ticket to Heaven.
So how expensive is salvation? It cost Jesus His life. It cost Paul a lucrative career in the Jewish services. It cost many early Christians a trip to an arena full of hungry lions.
So what does it cost, this "Free" salvation. Jesus says it in today's verse, "no one of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions." That "Free trip to Heaven" seems a little expensive - but it is well worth it if you have any foresight at all! Amen.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Isaiah 2:1-5; Psalm 122; Romans 12:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44
O Lord, we pray, speak in this place, in the calming of our minds and in the longing of our hearts, by the words of my lips and in the thoughts that we form. Speak, O Lord, for your servants listen. Amen.
One way to describe the Season of Advent - which has begun this day, is to say that Advent operates in three tenses all at once.
In Advent we await the birth of the Christ child as the recollection of a past event, of a birth that happened over 2000 years ago - and a celebration that will happen - is beginning to happen - right now.
This past event has great significance in the present. In Advent we once again await the birth of the Christ Child into our lives, into our families, into our church community. We await this Christmas - and a Holy Evening, not 26 days away, where - bathed in candlelight - we will say: "Yes Lord! Thank You Lord" and rejoice in his presence, his having come among us as a babe, a child, a man, a human like us - to love us.
And as we wait we savour those things that remind us of all the good Christmas's that have past. We savour them and make them part of this Christmas - songs and carols, special dinner dishes and treats, candle lit worship, visits and phone calls, prayers and readings, and cards and notes, and the wonderful smells of the season.
In Advent we await a past event and indeed we prepare our lives for it. And the preparation we do enriches our lives and makes this time a special time.
And, in Advent we await the future - a special future: we await the unveiling of the reign of God, something which is continually being revealed, but is yet to be fully realized.
We await a time that Isaiah, and Jesus, and Paul describe as a time of judgement: a time when accounts are settled - not always comfortably - but always rightly - a time when two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left, and a time when at long last all the swords are beaten into plowshares and all spears into pruning hooks, and peace - lasting peace - comes at last
We await a time of judgement and a time of salvation, the time of Christ's return - the time when the whole world is of God's Kingdom - the time when all who have passed through judgement are as one, one in joy - and in faith - and in hope - and in love. - the time when sin, suffering, pain, and death are no more.
Come, says Isaiah as he proclaims the word of judgement and of salvation in today's reading, "Come - let us walk in the light of the Lord!"
That "come" is a word about what to do now - today, as we await tomorrow.
"Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord" says Isaiah, "Stay awake, be alert", says Jesus. Put on the armour of light." says Paul,
"Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires."
That is the third tense of Advent.
The present tense.
The active tense.
Advent is not just about preparing for Christ's coming as a child from the past.
Nor is Advent just about preparing for Christ's coming as the righteous king in the future.
Advent is also - and primarily - about preparing for Christ's coming in our lives - right now.
For his light to be around us and shining from within us - today.
For his spirit to be dwelling in our hearts and our minds - this minute.
For his living presence to be seen all that we say and do and all that we see and hear - second by precious second..
In this sense advent memory and advent hope are joined together: - together our past experience and our future expectations about the reign of God and about the Christ, the Messiah, are realized now, not simply because of our preparation for it; but because of the divine truth about God's past and God's present and God's future:
the truth that God has been with us - and will yet be with us - and even now is with us.
Advent as a season of the church year helps us to be prepared, it reminds us to keep our ears, eyes and our hearts open, open for the in-breaking of the saving presence and power of Almighty God.
These are indeed times like the times of Noah. Ordinary times - times when men and women marry and are given in marriage - and children play games and go to school - and adults go to work or to the market every day.
These are ordinary times, with our wars and our rumours of war - ordinary times with our good - and with our evil - with our love and with our hate, the ordinary times - when it is easy to forget the extraordinary - and to forget to be ready for it.
For all time, but especially for this time, this ordinary time, this time, right now - the question is: is your home in order? Is it ready? Does it even now embrace our Saviour?
Look around you.
I think you know and I think the church knows how to embrace the coming of the Christ Child. How to be ready for the celebration. How to decorate that which is outside - and how to decorate, how to hallow, that which is inside.
And I think as I listen to you pray at your homes and here in this sanctuary that you know how to read the signs of times - and to pray for God's kingdom to come and for his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.
I know your longing for peace as you hear the news from the mid-east about wars and of terrorist bombings, and as you think of the children who go hungry and of the earthquakes and floods that afflict the world. I know what you hope - for we all hope for it - we all hope for the time of eternal blessing - we hope for us and we hope for the world for the Christ to return in power and in glory.
But what about now?
What about the God who is here now?
The Christ who is here now?
Is our house completely ready for him?
Are we making him comfortable?
Do we let him live with us - and own us completely?
Are we able to invite him into every nook and cranny of our homes, - or are there beds we hope he will not look under and rooms that we hope he will not enter.
The room where we hide our anger and resentment at someone. The chamber which we often disappear into when it seems that doing the right thing might cost us more time, or more comfort, or more money than we care to think about; That area where we separate out people - one from the other; that place where we make judgements about people and what they need and what they deserve.
Advent speaks to us about God's coming to us, about Christ coming to us, about light shining into the darkness and spears being turned into pruning hooks and about judgement coming upon the earth, and salvation to the people of God.
That speaking is for yesterday - and for tomorrow - and - most of all - it is for today.
Thank you Isaiah - thank you Matthew - thank you Jesus - for this word - for this promise.
And thank you Isaiah, thank you Matthew, thank you Jesus, thank you Paul for the call to keep awake and to walk in the light - clad in the armour of light.
We have good words - and good advice in our readings today. This is a good words and good advice from God. Not just for the coming of the Kingdom over all the world,
Bu for the coming of Christ in our lives today.
Clean house. Open the doors to the secret places. Let the Lord who knocks come in and dine with you. Let him ready you for the fullness of his promises,
day by day. Amen....
One way to describe the Season of Advent - which has begun this day, is to say that Advent operates in three tenses all at once.
In Advent we await the birth of the Christ child as the recollection of a past event, of a birth that happened over 2000 years ago - and a celebration that will happen - is beginning to happen - right now.
This past event has great significance in the present. In Advent we once again await the birth of the Christ Child into our lives, into our families, into our church community. We await this Christmas - and a Holy Evening, not 26 days away, where - bathed in candlelight - we will say: "Yes Lord! Thank You Lord" and rejoice in his presence, his having come among us as a babe, a child, a man, a human like us - to love us.
And as we wait we savour those things that remind us of all the good Christmas's that have past. We savour them and make them part of this Christmas - songs and carols, special dinner dishes and treats, candle lit worship, visits and phone calls, prayers and readings, and cards and notes, and the wonderful smells of the season.
In Advent we await a past event and indeed we prepare our lives for it. And the preparation we do enriches our lives and makes this time a special time.
And, in Advent we await the future - a special future: we await the unveiling of the reign of God, something which is continually being revealed, but is yet to be fully realized.
We await a time that Isaiah, and Jesus, and Paul describe as a time of judgement: a time when accounts are settled - not always comfortably - but always rightly - a time when two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left, and a time when at long last all the swords are beaten into plowshares and all spears into pruning hooks, and peace - lasting peace - comes at last
We await a time of judgement and a time of salvation, the time of Christ's return - the time when the whole world is of God's Kingdom - the time when all who have passed through judgement are as one, one in joy - and in faith - and in hope - and in love. - the time when sin, suffering, pain, and death are no more.
Come, says Isaiah as he proclaims the word of judgement and of salvation in today's reading, "Come - let us walk in the light of the Lord!"
That "come" is a word about what to do now - today, as we await tomorrow.
"Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord" says Isaiah, "Stay awake, be alert", says Jesus. Put on the armour of light." says Paul,
"Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires."
That is the third tense of Advent.
The present tense.
The active tense.
Advent is not just about preparing for Christ's coming as a child from the past.
Nor is Advent just about preparing for Christ's coming as the righteous king in the future.
Advent is also - and primarily - about preparing for Christ's coming in our lives - right now.
For his light to be around us and shining from within us - today.
For his spirit to be dwelling in our hearts and our minds - this minute.
For his living presence to be seen all that we say and do and all that we see and hear - second by precious second..
In this sense advent memory and advent hope are joined together: - together our past experience and our future expectations about the reign of God and about the Christ, the Messiah, are realized now, not simply because of our preparation for it; but because of the divine truth about God's past and God's present and God's future:
the truth that God has been with us - and will yet be with us - and even now is with us.
Advent as a season of the church year helps us to be prepared, it reminds us to keep our ears, eyes and our hearts open, open for the in-breaking of the saving presence and power of Almighty God.
These are indeed times like the times of Noah. Ordinary times - times when men and women marry and are given in marriage - and children play games and go to school - and adults go to work or to the market every day.
These are ordinary times, with our wars and our rumours of war - ordinary times with our good - and with our evil - with our love and with our hate, the ordinary times - when it is easy to forget the extraordinary - and to forget to be ready for it.
For all time, but especially for this time, this ordinary time, this time, right now - the question is: is your home in order? Is it ready? Does it even now embrace our Saviour?
Look around you.
I think you know and I think the church knows how to embrace the coming of the Christ Child. How to be ready for the celebration. How to decorate that which is outside - and how to decorate, how to hallow, that which is inside.
And I think as I listen to you pray at your homes and here in this sanctuary that you know how to read the signs of times - and to pray for God's kingdom to come and for his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.
I know your longing for peace as you hear the news from the mid-east about wars and of terrorist bombings, and as you think of the children who go hungry and of the earthquakes and floods that afflict the world. I know what you hope - for we all hope for it - we all hope for the time of eternal blessing - we hope for us and we hope for the world for the Christ to return in power and in glory.
But what about now?
What about the God who is here now?
The Christ who is here now?
Is our house completely ready for him?
Are we making him comfortable?
Do we let him live with us - and own us completely?
Are we able to invite him into every nook and cranny of our homes, - or are there beds we hope he will not look under and rooms that we hope he will not enter.
The room where we hide our anger and resentment at someone. The chamber which we often disappear into when it seems that doing the right thing might cost us more time, or more comfort, or more money than we care to think about; That area where we separate out people - one from the other; that place where we make judgements about people and what they need and what they deserve.
Advent speaks to us about God's coming to us, about Christ coming to us, about light shining into the darkness and spears being turned into pruning hooks and about judgement coming upon the earth, and salvation to the people of God.
That speaking is for yesterday - and for tomorrow - and - most of all - it is for today.
Thank you Isaiah - thank you Matthew - thank you Jesus - for this word - for this promise.
And thank you Isaiah, thank you Matthew, thank you Jesus, thank you Paul for the call to keep awake and to walk in the light - clad in the armour of light.
We have good words - and good advice in our readings today. This is a good words and good advice from God. Not just for the coming of the Kingdom over all the world,
Bu for the coming of Christ in our lives today.
Clean house. Open the doors to the secret places. Let the Lord who knocks come in and dine with you. Let him ready you for the fullness of his promises,
day by day. Amen....
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Luke 9:61
"Lord, I will follow you but..." Luke 9:61
Are you a conditional Christian? Yes Lord, I will obey you so long as you allow me to use my own common sense. Lord, I will obey just don't ask me to take a step out into the dark. Lord, I would like to tithe, but just give me enough money to do it. Lord, I would like to obey you , but That kind of obedience God doesn't need. He will ask you to take a step of faith, and then a leap of faith. How else can He prove His love for you?
The problem is, that is exactly what Jesus demands from us. He wants our trust to be in Him and Him only. He wants that same reckless sporting spirit of leaping out in faith, that natural man exhibits without Him. There is no other way that He is able to use us, to the extent that He intends, unless we are willing to risk everything. Doggedly we cling to our old habits and intellects. We want to measure and weigh all that He asks of us, and sometimes He will allow us to do that. But by enlarge, we know what he wants us to do and there is no reason not to it except that we do not take Him at His word. You will find that when you do, it will fit as solidly as your common sense and you will be awestruck at the outcome. The alternative is that we remain too earthly bound to be of any heavenly good. Amen and Amen.
Are you a conditional Christian? Yes Lord, I will obey you so long as you allow me to use my own common sense. Lord, I will obey just don't ask me to take a step out into the dark. Lord, I would like to tithe, but just give me enough money to do it. Lord, I would like to obey you , but That kind of obedience God doesn't need. He will ask you to take a step of faith, and then a leap of faith. How else can He prove His love for you?
The problem is, that is exactly what Jesus demands from us. He wants our trust to be in Him and Him only. He wants that same reckless sporting spirit of leaping out in faith, that natural man exhibits without Him. There is no other way that He is able to use us, to the extent that He intends, unless we are willing to risk everything. Doggedly we cling to our old habits and intellects. We want to measure and weigh all that He asks of us, and sometimes He will allow us to do that. But by enlarge, we know what he wants us to do and there is no reason not to it except that we do not take Him at His word. You will find that when you do, it will fit as solidly as your common sense and you will be awestruck at the outcome. The alternative is that we remain too earthly bound to be of any heavenly good. Amen and Amen.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Luke 8:48
"And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace."
There's just something about a touch - both given and received. Note the next time you are in the presence of a newborn baby. Everyone wants to touch it. Men will rub the soft cheeks with the back of a finger. Women will touch the child with the front of a finger. All make comments about how soft the newborn skin is. That feel is the closest to perfection man will ever know on earth! We all like to be touched. The human touch is more than a contact, it is an emotional link.
The woman in today's verse was no different. All she wanted to do was touch Jesus. She didn't want to talk to Him. She didn't want to shake His hand. She didn't even want Him to know she did it. All she wanted was to touch the hem of His garment! The unusual thing about this was that she was an "unclean" woman, shunned by society. She had been sick for years. Everyone knew her. Everyone stayed away from her. If they had realized she was there, she could have been stoned to death for her social infraction. Still she persisted. She pressed her way through the potentially hostile crowd. She finally reached the back side of Jesus, reached down, and touched Him. Her intention was to slip away silently, but Jesus stopped. "Who touched me?" He asked. In that crowd, many people touched Him. They were all grabbing for Him.
But this touch was different. It was not a greedy touch. It was not a pushing touch. It was a touch of faith. Who touched Him? Who could tell? But He knew. He wanted to talk to the individual. Shyly, fearfully, the little, sick woman stepped forward. "I touched you, sir." "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace." Her faith - because she said "If only I could touch the hem of His garment." Her faith - to fight the crowd. Her faith - that Jesus could do something for her. Her faith - had made her well.
How about you. Do you need a touch from Jesus? Are you one of those who are reaching just to get a touch of the hand. Are you one of those who are bumping into Him? Or are you willing to just get a touch of that dirty, grimy, grass stained hem of His garment. Is your touch greed? Or is it a touch of faith. Jesus knows the difference. Let your faith make you whole! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
There's just something about a touch - both given and received. Note the next time you are in the presence of a newborn baby. Everyone wants to touch it. Men will rub the soft cheeks with the back of a finger. Women will touch the child with the front of a finger. All make comments about how soft the newborn skin is. That feel is the closest to perfection man will ever know on earth! We all like to be touched. The human touch is more than a contact, it is an emotional link.
The woman in today's verse was no different. All she wanted to do was touch Jesus. She didn't want to talk to Him. She didn't want to shake His hand. She didn't even want Him to know she did it. All she wanted was to touch the hem of His garment! The unusual thing about this was that she was an "unclean" woman, shunned by society. She had been sick for years. Everyone knew her. Everyone stayed away from her. If they had realized she was there, she could have been stoned to death for her social infraction. Still she persisted. She pressed her way through the potentially hostile crowd. She finally reached the back side of Jesus, reached down, and touched Him. Her intention was to slip away silently, but Jesus stopped. "Who touched me?" He asked. In that crowd, many people touched Him. They were all grabbing for Him.
But this touch was different. It was not a greedy touch. It was not a pushing touch. It was a touch of faith. Who touched Him? Who could tell? But He knew. He wanted to talk to the individual. Shyly, fearfully, the little, sick woman stepped forward. "I touched you, sir." "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace." Her faith - because she said "If only I could touch the hem of His garment." Her faith - to fight the crowd. Her faith - that Jesus could do something for her. Her faith - had made her well.
How about you. Do you need a touch from Jesus? Are you one of those who are reaching just to get a touch of the hand. Are you one of those who are bumping into Him? Or are you willing to just get a touch of that dirty, grimy, grass stained hem of His garment. Is your touch greed? Or is it a touch of faith. Jesus knows the difference. Let your faith make you whole! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
1 Kings 3:9
"Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?" 1 Kings 3:9
Discernment is an overlooked spiritual discipline in many churches. But in reality, spiritual discernment should be our first line of defense against deception. It's that "buzzer" inside, warning you that something is wrong. For example, you visit someone's home and everything appears in order. But you can cut the air with a knife. Even though nothing visible confirms it, your spirit detects that something is wrong in that home.
The first step to understanding discernment is to understand the motive which is essential for employing it. In 1 Kings 3:9, Israel's king Solomon cried out to God for help. God answers: "Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart" (verses 11, 12). The motive for true discernment is never to promote self, to amass personal gain, or to secure an advantage over another person-even an enemy.
The Greek word for discernment - diakrino - simply means to make a judgment or a distinction. Discernment has one primary function: to distinguish right from wrong. In 1 Corinthians 12:10 discernment is the divinely enabled ability to distinguish a good spirit from a bad spirit. Discernment is not a function of the mind; it's a function of the Holy Spirit which is in union with your soul/spirit. When the Spirit sounds a warning, your mind may not be able to perceive what's wrong. Have the courage to acknowledge that something is wrong when your spirit is troubled. Share what you are sensing with others, and ask the Lord for wisdom. Amen and Amen.
Discernment is an overlooked spiritual discipline in many churches. But in reality, spiritual discernment should be our first line of defense against deception. It's that "buzzer" inside, warning you that something is wrong. For example, you visit someone's home and everything appears in order. But you can cut the air with a knife. Even though nothing visible confirms it, your spirit detects that something is wrong in that home.
The first step to understanding discernment is to understand the motive which is essential for employing it. In 1 Kings 3:9, Israel's king Solomon cried out to God for help. God answers: "Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, behold, I have done according to your words. Behold, I have given you a wise and discerning heart" (verses 11, 12). The motive for true discernment is never to promote self, to amass personal gain, or to secure an advantage over another person-even an enemy.
The Greek word for discernment - diakrino - simply means to make a judgment or a distinction. Discernment has one primary function: to distinguish right from wrong. In 1 Corinthians 12:10 discernment is the divinely enabled ability to distinguish a good spirit from a bad spirit. Discernment is not a function of the mind; it's a function of the Holy Spirit which is in union with your soul/spirit. When the Spirit sounds a warning, your mind may not be able to perceive what's wrong. Have the courage to acknowledge that something is wrong when your spirit is troubled. Share what you are sensing with others, and ask the Lord for wisdom. Amen and Amen.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Amos 5:5-6
"But do not seek Bethel, Nor enter Gilgal,Nor pass over to Beersheba; For Gilgal shallsurely go into captivity, And Bethel shall come to nothing. Seek the LORD and live, Lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, And devour it, With no one to quench it in Bethel" Amos 5:5-6
So you've set out on the high road of the King. Things are rosy. The sun is shining. The view is breathtaking. The air is cool and clear. Life is good. That's the way it is the day after you receive Jesus as you Savior - or you rededicate yourself to serving Him with all your life - or revival has come to your heart. Life is good and you never want to go back to your old ways. Then, something happens. A storm cloud appears on the horizon. An old memory is stirred. A whiff of scent turns on the video of your past. A taste, a longing, a problem, whatever it is - it turns your mind back to the old ways.
Now you stand at a crossroads. Do you go back to the old ways, use the old methods to solve problems, do the old things that brought temporary relief. Or, do you draw closer to the God who redeemed you and set you free?
Israel is at the same crossroad in this Amos passage, so Amos tells them like it is. "Draw nearer to God," he says, "so that you may continue living." Then he adds, "If you don't, destruction like you have never seen will be your portion." That is about as plain as it can get. Sometimes we need to have a line drawn in the sand in order to help us make up our minds. God is asking "Are you with Me or are you against Me? There is no middle ground. No straddling the fence. No safety zone. No gray area. Only black and white. You either go my way or you go your way. Take your pick." Sounds tough. It is tough. I am struggling with it. I suspect you are struggling with it - and that is good. If we weren't struggling, we would have a 50/50 chance of being spiritually dead - or near perfection! I don't fit either classification. Do you? Amen.
So you've set out on the high road of the King. Things are rosy. The sun is shining. The view is breathtaking. The air is cool and clear. Life is good. That's the way it is the day after you receive Jesus as you Savior - or you rededicate yourself to serving Him with all your life - or revival has come to your heart. Life is good and you never want to go back to your old ways. Then, something happens. A storm cloud appears on the horizon. An old memory is stirred. A whiff of scent turns on the video of your past. A taste, a longing, a problem, whatever it is - it turns your mind back to the old ways.
Now you stand at a crossroads. Do you go back to the old ways, use the old methods to solve problems, do the old things that brought temporary relief. Or, do you draw closer to the God who redeemed you and set you free?
Israel is at the same crossroad in this Amos passage, so Amos tells them like it is. "Draw nearer to God," he says, "so that you may continue living." Then he adds, "If you don't, destruction like you have never seen will be your portion." That is about as plain as it can get. Sometimes we need to have a line drawn in the sand in order to help us make up our minds. God is asking "Are you with Me or are you against Me? There is no middle ground. No straddling the fence. No safety zone. No gray area. Only black and white. You either go my way or you go your way. Take your pick." Sounds tough. It is tough. I am struggling with it. I suspect you are struggling with it - and that is good. If we weren't struggling, we would have a 50/50 chance of being spiritually dead - or near perfection! I don't fit either classification. Do you? Amen.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Luke 9:29
"As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening" Luke 9:29
Peter, James, and John saw the face of God - but they didn't know it. They saw it nearly every day for three years and didn't recognize the fact that they had seen God and LIVED! Only on the Mount of Transfiguration did they get a glimpse of whom they hung with on a daily basis - and then they totally misinterpreted the event! Peter wanted to build dwelling places for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. He wanted to live on the top of the mountain forever. It wasn't until the glory departed and the voice of God spoke that the dynamic trio realized they had been in the presence of the Almighty.
It is easy to jump on Peter's foolishness. He is easy to pick on. "What were you thinking, Peter? Couldn't you have kept your mouth shut for one hour? I would love to have learned what Moses and Elijah were saying to the Master. But, no. You had to open your mouth and scare the Spirit of God away!"
Of course you see that the other two said nothing. They took no initiative at all. At least Peter tried to get the great prophets to stay a while longer. The others were too dumb founded to do anything. Have you ever wondered why no one ever says anything bad about James and John? Here they were, two fishermen on top of a mountain. They were tired and fell asleep only to be awakened by the shining glory of God. And they said nothing! I can imagine these two fellows standing like statues with their mouths wide open, hands tensed in shock. It would be years before they would tell about this experience.
Before you get too smug in your criticism, put yourself in their position. What would you have done? Would you have sat "doe eyed" afraid to move for fear that the Light would attack you? Would you have shouted "Glory"? Would you have pulled a Peter act and tried to get the Threesome to stay a while longer? It's hard to say what we would do because we weren't there.
I visited a large Baptist church a few years ago. Most Baptists are a bit modest in their appreciation of the preacher's words. Usually he has to ask for an "amen" before one is spoken. On this particular Sunday the pastor was doing a mighty nice job when from the right rear of the sanctuary a male voice shouted, "Amen!" While this church is not of the usual Baptist variety, I recognized that they were a bit uncomfortable with this gentleman's exuberance. How? I knew by the little bits of laughter that was sprinkled about the auditorium. They were embarrassed by this outburst - even though it did not seem to be an unusual occurrence because the pastor said something like, "Good to see you, John. I've missed you."
In short, we are no better than Peter, James, and John. We are not comfortable in the presence of the Almighty God of the universe. We shy away from His presence - or, like Peter, we don't know when to say our farewells - and we miss the experience of seeing the face of God - and living to tell about it. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Peter, James, and John saw the face of God - but they didn't know it. They saw it nearly every day for three years and didn't recognize the fact that they had seen God and LIVED! Only on the Mount of Transfiguration did they get a glimpse of whom they hung with on a daily basis - and then they totally misinterpreted the event! Peter wanted to build dwelling places for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. He wanted to live on the top of the mountain forever. It wasn't until the glory departed and the voice of God spoke that the dynamic trio realized they had been in the presence of the Almighty.
It is easy to jump on Peter's foolishness. He is easy to pick on. "What were you thinking, Peter? Couldn't you have kept your mouth shut for one hour? I would love to have learned what Moses and Elijah were saying to the Master. But, no. You had to open your mouth and scare the Spirit of God away!"
Of course you see that the other two said nothing. They took no initiative at all. At least Peter tried to get the great prophets to stay a while longer. The others were too dumb founded to do anything. Have you ever wondered why no one ever says anything bad about James and John? Here they were, two fishermen on top of a mountain. They were tired and fell asleep only to be awakened by the shining glory of God. And they said nothing! I can imagine these two fellows standing like statues with their mouths wide open, hands tensed in shock. It would be years before they would tell about this experience.
Before you get too smug in your criticism, put yourself in their position. What would you have done? Would you have sat "doe eyed" afraid to move for fear that the Light would attack you? Would you have shouted "Glory"? Would you have pulled a Peter act and tried to get the Threesome to stay a while longer? It's hard to say what we would do because we weren't there.
I visited a large Baptist church a few years ago. Most Baptists are a bit modest in their appreciation of the preacher's words. Usually he has to ask for an "amen" before one is spoken. On this particular Sunday the pastor was doing a mighty nice job when from the right rear of the sanctuary a male voice shouted, "Amen!" While this church is not of the usual Baptist variety, I recognized that they were a bit uncomfortable with this gentleman's exuberance. How? I knew by the little bits of laughter that was sprinkled about the auditorium. They were embarrassed by this outburst - even though it did not seem to be an unusual occurrence because the pastor said something like, "Good to see you, John. I've missed you."
In short, we are no better than Peter, James, and John. We are not comfortable in the presence of the Almighty God of the universe. We shy away from His presence - or, like Peter, we don't know when to say our farewells - and we miss the experience of seeing the face of God - and living to tell about it. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Luke 14:1
"Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely" Luke 14:1
Jesus never had a moment's peace. Everyone was watching Him. From the day He walked into the Jordan River to be baptized He took on celebrity status. The first year was wonderful. Everyone loved Him. The second was more trying. The third - well let's say it would have driven a mortal man insane!
The people watched Him because He did exiting things - and maybe, just maybe it would happen to them. People haven't changed much. We still like to think the good things will happen to us. They all hoped that Jesus would touch them, speak to them, heal them, deliver them. The Romans watched Him - He just might challenge the power of Rome and they couldn't have that! As His popularity grew, their eyes grew more jaundiced. A large crowd could certainly mean trouble in an occupied country. But it was the religious leaders who watched Him the most - and trusted Him the least. He spoke with authority. The quoted the old teachers as though they were afraid to have an original thought! He fed the multitudes - they only taxed them. He healed the sick - they condemned them as sinners. He cast out demons. They thought that authority - though seldom used - was theirs alone. He raised the dead - not that had to be 'the work of the devil. No human could do that - not even the high priest - the most holy of them all (or at least the most politically savvy.) Yes, they watched Him like a hawk watched a mouse play in the field. They waited for Him to get too far astray - then they would swoop down on Him and do away with Him - then their power would remain strong.
Jesus didn't seem to mind. He just did what the Son of God would do even if they didn't watch. He healed the sick even on the Sabbath! Didn't bother Him in the least. He raised the dead - even the gentile dead. He cast out demons - in the name of the Father. In short, He just did what Daddy said to do.
People are watching you. They want to see your faith in action. They want to see if you crack under pressure. They want to know if this Jesus you worship is real - real in you. They are watching. How do you respond? Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Jesus never had a moment's peace. Everyone was watching Him. From the day He walked into the Jordan River to be baptized He took on celebrity status. The first year was wonderful. Everyone loved Him. The second was more trying. The third - well let's say it would have driven a mortal man insane!
The people watched Him because He did exiting things - and maybe, just maybe it would happen to them. People haven't changed much. We still like to think the good things will happen to us. They all hoped that Jesus would touch them, speak to them, heal them, deliver them. The Romans watched Him - He just might challenge the power of Rome and they couldn't have that! As His popularity grew, their eyes grew more jaundiced. A large crowd could certainly mean trouble in an occupied country. But it was the religious leaders who watched Him the most - and trusted Him the least. He spoke with authority. The quoted the old teachers as though they were afraid to have an original thought! He fed the multitudes - they only taxed them. He healed the sick - they condemned them as sinners. He cast out demons. They thought that authority - though seldom used - was theirs alone. He raised the dead - not that had to be 'the work of the devil. No human could do that - not even the high priest - the most holy of them all (or at least the most politically savvy.) Yes, they watched Him like a hawk watched a mouse play in the field. They waited for Him to get too far astray - then they would swoop down on Him and do away with Him - then their power would remain strong.
Jesus didn't seem to mind. He just did what the Son of God would do even if they didn't watch. He healed the sick even on the Sabbath! Didn't bother Him in the least. He raised the dead - even the gentile dead. He cast out demons - in the name of the Father. In short, He just did what Daddy said to do.
People are watching you. They want to see your faith in action. They want to see if you crack under pressure. They want to know if this Jesus you worship is real - real in you. They are watching. How do you respond? Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Colossians 1:9-20; Psalm 46; Luke 23:33-43
Lord, quieten our hearts that we may listen to Your still small voice, so that in hearing Your Word we may respond in fervent faith. As Jesus led disciples of old, so lead us your children today. We ask it in his name. Amen.
Some time ago I watched a television show called "Reasonable Doubts".
The story was a about a female defence lawyer who represented a man convicted of two brutal killings before a parole board. He was seeking release from prison after serving 14 years and she succeeded in getting him released.
A policeman who was present at the original crime scene gives the lawyer a rough time after the hearing, telling her that she should not be representing such people, that the man she was defending was nothing but scum.
Later that day the police officer discovers that the lawyer's mother had died from cancer the night before and so, the next time he sees the lawyer he says, "I'm sorry, if I had known your mother had died I would have gone easier on you."
Another character in the story - the deaf prosecutor who was the main star, also gives the lady lawyer a hard time for representing the killer before the parole board - and she too, later hears about the mother's death.
The next time the prosecutor sees the defence lawyer she also says to her - "Sorry, If I had known I would have gone easier on you."
This got me to thinking just how often we in fact do and say such things.
It happens all the time - in the normal bustle of daily living - when we are moving too fast, or feeling in need of help. - we fail to recognize what is happening around us, - we forget what it is that we should be about.
Sometimes we load up other people with our burdens and pains, we pour out all our complaints and troubles, only to discover later on that the person is dealing with their own emotional burden, a burden far heavier than our own..
Sometimes we ask someone to do this or that thing without considering their work load. We just assume that the other person is, our should be, willing to assist us, only to discover later on that they have just put in a double shift at work, or that a relative of theirs' has just be in accident.
Other times we may, in good humour, tease someone about something, thinking that we know them well enough to have a bit of fun with them, only to discover later on that he or she is very sensitive about the very thing we thought was safe to tease them about.
And we realize that we have blown it - that we have acted inappropriately, and we seek out the person concerned and in almost every case we say something like:
if I had known, I would not have asked you that,
if I had known, I would not have said that,
if I had known, I would not have bothered you.
If only I had known....
I mention this today, because as we come to the end of the church year, we are asked to remember that Jesus, when all is said and done, is our King, and I can't help thinking that when it comes to our obedience to our king, when it comes to our willingness to show him our respect and honour, many of us end up making the same mistake with him that we make with other people: - we blunder ahead on a business as usual basis, being casual, abrupt, and insensitive - until, all of sudden it seems, we realize that something special is going on.
What is this - If I had known excuse anyway?
I think it is a genuine kind of excuse, people are very sincere when they offer it,
but does it really count for a lot in the long run?
Shouldn't we be caring and loving and respectful all the time?
Shouldn't we always pay attention - before we say or do something, to where the person is at - to who the person is - to what the situation is?
Shouldn't we honour our Lord and our King all the time, and not just at special times like Sunday morning?
Think of the crucifixion of Christ for a moment - that passage we heard read from Luke a few minutes ago.
Just about everyone there from the guards and the pharisees, to the thief on the cross next to him, taunted Jesus. saying to him: "If you are the messiah, if your are the king, then save yourself - and save us."
It is pretty obvious from the gospel story that none of these people recognized Jesus for who he was: And this - it seemed - meant to them that they could abuse him as they might abuse any convicted criminal.
To them - nothing special was going on - it was business as usual, business without thinking, business without considering what it was that God would want out of them
whether or not this man on the cross was the Messiah - or simply a misguided fool.
I believe that if those who acted this way at the foot of the cross could come back and stand before Christ today - as we can stand before him - they would say to him:
Sorry Jesus, If I had known I would have gone easier on you,
If I had known I would have taken your part like the other thief took your part, I would have wept for you instead of jeering at you."
What does it mean to claim that Jesus is our Messiah, our King, our Lord. If it does not mean that we are to act differently? To show him our respect? And to strive to honour him and obey him and serve him at all times? And never more so - so some would say - than when he is actually here with us?
But what happens when we fail to recognize that our God and our King is actually here among us? What happens when the King is not sitting on his throne, or announcing his presence among us with trumpets and waving flags?
Recall what the prophet Isaiah said about Christ? About our God and King?
He had no form of majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him - and so it was he was despised and rejected by others, a man of suffering and acquainted with grief.
If only I had known.
The story is told about a Guru who was mediating in his Mountain cave. When he opened his eyes he discovered an unexpected visitor sitting before him - the abbot of a well known monastery.
"What is it you seek", asked the Guru?
The abbot recounted a tale of woe. At one time his monastery had been famous throughout the western world. It's cells were filled with young aspirants and its church had resounded to the chant of its monks. But hard times had come on the monastery. People no longer flocked there to nourish their spirits, the aspirants had dried up, and the church was almost silent. There were only a handful of monks left and these went about their duties with heavy hearts.
Now this is what the abbot wanted to know - "Is it because of some sin of ours that the monastery has been reduced to this state?"
"Yes", replied the Guru, "a sin of ignorance."
"And what might that sin be?"
"One of your number is the Messiah in disguise and your are ignorant of this", replied the Guru - and having said so he closed his eyes and returned to his meditation.
Throughout the long journey back to his monastery the abbot's heart beat fast as he thought that the Messiah - the Messiah himself - had returned to earth and was right there in his monastery. How was it that he had failed to recognize him? And who could it be? Brother Cook? Brother Sacristan? Brother Treasurer? Brother Prior? No, not he; he had too many defects, alas. But then, the Guru had said he was in disguise. Could those defects be part of his disguise? Come to think of it, everyone in the monastery had defects. And one of them had to be Messiah.
Back in the monastery the abbot assembled all the monks and told them what he had discovered. They looked at one another in disbelief. The Messiah? Here? Incredible. But he was supposed to be here in disguise. So, maybe. What if it were so and so? Or the other one over there? Or...
One thing was certain. If the Messiah was there in disguise, it was not likely that they would recognize him. So they took to treating everyone with special respect and consideration. "You never know", they said to themselves when they dealt with one another, "maybe this is the one."
The result was that the atmosphere of the monastery became vibrant with joy. Soon dozens of aspirants were seeking admission to the order. - and once again the church echoed with the holy and joyful chant of monks who were aglow with the spirit of love.
Jesus, our Messiah, our king, is here today somewhere in this church, somewhere in this community.
He has no form of majesty about him that we should look at look at him, nothing about his appearance that we desire him - but he is here.
And we owe him - for he is our King - and our Saviour, we owe him our praise, our obedience, our special honour and care, not just in our times of prayer - when we address him upon his throne, but in each minute of each day as we meet him as we go about our normal business.
None of us can really say to him - if only I had known, For we do know - and we are called to show our respect and our devotion each and every day - AMEN
Some time ago I watched a television show called "Reasonable Doubts".
The story was a about a female defence lawyer who represented a man convicted of two brutal killings before a parole board. He was seeking release from prison after serving 14 years and she succeeded in getting him released.
A policeman who was present at the original crime scene gives the lawyer a rough time after the hearing, telling her that she should not be representing such people, that the man she was defending was nothing but scum.
Later that day the police officer discovers that the lawyer's mother had died from cancer the night before and so, the next time he sees the lawyer he says, "I'm sorry, if I had known your mother had died I would have gone easier on you."
Another character in the story - the deaf prosecutor who was the main star, also gives the lady lawyer a hard time for representing the killer before the parole board - and she too, later hears about the mother's death.
The next time the prosecutor sees the defence lawyer she also says to her - "Sorry, If I had known I would have gone easier on you."
This got me to thinking just how often we in fact do and say such things.
It happens all the time - in the normal bustle of daily living - when we are moving too fast, or feeling in need of help. - we fail to recognize what is happening around us, - we forget what it is that we should be about.
Sometimes we load up other people with our burdens and pains, we pour out all our complaints and troubles, only to discover later on that the person is dealing with their own emotional burden, a burden far heavier than our own..
Sometimes we ask someone to do this or that thing without considering their work load. We just assume that the other person is, our should be, willing to assist us, only to discover later on that they have just put in a double shift at work, or that a relative of theirs' has just be in accident.
Other times we may, in good humour, tease someone about something, thinking that we know them well enough to have a bit of fun with them, only to discover later on that he or she is very sensitive about the very thing we thought was safe to tease them about.
And we realize that we have blown it - that we have acted inappropriately, and we seek out the person concerned and in almost every case we say something like:
if I had known, I would not have asked you that,
if I had known, I would not have said that,
if I had known, I would not have bothered you.
If only I had known....
I mention this today, because as we come to the end of the church year, we are asked to remember that Jesus, when all is said and done, is our King, and I can't help thinking that when it comes to our obedience to our king, when it comes to our willingness to show him our respect and honour, many of us end up making the same mistake with him that we make with other people: - we blunder ahead on a business as usual basis, being casual, abrupt, and insensitive - until, all of sudden it seems, we realize that something special is going on.
What is this - If I had known excuse anyway?
I think it is a genuine kind of excuse, people are very sincere when they offer it,
but does it really count for a lot in the long run?
Shouldn't we be caring and loving and respectful all the time?
Shouldn't we always pay attention - before we say or do something, to where the person is at - to who the person is - to what the situation is?
Shouldn't we honour our Lord and our King all the time, and not just at special times like Sunday morning?
Think of the crucifixion of Christ for a moment - that passage we heard read from Luke a few minutes ago.
Just about everyone there from the guards and the pharisees, to the thief on the cross next to him, taunted Jesus. saying to him: "If you are the messiah, if your are the king, then save yourself - and save us."
It is pretty obvious from the gospel story that none of these people recognized Jesus for who he was: And this - it seemed - meant to them that they could abuse him as they might abuse any convicted criminal.
To them - nothing special was going on - it was business as usual, business without thinking, business without considering what it was that God would want out of them
whether or not this man on the cross was the Messiah - or simply a misguided fool.
I believe that if those who acted this way at the foot of the cross could come back and stand before Christ today - as we can stand before him - they would say to him:
Sorry Jesus, If I had known I would have gone easier on you,
If I had known I would have taken your part like the other thief took your part, I would have wept for you instead of jeering at you."
What does it mean to claim that Jesus is our Messiah, our King, our Lord. If it does not mean that we are to act differently? To show him our respect? And to strive to honour him and obey him and serve him at all times? And never more so - so some would say - than when he is actually here with us?
But what happens when we fail to recognize that our God and our King is actually here among us? What happens when the King is not sitting on his throne, or announcing his presence among us with trumpets and waving flags?
Recall what the prophet Isaiah said about Christ? About our God and King?
He had no form of majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him - and so it was he was despised and rejected by others, a man of suffering and acquainted with grief.
If only I had known.
The story is told about a Guru who was mediating in his Mountain cave. When he opened his eyes he discovered an unexpected visitor sitting before him - the abbot of a well known monastery.
"What is it you seek", asked the Guru?
The abbot recounted a tale of woe. At one time his monastery had been famous throughout the western world. It's cells were filled with young aspirants and its church had resounded to the chant of its monks. But hard times had come on the monastery. People no longer flocked there to nourish their spirits, the aspirants had dried up, and the church was almost silent. There were only a handful of monks left and these went about their duties with heavy hearts.
Now this is what the abbot wanted to know - "Is it because of some sin of ours that the monastery has been reduced to this state?"
"Yes", replied the Guru, "a sin of ignorance."
"And what might that sin be?"
"One of your number is the Messiah in disguise and your are ignorant of this", replied the Guru - and having said so he closed his eyes and returned to his meditation.
Throughout the long journey back to his monastery the abbot's heart beat fast as he thought that the Messiah - the Messiah himself - had returned to earth and was right there in his monastery. How was it that he had failed to recognize him? And who could it be? Brother Cook? Brother Sacristan? Brother Treasurer? Brother Prior? No, not he; he had too many defects, alas. But then, the Guru had said he was in disguise. Could those defects be part of his disguise? Come to think of it, everyone in the monastery had defects. And one of them had to be Messiah.
Back in the monastery the abbot assembled all the monks and told them what he had discovered. They looked at one another in disbelief. The Messiah? Here? Incredible. But he was supposed to be here in disguise. So, maybe. What if it were so and so? Or the other one over there? Or...
One thing was certain. If the Messiah was there in disguise, it was not likely that they would recognize him. So they took to treating everyone with special respect and consideration. "You never know", they said to themselves when they dealt with one another, "maybe this is the one."
The result was that the atmosphere of the monastery became vibrant with joy. Soon dozens of aspirants were seeking admission to the order. - and once again the church echoed with the holy and joyful chant of monks who were aglow with the spirit of love.
Jesus, our Messiah, our king, is here today somewhere in this church, somewhere in this community.
He has no form of majesty about him that we should look at look at him, nothing about his appearance that we desire him - but he is here.
And we owe him - for he is our King - and our Saviour, we owe him our praise, our obedience, our special honour and care, not just in our times of prayer - when we address him upon his throne, but in each minute of each day as we meet him as we go about our normal business.
None of us can really say to him - if only I had known, For we do know - and we are called to show our respect and our devotion each and every day - AMEN
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Prov 14:22
"Do they not go astray who devise evil? But mercy and truth belong to those who devise good" Prov 14:22
It happens to everyone sooner or later. Sometime, somewhere, someone crosses you. They may have betrayed you, stolen from you, lied to you. They may be a spouse, a best friend, a neighbor, a pastor, a teacher, a total stranger. The results are the same, you seethe with dislike verging on or spilling over into hatred. You seethe each time you think of them. You see a car that looks like theirs and your blood boils. You catch a glimpse of a head that looks like theirs and you turn the other way. You go ten blocks out of your way to avoid the very possibility of running into them. You even stop shopping at your favorite store because you know they frequent the same place.
You have become possessed by hatred.
A trusted counselor-friend tells you to forgive and forget, but you can't. Your doctor tells you, you need to relax or you will suffer forever with ulcers. Your boss notices that your mind is not on your work and has a long chat with you over a power lunch. That is always bad news. You snap at your children, you ignore your home. You pace around like a hungry tiger in a cage. Your nerves are ready to snap, and you have bit off more than one head in the last months.
You are a mess.
Who are you hurting? Is it the person who offended you? Hardly. Is it those around you, your family, your friends, your compatriots? Certainly. But most of all, you are destroying yourself. Your hatred is eating you alive, from the inside out. It is deeper than the ulcers; it is more than the thoughts buried in the recesses of your mind. The cancer that is destroying you is rooted in your very soul.
"Pastor Edwin, you are describing me. What can I do?" you may be asking. Solomon, who is much wiser than I, he says we should devise good. In this way we will find kindness and truth. Jesus said it another way, "But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you." Luke 6:27-28
"I can't do that!" Sure you can, not of your own strength, but through "Christ who strengthens you!" It is time to put aside your hatred and do good to those who spitefully use you. In this way you will find peace. Praise God, Amen and Amen.
It happens to everyone sooner or later. Sometime, somewhere, someone crosses you. They may have betrayed you, stolen from you, lied to you. They may be a spouse, a best friend, a neighbor, a pastor, a teacher, a total stranger. The results are the same, you seethe with dislike verging on or spilling over into hatred. You seethe each time you think of them. You see a car that looks like theirs and your blood boils. You catch a glimpse of a head that looks like theirs and you turn the other way. You go ten blocks out of your way to avoid the very possibility of running into them. You even stop shopping at your favorite store because you know they frequent the same place.
You have become possessed by hatred.
A trusted counselor-friend tells you to forgive and forget, but you can't. Your doctor tells you, you need to relax or you will suffer forever with ulcers. Your boss notices that your mind is not on your work and has a long chat with you over a power lunch. That is always bad news. You snap at your children, you ignore your home. You pace around like a hungry tiger in a cage. Your nerves are ready to snap, and you have bit off more than one head in the last months.
You are a mess.
Who are you hurting? Is it the person who offended you? Hardly. Is it those around you, your family, your friends, your compatriots? Certainly. But most of all, you are destroying yourself. Your hatred is eating you alive, from the inside out. It is deeper than the ulcers; it is more than the thoughts buried in the recesses of your mind. The cancer that is destroying you is rooted in your very soul.
"Pastor Edwin, you are describing me. What can I do?" you may be asking. Solomon, who is much wiser than I, he says we should devise good. In this way we will find kindness and truth. Jesus said it another way, "But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you." Luke 6:27-28
"I can't do that!" Sure you can, not of your own strength, but through "Christ who strengthens you!" It is time to put aside your hatred and do good to those who spitefully use you. In this way you will find peace. Praise God, Amen and Amen.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Jer 29:13-14
"And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive" Jer 29:13-14
When kids are little, they liked to play "Hide and Seek." I'm sure you remember the game. The person who is "it" counts to one hundred while the others find hiding places where they will not be found. My kids hid in some of the weirdest places. One actually hid in the washing machine! (Not recommended). When it was one of their times to be "it" and I had the opportunity to hide, I made sure that I could be found, usually the next day. (Just kidding)
That is the way God is. Once He was hidden, but now He can be found. Sometimes one of the kids would have a hard time finding me even though I was really not well hidden. When this happened, I would begin to laugh, or make a noise, or in a worse case scenario I would hide in plain sight. I never wanted my kids to fear that I was gone for good. God wants us to know where He is at all times. Have you ever noticed that sometimes you tend to "trip over God?"
For example, you are on a diet, God ordained, of course, and you want to "cheat" just a little. Just as you reach for the refrigerator door, the phone rings and you have to answer it because the caller ID says it is your best friend. After a conversation with your best friend, you have forgotten about your insatiable hunger and get on with life. That is "tripping over God." I'm sure you have all heard of people who were about ready to commit suicide when someone knocked on the door (or some other action) and prevented the depressed person's demise. That is "tripping over God." Sometimes the car won't start when you are on your way somewhere. When you get it started, you notice an accident in an intersection you normally cross. It could have been you, if you hadn't been delayed. That is "tripping over God."
God is not hard to find, and it becomes easier to discover Him when you call upon Him. He steps out of the obvious hiding place and stands before you, so He can be "found" by you. And here is another thought: were you ever lost from God's point of view? Sure, we have been lost in sin, separated from God. But God always knew where we were. There is no forest dense enough, no mountain range remote enough, no planet far enough away but God is there with us, even when we deny Him. He is waiting patiently for us to realize that we have "lost" our way and cry out for Him to help us.
If you are reading this and you feel lost, ask for directions and God will be your guide back to His ways. Call on Him for He can be found. Amen and Amen.
When kids are little, they liked to play "Hide and Seek." I'm sure you remember the game. The person who is "it" counts to one hundred while the others find hiding places where they will not be found. My kids hid in some of the weirdest places. One actually hid in the washing machine! (Not recommended). When it was one of their times to be "it" and I had the opportunity to hide, I made sure that I could be found, usually the next day. (Just kidding)
That is the way God is. Once He was hidden, but now He can be found. Sometimes one of the kids would have a hard time finding me even though I was really not well hidden. When this happened, I would begin to laugh, or make a noise, or in a worse case scenario I would hide in plain sight. I never wanted my kids to fear that I was gone for good. God wants us to know where He is at all times. Have you ever noticed that sometimes you tend to "trip over God?"
For example, you are on a diet, God ordained, of course, and you want to "cheat" just a little. Just as you reach for the refrigerator door, the phone rings and you have to answer it because the caller ID says it is your best friend. After a conversation with your best friend, you have forgotten about your insatiable hunger and get on with life. That is "tripping over God." I'm sure you have all heard of people who were about ready to commit suicide when someone knocked on the door (or some other action) and prevented the depressed person's demise. That is "tripping over God." Sometimes the car won't start when you are on your way somewhere. When you get it started, you notice an accident in an intersection you normally cross. It could have been you, if you hadn't been delayed. That is "tripping over God."
God is not hard to find, and it becomes easier to discover Him when you call upon Him. He steps out of the obvious hiding place and stands before you, so He can be "found" by you. And here is another thought: were you ever lost from God's point of view? Sure, we have been lost in sin, separated from God. But God always knew where we were. There is no forest dense enough, no mountain range remote enough, no planet far enough away but God is there with us, even when we deny Him. He is waiting patiently for us to realize that we have "lost" our way and cry out for Him to help us.
If you are reading this and you feel lost, ask for directions and God will be your guide back to His ways. Call on Him for He can be found. Amen and Amen.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Luke 14:2-3
"And behold, there was a certain man before Him who had dropsy. And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" Luke 14:2-3
Jesus never backed away from a task just because it flew in the face of contemporary convention. In this case the rabbinical interpretation of the Sabbath commandment was that absolutely no work could be done on the Sabbath. So, when presented with an afflicted man, Jesus asked whether it was right to heal him. This put the Pharisees in a box. If they said "yes", they would be contradicting their own teachings. If they answer "no", they would incur the wrath of the populace. Being good politicians (rather than good spiritual leaders), they did not answer at all.
Jesus healed the man. "So what?" you ask. "I can't heal someone. I don't even know if my prayers to God for healing work. I've prayed for this certain person and they got worse and died. Again I ask, so what?" It wasn't so much the healing that was important here. It was Jesus' example of obedience to God rather than man's interpretation of God. He bucked the flow. He swam upstream - and He did it gracefully and perfectly.
You and I are often asked by God or one of His representatives to go against the flow. Most often we refuse. God may be pointing out something in your life that needs to be removed. Remove it. Don't argue. Don't buck. Do it! He may be asking you to go to the mission field - or tell your neighbor about Jesus - or change jobs from the lucrative one you have to one that is more fulfilling but lower paying. What ever it is - no matter what others say - if you are sure God is in it JUST DO IT! As Jesus found favor with the Father, so will you - and you will be blessed on earth as well. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Jesus never backed away from a task just because it flew in the face of contemporary convention. In this case the rabbinical interpretation of the Sabbath commandment was that absolutely no work could be done on the Sabbath. So, when presented with an afflicted man, Jesus asked whether it was right to heal him. This put the Pharisees in a box. If they said "yes", they would be contradicting their own teachings. If they answer "no", they would incur the wrath of the populace. Being good politicians (rather than good spiritual leaders), they did not answer at all.
Jesus healed the man. "So what?" you ask. "I can't heal someone. I don't even know if my prayers to God for healing work. I've prayed for this certain person and they got worse and died. Again I ask, so what?" It wasn't so much the healing that was important here. It was Jesus' example of obedience to God rather than man's interpretation of God. He bucked the flow. He swam upstream - and He did it gracefully and perfectly.
You and I are often asked by God or one of His representatives to go against the flow. Most often we refuse. God may be pointing out something in your life that needs to be removed. Remove it. Don't argue. Don't buck. Do it! He may be asking you to go to the mission field - or tell your neighbor about Jesus - or change jobs from the lucrative one you have to one that is more fulfilling but lower paying. What ever it is - no matter what others say - if you are sure God is in it JUST DO IT! As Jesus found favor with the Father, so will you - and you will be blessed on earth as well. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
1 John 2:15-16
"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life; is not of the Father but is of the world." 1 John 2:15-16
Love for stuff, lots of stuff, I mean we all just love (l-o-v-e) stuff, the more stuff the better, just so we can call all our friends and tell them to come on over so they can see our stuff. Then, when we get tired of our stuff or don't need our stuff anymore, we get rid of our stuff. Why? To make room for new stuff. All that stuff can sure get us into trouble. Even worse, we start to begin to think that all this stuff will make us happy or fill the empty places in our hearts.
Sorry, but what we need to do is place our worldly hopes and dreams in our Abba Father, He gives us the real stuff, the right stuff and the only stuff we need for eternity, and the stuff we need most, the Holy Spirit is always with us! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Love for stuff, lots of stuff, I mean we all just love (l-o-v-e) stuff, the more stuff the better, just so we can call all our friends and tell them to come on over so they can see our stuff. Then, when we get tired of our stuff or don't need our stuff anymore, we get rid of our stuff. Why? To make room for new stuff. All that stuff can sure get us into trouble. Even worse, we start to begin to think that all this stuff will make us happy or fill the empty places in our hearts.
Sorry, but what we need to do is place our worldly hopes and dreams in our Abba Father, He gives us the real stuff, the right stuff and the only stuff we need for eternity, and the stuff we need most, the Holy Spirit is always with us! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Matt 11:21
"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes" Matt 11:21
There's something about success that brings arrogance. I guess it comes naturally. If you are the best, then you are the best and no one can deny that. The problem with arrogance is that it breeds contempt. Contempt is an attitude that says "I'm the best and you are nothing." Obviously, that is a dangerous position to take. No one likes to associate with a contemptuous person - they just seem to make you feel small. But it doesn't stop there. Contempt gives way to complacency. Complacency is that position which says "I'm the best. No one can touch me. Therefore I will lean back and take it easy."
If I recall my childhood stories correctly, it was complacency that brought an end to the rabbit's reign as the fastest of the animals of the field. You may remember the story of the race between the tortoise and the hare. Mr. Rabbit was so far ahead that he though he could take a nap - so he did. Mr. Turtle knew he was not fast, but he kept plodding along at his slow but steady pace. Eventually he slipped by Mr. Rabbit who was cutting a few "z's". At the last moment the rabbit awoke, realized what had happened and cut in the afterburners - all to no avail. The tortoise won by a "hair" (sorry for the pun!)
What's the point? Israel was "so far ahead" of all other nations that they thought God would never turn on them - after all they were the "chosen of God!" Jesus pulls their heads out of the sand by saying that Tyre and Sidon - to very ungodly city-states destroyed generations before by God, would have repented of their sins with great mourning if they had seen what Israel had seen in the form and actions of Jesus. God would bring destruction upon Israel again if they didn't repent and accept Jesus as their Savior! (And so He did in 70 AD when the Roman army breached the walls of Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple - which has not been rebuilt to this day.)
The Church is in much the same position. We have seen so many "moves of God," we have participated in so much world evangelism, we have been so close to God, that we feel invincible. "Because of all we have done, it is inconceivable that God would ever turn His back on us," is the common thought. The problem is that this is an inaccurate statement. When God sends Jesus to collect His bride, He will come for a purified bride - one that is spotless and pure - not one that had compromised and played the part of the unrepentant harlot. That "bride" will be shunned. Jesus is trying to "clean us up," but the Church often refuses. Instead she continues to be "inclusive" towards those who are in direct opposition to what we read in God's Word. She defers to popular opinion rather than God's Truth. She waters down the Gospel we preach so no one will be offended. Jesus is calling the Church to repent! Let it begin with me - and you! Amen and Amen.
There's something about success that brings arrogance. I guess it comes naturally. If you are the best, then you are the best and no one can deny that. The problem with arrogance is that it breeds contempt. Contempt is an attitude that says "I'm the best and you are nothing." Obviously, that is a dangerous position to take. No one likes to associate with a contemptuous person - they just seem to make you feel small. But it doesn't stop there. Contempt gives way to complacency. Complacency is that position which says "I'm the best. No one can touch me. Therefore I will lean back and take it easy."
If I recall my childhood stories correctly, it was complacency that brought an end to the rabbit's reign as the fastest of the animals of the field. You may remember the story of the race between the tortoise and the hare. Mr. Rabbit was so far ahead that he though he could take a nap - so he did. Mr. Turtle knew he was not fast, but he kept plodding along at his slow but steady pace. Eventually he slipped by Mr. Rabbit who was cutting a few "z's". At the last moment the rabbit awoke, realized what had happened and cut in the afterburners - all to no avail. The tortoise won by a "hair" (sorry for the pun!)
What's the point? Israel was "so far ahead" of all other nations that they thought God would never turn on them - after all they were the "chosen of God!" Jesus pulls their heads out of the sand by saying that Tyre and Sidon - to very ungodly city-states destroyed generations before by God, would have repented of their sins with great mourning if they had seen what Israel had seen in the form and actions of Jesus. God would bring destruction upon Israel again if they didn't repent and accept Jesus as their Savior! (And so He did in 70 AD when the Roman army breached the walls of Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple - which has not been rebuilt to this day.)
The Church is in much the same position. We have seen so many "moves of God," we have participated in so much world evangelism, we have been so close to God, that we feel invincible. "Because of all we have done, it is inconceivable that God would ever turn His back on us," is the common thought. The problem is that this is an inaccurate statement. When God sends Jesus to collect His bride, He will come for a purified bride - one that is spotless and pure - not one that had compromised and played the part of the unrepentant harlot. That "bride" will be shunned. Jesus is trying to "clean us up," but the Church often refuses. Instead she continues to be "inclusive" towards those who are in direct opposition to what we read in God's Word. She defers to popular opinion rather than God's Truth. She waters down the Gospel we preach so no one will be offended. Jesus is calling the Church to repent! Let it begin with me - and you! Amen and Amen.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Psalm 119:160
"The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever." Psalm 119:160
Every word, every letter, every comma and period - if it's from God's Word, it is truth. The Bible is the only book that was written by multiple authors over centuries of time, in several languages - and never contradicts itself. How can it be that the Bible can be so perfect? Because God inspired it. It is His word. Whether the subject is history, literature, prophecy, or letters of instruction, every word of this Book is true and valid for you and me.
Some people have a habit of saying "that verse was meant for the Corinthians, it doesn't apply to us." In essence those people are tearing a page out of God's Word. If everyone held that philosophy, there would be precious few pages left for all of us can find something that we do not agree with - and because we do not agree with it, it must be invalid! Who are we to challenge God? If He said it and it is recorded in the Bible, then it is for us today and our children tomorrow and our grand children after that. Sure, there are verses that don't seem to apply - because we are not being tested, corrected, challenged, or tried in that area. But wait until tomorrow. Trust me one of those verses will come to your aid. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Every word, every letter, every comma and period - if it's from God's Word, it is truth. The Bible is the only book that was written by multiple authors over centuries of time, in several languages - and never contradicts itself. How can it be that the Bible can be so perfect? Because God inspired it. It is His word. Whether the subject is history, literature, prophecy, or letters of instruction, every word of this Book is true and valid for you and me.
Some people have a habit of saying "that verse was meant for the Corinthians, it doesn't apply to us." In essence those people are tearing a page out of God's Word. If everyone held that philosophy, there would be precious few pages left for all of us can find something that we do not agree with - and because we do not agree with it, it must be invalid! Who are we to challenge God? If He said it and it is recorded in the Bible, then it is for us today and our children tomorrow and our grand children after that. Sure, there are verses that don't seem to apply - because we are not being tested, corrected, challenged, or tried in that area. But wait until tomorrow. Trust me one of those verses will come to your aid. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Zechariah 7:1-10; II Thessalonians 2:13-3:5; Luke 20:27-38
Bless thou, the words of my lips and the meditations of our hearts that they be of profit to us and acceptable to thee, oh thou our rock and our redeemer. Amen
What is it that God wants us to do?
What model of behaviour should we follow?
What kind of religion should we practice?
I heard from a friend who lives in Nova Scotia that the editorial staff of a Sunday Magazine some time ago in over in Canada at one time created a "Faith in Life" award as a way of increasing its readership and at the same time recognizing those who best demonstrated their faith in daily living.
The readers were encouraged to submit letters of nomination to the paper telling stories of those persons who best lived their faith each day. A large number of the nominating letters that came in mentioned people who either (1) had attended church regularly for years; (2) had given a sizable amount of money to their church or favourite charity; or (3) had done both. Many of the letters included newspaper clippings that showed the dedication of the person who was being nominated for the award.
Some of the readers were surprised when the winner was announced. His letter of nomination had arrived written in crayon - with no newspaper clippings enclosed. It read:
"Anthony is a plumber. He helped some people fix up a house for my friend's family because their first house burned down. He also visits my grandmother in the nursing home and make her happy with his stories and his harmonica playing. He is a lot like Jesus. I hope he wins. But if he doesn't it won't matter. He will still be the same good old Anthony."
And it was signed "love, Anne."
What is it that God wants us to do?
How should we show our dedication and devotion to God?
What kind of religion should we practice?
Some five hundred years before Christ was born their was a war between the great city state of Babylon and the new empire of Persia.
As a result of that war, which was won by the Persians, the people of Israel, who had been slaves in Babylon for seventy years, were set free and allowed to return to their country and start life all over again.
As is the case after all periods of war and suffering, it took a while for things to get back to normal.
The city of Jerusalem was still pretty much a wreck. The temple which had been destroyed 70 years earlier was only half rebuilt, and times were tough. People didn't really know what to do - especially when it came to their religion.
Today's reading from the prophet Zechariah is set in that time of uncertainty. In that reading we heard how the people approached Zechariah and the priests and asked them a question - they asked:
"should we fast - and mourn in the fifth month of each year as we have done for so many years?
It is a question that may not make a lot of sense to us some 2500 years later, but basically what the people were asking was this: - should we continue on with the religious practice of our ancestors? - should we still mourn for the destruction of Jerusalem and of the temple? - or should we do something else now that the city and temple are being rebuilt?
To us, looking back over the years, the answer may seem obvious - the fasting and mourning that the people had done was for a city and a temple that was destroyed - so now they were being rebuilt the people should stop mourning and fasting - and instead they should celebrate and thank God that things were getting back to normal
But Zechariah does not give this particular answer - at least, not right away - instead, Zechariah asks them
"when you fasted and lamented in the fifth month and in the seventh month of each year, was it for God that you fasted and mourned? And when you eat and drink - do you not eat and drink only for yourselves? And is this not the same thing God told you long before Jerusalem was destroyed - back in the days when the city was prosperous?"
And the Zechariah goes on to say what the people should do. He said
"Render true judgements, show kindness and mercy to one another; do not oppress the widow, the orphan, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another."
This has ever been the answer of God to us when we ask the question - what is it that God wants us to do?
Today, as we observe Remembrance Day here in the Sanctuary of God that question is particularly appropriate - as is the answer.
There are many people who would suggest to us that Remembrance Day is outmoded, that it is a religious observation that should no longer be practised, that the time for remembering the sacrifices made in wars long since past is no more - and that we should instead get on with other things.
Some even suggest that Remembrance Day glorifies war and encourages people to think that it is acceptable, and that to die fighting for one's country is a good thing; and so they say - don't do this - don't remember - instead - do something else,
speak about the horror of war, and proclaim that God is against all violence, against all forms of man's inhumanity against man.
This my friends misses the point of Remembrance Day - it is misguided thinking.
Misguided because it equates the act of remembering the sacrifices made in the past by soldiers of our country with a glorification of war and suffering.
Misguided because it considers honouring the memory of those who have died with honouring the kind of actions they found themselves having to make in the midst of a struggle that - in the end - none of them really wanted to be part of - but believed
that they must be part of if others were to dwell in the freedom and in the peace that God wants us all to have
The spirit that underlies Remembrance day is probably best found in the poem that is most associated with it: the poem: "In Flanders Field"
In Flanders Field, the poppies blow
between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow.
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up Our Quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch: be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields....
Remembrance Day is not just a time to fast and mourn. It is not just a time to remember those who died. Still less is it a time to say that war that is good or
honourable.
Rather it is a time when we - as we recall those who gave themselves for us, - to remember just why it is they did what they did, - a time to in fact remember the horror of war and vow to ourselves - never again, - a time to take up the torch once more and to dedicate ourselves anew to living in such a way that we do not break faith with those who died to bring peace to the world, - a time to commit ourselves once again to the struggle against evil - the struggle against the very things to lead to war in the first place.
When Zechariah responds to the people's question - what shall we do? What religious practice should we practice at this time and in this place? He did not encourage them to mourn for Jerusalem as they had mourned before - the days of mourning were in fact over.
Instead he told them to love truth and peace; and he reminded them of what all the prophets had said so long before, of what God had said long before - in the day when the land was still prosperous, and war and slavery far from the people..
He reminded them of the promises made by God in the days of Moses and all the other prophets - the promises that said:
If you forgot your God, - If you fail to keep the commandments to love God and to love your neighbour, who ever that neighbour may be, - If you do evil rather than good and act unkindly towards foreigners and refugees, - If you steal, lie or cheat - If you take bribes and pervert justice and slander your neighbours. Then your land will be destroyed, your men killed, and your woman and your children enslaved.
But if you do good,
- if you care for the widows and the orphans,
- if you give justice in the courts,
- if you seek to follow God rather than to grow wealthy,
- if you obey God's laws rather than worship success and seek popularity
- if you are kind and merciful to each other then your land will prosper and you will live long and be happy.
These are the traditions and the practices that we are asked to remember by Paul today in his letter to the Thessalonians. And these are the things that Remembrance Day asks to call to mind each year as we recall those who died that we may be free.
What shall we do?
Take the torch - hold it high, do not break faith with those who have died.
Live in the way that God meant you to live - in freedom and with the intention of preserving that freedom, by doing all that makes for perpetual freedom - and for perpetual peace; by doing justice, and loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.
Then those who died in Flanders Fields will sleep as the poppies grow, between the crosses row on row. AMEN
What is it that God wants us to do?
What model of behaviour should we follow?
What kind of religion should we practice?
I heard from a friend who lives in Nova Scotia that the editorial staff of a Sunday Magazine some time ago in over in Canada at one time created a "Faith in Life" award as a way of increasing its readership and at the same time recognizing those who best demonstrated their faith in daily living.
The readers were encouraged to submit letters of nomination to the paper telling stories of those persons who best lived their faith each day. A large number of the nominating letters that came in mentioned people who either (1) had attended church regularly for years; (2) had given a sizable amount of money to their church or favourite charity; or (3) had done both. Many of the letters included newspaper clippings that showed the dedication of the person who was being nominated for the award.
Some of the readers were surprised when the winner was announced. His letter of nomination had arrived written in crayon - with no newspaper clippings enclosed. It read:
"Anthony is a plumber. He helped some people fix up a house for my friend's family because their first house burned down. He also visits my grandmother in the nursing home and make her happy with his stories and his harmonica playing. He is a lot like Jesus. I hope he wins. But if he doesn't it won't matter. He will still be the same good old Anthony."
And it was signed "love, Anne."
What is it that God wants us to do?
How should we show our dedication and devotion to God?
What kind of religion should we practice?
Some five hundred years before Christ was born their was a war between the great city state of Babylon and the new empire of Persia.
As a result of that war, which was won by the Persians, the people of Israel, who had been slaves in Babylon for seventy years, were set free and allowed to return to their country and start life all over again.
As is the case after all periods of war and suffering, it took a while for things to get back to normal.
The city of Jerusalem was still pretty much a wreck. The temple which had been destroyed 70 years earlier was only half rebuilt, and times were tough. People didn't really know what to do - especially when it came to their religion.
Today's reading from the prophet Zechariah is set in that time of uncertainty. In that reading we heard how the people approached Zechariah and the priests and asked them a question - they asked:
"should we fast - and mourn in the fifth month of each year as we have done for so many years?
It is a question that may not make a lot of sense to us some 2500 years later, but basically what the people were asking was this: - should we continue on with the religious practice of our ancestors? - should we still mourn for the destruction of Jerusalem and of the temple? - or should we do something else now that the city and temple are being rebuilt?
To us, looking back over the years, the answer may seem obvious - the fasting and mourning that the people had done was for a city and a temple that was destroyed - so now they were being rebuilt the people should stop mourning and fasting - and instead they should celebrate and thank God that things were getting back to normal
But Zechariah does not give this particular answer - at least, not right away - instead, Zechariah asks them
"when you fasted and lamented in the fifth month and in the seventh month of each year, was it for God that you fasted and mourned? And when you eat and drink - do you not eat and drink only for yourselves? And is this not the same thing God told you long before Jerusalem was destroyed - back in the days when the city was prosperous?"
And the Zechariah goes on to say what the people should do. He said
"Render true judgements, show kindness and mercy to one another; do not oppress the widow, the orphan, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another."
This has ever been the answer of God to us when we ask the question - what is it that God wants us to do?
Today, as we observe Remembrance Day here in the Sanctuary of God that question is particularly appropriate - as is the answer.
There are many people who would suggest to us that Remembrance Day is outmoded, that it is a religious observation that should no longer be practised, that the time for remembering the sacrifices made in wars long since past is no more - and that we should instead get on with other things.
Some even suggest that Remembrance Day glorifies war and encourages people to think that it is acceptable, and that to die fighting for one's country is a good thing; and so they say - don't do this - don't remember - instead - do something else,
speak about the horror of war, and proclaim that God is against all violence, against all forms of man's inhumanity against man.
This my friends misses the point of Remembrance Day - it is misguided thinking.
Misguided because it equates the act of remembering the sacrifices made in the past by soldiers of our country with a glorification of war and suffering.
Misguided because it considers honouring the memory of those who have died with honouring the kind of actions they found themselves having to make in the midst of a struggle that - in the end - none of them really wanted to be part of - but believed
that they must be part of if others were to dwell in the freedom and in the peace that God wants us all to have
The spirit that underlies Remembrance day is probably best found in the poem that is most associated with it: the poem: "In Flanders Field"
In Flanders Field, the poppies blow
between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow.
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up Our Quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch: be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields....
Remembrance Day is not just a time to fast and mourn. It is not just a time to remember those who died. Still less is it a time to say that war that is good or
honourable.
Rather it is a time when we - as we recall those who gave themselves for us, - to remember just why it is they did what they did, - a time to in fact remember the horror of war and vow to ourselves - never again, - a time to take up the torch once more and to dedicate ourselves anew to living in such a way that we do not break faith with those who died to bring peace to the world, - a time to commit ourselves once again to the struggle against evil - the struggle against the very things to lead to war in the first place.
When Zechariah responds to the people's question - what shall we do? What religious practice should we practice at this time and in this place? He did not encourage them to mourn for Jerusalem as they had mourned before - the days of mourning were in fact over.
Instead he told them to love truth and peace; and he reminded them of what all the prophets had said so long before, of what God had said long before - in the day when the land was still prosperous, and war and slavery far from the people..
He reminded them of the promises made by God in the days of Moses and all the other prophets - the promises that said:
If you forgot your God, - If you fail to keep the commandments to love God and to love your neighbour, who ever that neighbour may be, - If you do evil rather than good and act unkindly towards foreigners and refugees, - If you steal, lie or cheat - If you take bribes and pervert justice and slander your neighbours. Then your land will be destroyed, your men killed, and your woman and your children enslaved.
But if you do good,
- if you care for the widows and the orphans,
- if you give justice in the courts,
- if you seek to follow God rather than to grow wealthy,
- if you obey God's laws rather than worship success and seek popularity
- if you are kind and merciful to each other then your land will prosper and you will live long and be happy.
These are the traditions and the practices that we are asked to remember by Paul today in his letter to the Thessalonians. And these are the things that Remembrance Day asks to call to mind each year as we recall those who died that we may be free.
What shall we do?
Take the torch - hold it high, do not break faith with those who have died.
Live in the way that God meant you to live - in freedom and with the intention of preserving that freedom, by doing all that makes for perpetual freedom - and for perpetual peace; by doing justice, and loving mercy, and walking humbly with God.
Then those who died in Flanders Fields will sleep as the poppies grow, between the crosses row on row. AMEN
Saturday, November 13, 2010
1 Corinthians 5:5
"Deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." 1 Corinthians 5:5
Paul encountered a believer who was involved in an incestuous relationship in the Corinthian church. This man was deluded by Satan and was controlled by immorality. The man was unwilling to change his behavior, so Paul recommended to the church that tough actions should be taken. He spiritually handed this man over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh for the benefit of his soul. The idea is that the person will wallow in the pit of sin so long that it will be detestable to him and he will cry out for the grace of God.
We know this man was a Christian because only a Christian can be subjected to church discipline. Have you ever known someone who was walking in disobedience and no matter how much you prayed, he seemed oblivious to his sin. God has given one weapon against Satan's schemes against those who fall prey to Satan. That is, let Satan have access to him fully so that His life will become so miserable that He will cry out to God for mercy. Probably few of us have ever had to pray this prayer. However, you should not be fearful of this prayer for any believer who is willingly walking in disobedience. This is love... tough love. There is a time and place for tough love. Amen and Amen.
Paul encountered a believer who was involved in an incestuous relationship in the Corinthian church. This man was deluded by Satan and was controlled by immorality. The man was unwilling to change his behavior, so Paul recommended to the church that tough actions should be taken. He spiritually handed this man over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh for the benefit of his soul. The idea is that the person will wallow in the pit of sin so long that it will be detestable to him and he will cry out for the grace of God.
We know this man was a Christian because only a Christian can be subjected to church discipline. Have you ever known someone who was walking in disobedience and no matter how much you prayed, he seemed oblivious to his sin. God has given one weapon against Satan's schemes against those who fall prey to Satan. That is, let Satan have access to him fully so that His life will become so miserable that He will cry out to God for mercy. Probably few of us have ever had to pray this prayer. However, you should not be fearful of this prayer for any believer who is willingly walking in disobedience. This is love... tough love. There is a time and place for tough love. Amen and Amen.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Hebrews 13:2
"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels" Hebrews 13:2
Today as I was reading my Bible this verse jumped out at me. To me it is saying let the love of God shine through me. In Hebrew times it was a common practice for people to take strangers in overnight. They showed the Love of Christ, not knowing if who they were helping was a spy or a brother or sister in the Lord.
Today we would say times are very different, but we can show the Love of Christ in many ways in our daily lives. Many people cross our paths in a day's time. We don't know the struggles they are going through. Most of the time we see the bad side of people. But this might be from being let down or from being hurt so many times by others.
If we would start by offering to open a door for them or say a kind word, offering a word of encouragement to a person whom is hurting. Trying to have a smile on your face, a pleasantness that will allow others to see Christ in us. Helping others without expecting anything in return can bring many blessings. Getting to know people has been a blessing to me. After we befriend a person, we get to see through the hard and ruff shell that all of us have. The Lord has brought many people into my life, just at the time I needed encouragement or someone to talk with. TO ME THEY WERE ANGELS SENT BY GOD. By taking a step in faith, by letting Gods Light shine through you. You might be an angel that someone needs today. LET THE LIGHT OF THE LORD SHINE THROUGH YOU TODAY.
Father God, we thank you for how you bring people into our lives. For the many ways you bless us in and through others. Help us to entertain strangers and show them your love through us. Shine through us (I want to be in the Light as You are in the Light) each and every day Lord. Even in times when people treat us rudely and unfairly. Show us ways to help and encourage others. Amen and Amen.
Today as I was reading my Bible this verse jumped out at me. To me it is saying let the love of God shine through me. In Hebrew times it was a common practice for people to take strangers in overnight. They showed the Love of Christ, not knowing if who they were helping was a spy or a brother or sister in the Lord.
Today we would say times are very different, but we can show the Love of Christ in many ways in our daily lives. Many people cross our paths in a day's time. We don't know the struggles they are going through. Most of the time we see the bad side of people. But this might be from being let down or from being hurt so many times by others.
If we would start by offering to open a door for them or say a kind word, offering a word of encouragement to a person whom is hurting. Trying to have a smile on your face, a pleasantness that will allow others to see Christ in us. Helping others without expecting anything in return can bring many blessings. Getting to know people has been a blessing to me. After we befriend a person, we get to see through the hard and ruff shell that all of us have. The Lord has brought many people into my life, just at the time I needed encouragement or someone to talk with. TO ME THEY WERE ANGELS SENT BY GOD. By taking a step in faith, by letting Gods Light shine through you. You might be an angel that someone needs today. LET THE LIGHT OF THE LORD SHINE THROUGH YOU TODAY.
Father God, we thank you for how you bring people into our lives. For the many ways you bless us in and through others. Help us to entertain strangers and show them your love through us. Shine through us (I want to be in the Light as You are in the Light) each and every day Lord. Even in times when people treat us rudely and unfairly. Show us ways to help and encourage others. Amen and Amen.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Titus 2:7-8
"In all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you." Titus 2:7-8
Paul tells us that if we live our lives by setting a good example, always performing good deeds; if our doctrine is pure and true in relationship with God's Word; if we always conduct ourselves with dignity (as opposed to childishness - not necessarily straight faced and somber); if our talk matches our walk and we are found to be what we claim we are as Christians, then we have set a good offense. If we have done no wrong and are model citizens, then the bad guys will have no argument with us.
A good lifestyle prevents bad things from happening. A lot of(not all) crime takes place in the early morning hours, near and around the local pubs and bars, by someone who is known to the victim. It can safely be concluded that if we live a good and peaceable life, being home by 10:00 PM, stay away from the pubs and the bars, and develop friendships with good people, we are relatively safe from being involved in a fight or other evil things being done to us.
Sounds like Paul's advice to Titus. (Of course there is the occasional daytime crime committed against a totally innocent individual - but those are not as often.) Likewise, if we do not go near Satan's hangout but spend a large portion of our time in Church; if we walk away from temptation instead of flirting with it; if our best friends are those who share our love for Jesus, it stands to reason that we will be fairly well protected from Satan's attacks. That's not to say we won't suffer attacks, but we will be sufficiently protected so that we will be victorious in those battles in which we find ourselves. Determine to live right! Amen.
Paul tells us that if we live our lives by setting a good example, always performing good deeds; if our doctrine is pure and true in relationship with God's Word; if we always conduct ourselves with dignity (as opposed to childishness - not necessarily straight faced and somber); if our talk matches our walk and we are found to be what we claim we are as Christians, then we have set a good offense. If we have done no wrong and are model citizens, then the bad guys will have no argument with us.
A good lifestyle prevents bad things from happening. A lot of(not all) crime takes place in the early morning hours, near and around the local pubs and bars, by someone who is known to the victim. It can safely be concluded that if we live a good and peaceable life, being home by 10:00 PM, stay away from the pubs and the bars, and develop friendships with good people, we are relatively safe from being involved in a fight or other evil things being done to us.
Sounds like Paul's advice to Titus. (Of course there is the occasional daytime crime committed against a totally innocent individual - but those are not as often.) Likewise, if we do not go near Satan's hangout but spend a large portion of our time in Church; if we walk away from temptation instead of flirting with it; if our best friends are those who share our love for Jesus, it stands to reason that we will be fairly well protected from Satan's attacks. That's not to say we won't suffer attacks, but we will be sufficiently protected so that we will be victorious in those battles in which we find ourselves. Determine to live right! Amen.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
2 Corinth 5:7
"For we walk by faith, not by sight" 2 Corinth 5:7
I've tried it several times. Walking from one building to the other across an open parking lot. I've closed my eyes and started walking. I had to have faith in several things. 1) I had to have faith in my ability to walk a straight line while temporarily "blind." 2) I had to have faith in my hearing to tell me if a car entered the parking lot - or if I was approaching a parked car. 3) I had to trust my ability to tell how far I had walked before I came to the steps into the office. Being the prudent fellow that I am, I seldom walked the entire distance without peeking!
Walking by faith is a lot like that - only the object of our faith is much more reliable than my senses! Our Lord is faithful and true. He cannot fail us for to do so would cause Him to be ungodlike, and that would cause Him to not be God - and that's impossible!
So what's the problem? Like me in the parking lot, we all like to "see" where we are going. We like to have our lives laid out before us. We want to know where we are, where we will be in the next year, 5 years, 10 years. We don't like surprises except at Christmas and birthdays! So what's wrong with that? Nothing, except that it hinders our usefulness to God. We make Him dependent upon our schedule. ("Wait a few days, God. I've got a really good thing going here.") The only problem is that God won't wait, at least not very long and not very often. He expects obedience - and being the God of the universe, He has the right to expect it.
So why is God so demanding of our obedience? Allow me to explain it this way. A friend of mine had a foster child who was educatibly mentally retarded (that's the term they used back in the dark ages of the early '80s. That meant that she was curious, but not able to understand a lot of things, but could be taught if you have the right amount of patience. One day she was at our house and was curious about the blue flame on the gas range. It was pretty. It danced before her eyes. So she reached out to touch it. We shouted for her to stop. You can only imagine what would have happened if we hadn't demanded total obedience of her.
Likewise, we have a tendency to want to do our own thing. But God in His wisdom knows much more than we. He knows when we are about to get into serious danger. He also knows when some other circumstance is perfectly ready for harvesting for the Kingdom. If we don't act instantly, we may get seriously hurt - or some soul may spend an eternity in Hell.
I know all of this is over simplified, but it makes the point. We must learn obedience. We must learn to walk by faith, knowing that God sees everything, knows everything, understands everything and has it and our lives perfectly in control. Amen and Amen.
I've tried it several times. Walking from one building to the other across an open parking lot. I've closed my eyes and started walking. I had to have faith in several things. 1) I had to have faith in my ability to walk a straight line while temporarily "blind." 2) I had to have faith in my hearing to tell me if a car entered the parking lot - or if I was approaching a parked car. 3) I had to trust my ability to tell how far I had walked before I came to the steps into the office. Being the prudent fellow that I am, I seldom walked the entire distance without peeking!
Walking by faith is a lot like that - only the object of our faith is much more reliable than my senses! Our Lord is faithful and true. He cannot fail us for to do so would cause Him to be ungodlike, and that would cause Him to not be God - and that's impossible!
So what's the problem? Like me in the parking lot, we all like to "see" where we are going. We like to have our lives laid out before us. We want to know where we are, where we will be in the next year, 5 years, 10 years. We don't like surprises except at Christmas and birthdays! So what's wrong with that? Nothing, except that it hinders our usefulness to God. We make Him dependent upon our schedule. ("Wait a few days, God. I've got a really good thing going here.") The only problem is that God won't wait, at least not very long and not very often. He expects obedience - and being the God of the universe, He has the right to expect it.
So why is God so demanding of our obedience? Allow me to explain it this way. A friend of mine had a foster child who was educatibly mentally retarded (that's the term they used back in the dark ages of the early '80s. That meant that she was curious, but not able to understand a lot of things, but could be taught if you have the right amount of patience. One day she was at our house and was curious about the blue flame on the gas range. It was pretty. It danced before her eyes. So she reached out to touch it. We shouted for her to stop. You can only imagine what would have happened if we hadn't demanded total obedience of her.
Likewise, we have a tendency to want to do our own thing. But God in His wisdom knows much more than we. He knows when we are about to get into serious danger. He also knows when some other circumstance is perfectly ready for harvesting for the Kingdom. If we don't act instantly, we may get seriously hurt - or some soul may spend an eternity in Hell.
I know all of this is over simplified, but it makes the point. We must learn obedience. We must learn to walk by faith, knowing that God sees everything, knows everything, understands everything and has it and our lives perfectly in control. Amen and Amen.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Joel 2:23
"Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the LORD your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you, The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month" Joel 2:23
God had disciplined Israel - severely. It's like making a kid stand in the corner for 3 weeks! 70 plus years in exile, separated from your homeland, cut away from your place of worship - the visible evidence of your God. It had been a long, long time. How did God respond? He blessed His people. This is indicated by the rains. In an agricultural society, the rains are everything. Without them there are no grains to make into bread, no grapes for wine, no pasture for the animals - no animals - no food - no drink. But, there's more. God provided the early rains - those needed to provide moisture for the germination and growing of the seed into plants. Even these are worthless without the latter rain.
Ask any farmer. The best looking corn will produce nothing if there is no rain at the appropriate time during the growing season. No rain then equals empty ears of corn equals no harvest. God was faithful to provide all the needs of His people. He always is. For those who turn to Him, He makes all the provision necessary for success. It may not be rain that is so important to you. It could be an unexpected raise, or another unexpected raise in gasoline prices, or a seemingly worthless stock that suddenly becomes a hot commodity.
I don't know how many times God has provided for families in ways that seem miraculous. Those are the former and latter rains to our modern society. Remember this: God has His hand in all things concerning His children - that's you and me. He is fully capable to do what is best for us. All we have to do is move over and get out of the way! Amen and Amen.
God had disciplined Israel - severely. It's like making a kid stand in the corner for 3 weeks! 70 plus years in exile, separated from your homeland, cut away from your place of worship - the visible evidence of your God. It had been a long, long time. How did God respond? He blessed His people. This is indicated by the rains. In an agricultural society, the rains are everything. Without them there are no grains to make into bread, no grapes for wine, no pasture for the animals - no animals - no food - no drink. But, there's more. God provided the early rains - those needed to provide moisture for the germination and growing of the seed into plants. Even these are worthless without the latter rain.
Ask any farmer. The best looking corn will produce nothing if there is no rain at the appropriate time during the growing season. No rain then equals empty ears of corn equals no harvest. God was faithful to provide all the needs of His people. He always is. For those who turn to Him, He makes all the provision necessary for success. It may not be rain that is so important to you. It could be an unexpected raise, or another unexpected raise in gasoline prices, or a seemingly worthless stock that suddenly becomes a hot commodity.
I don't know how many times God has provided for families in ways that seem miraculous. Those are the former and latter rains to our modern society. Remember this: God has His hand in all things concerning His children - that's you and me. He is fully capable to do what is best for us. All we have to do is move over and get out of the way! Amen and Amen.
Monday, November 8, 2010
2 Corinth 4:7
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us" 2 Corinth 4:7
There is a quote by someone named Seneca, a person I know little about but these words really got to me. "Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power."
Sounds good. Certainly many men and women live by a creed much like that. The US Army used to have a similar phrase, "Be all you can be." Frank Sanatra sang a song with a harmonic theme, "I Did It My Way."
But let's take a look at that phrase and compare it to our Scripture Thought. "Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power." That means that the person with the most self-control, the most ambition, the most drive, is the most powerful. Someone else said it like this: "He who has the most toys wins." True or False? How many driven people do you know? How many of them are happy? Content? At peace? Oh, you can count them on one hand? No? Ah, one finger? No? OK. On a closed fist? Got you.
The most powerful are not those who are dependent upon themselves, according to Paul. It is the people who are vessels of God who have the most power. Why? Because the power of God is in them and works through them!
Let me ask another question. How many yielded vessels do you know? A few? One or two? How many of them are content? Happy? At peace? All of them? Most likely. Why? Because when they are yielded to God, when YOU are yielded to God, you are out of the picture and He is in control. And when God is in control of your life, you have nothing to worry about. Nothing to destroy your peace. Nothing to disturb their contentment. The simple fact is this. When God is in control, you are a spectator - of the most wonderful drama in the world. You get all the thrills, all the chills, all without the responsibility of failure, because God cannot fail.
Unfortunately, we all know far too few yielded vessels - and I include myself in that. We all are spending too much time being "captain of our own ships." We all find it hard to yield the controls of our lives to anyone. But this is exactly what we should be doing - as long as that "somebody" is God the Father. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
There is a quote by someone named Seneca, a person I know little about but these words really got to me. "Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power."
Sounds good. Certainly many men and women live by a creed much like that. The US Army used to have a similar phrase, "Be all you can be." Frank Sanatra sang a song with a harmonic theme, "I Did It My Way."
But let's take a look at that phrase and compare it to our Scripture Thought. "Most powerful is he who has himself in his own power." That means that the person with the most self-control, the most ambition, the most drive, is the most powerful. Someone else said it like this: "He who has the most toys wins." True or False? How many driven people do you know? How many of them are happy? Content? At peace? Oh, you can count them on one hand? No? Ah, one finger? No? OK. On a closed fist? Got you.
The most powerful are not those who are dependent upon themselves, according to Paul. It is the people who are vessels of God who have the most power. Why? Because the power of God is in them and works through them!
Let me ask another question. How many yielded vessels do you know? A few? One or two? How many of them are content? Happy? At peace? All of them? Most likely. Why? Because when they are yielded to God, when YOU are yielded to God, you are out of the picture and He is in control. And when God is in control of your life, you have nothing to worry about. Nothing to destroy your peace. Nothing to disturb their contentment. The simple fact is this. When God is in control, you are a spectator - of the most wonderful drama in the world. You get all the thrills, all the chills, all without the responsibility of failure, because God cannot fail.
Unfortunately, we all know far too few yielded vessels - and I include myself in that. We all are spending too much time being "captain of our own ships." We all find it hard to yield the controls of our lives to anyone. But this is exactly what we should be doing - as long as that "somebody" is God the Father. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Haggai 2:1-9; Psalm 145; Luke 20:27-38
God of our days and our nights, of our coming and our going, bless we pray thee, the words of my lips and the meditations of our hearts and by them and the power of your Holy Spirit, make us more fitting servants of your most Holy Will. We ask it in Jesus' name. Amen.
There is An Italian legend about a master and servant.
It seems the servant was not very smart and the master used to get very exasperated with him. Finally, one day, in a fit of temper, the master said: "You really are the stupidest man I know. Here, I want you to carry this staff wherever you go. And if you ever meet a person stupider than yourself, give them this staff."
So time went by, and often in the marketplace the servant would encounter some pretty stupid people, but he never found someone appropriate for the staff. Years later, he returned to his master's home. He was shown into his master's bedroom, for the man was quite sick and in bed. In the course of their conversation the master said: "I'm going on a journey soon."
"When will you return?", asked the servant.
"This is a journey from which I will not return." the master replied.
The servant asked: "Have you made all the necessary arrangements?"
"No, I guess I have not."
"Well, could you have made all the arrangements?"
"Oh yes, I guess I've had time. I've had all my life. But I've been too busy with other things."
The servant said: "Let me be sure about this. You're going on a journey, from which you will never return, and you've had all your life to make the arrangements, but you haven't."
The master said: "Yes, I guess that's right."
The servant replied: "Master, take this staff. For at last I have truly found a man stupider than myself."
Just a story - perhaps. Or perhaps it is more. Perhaps it describes the way in which we live, many of us, refusing to look on the one journey that faces us all. There may be good reason for that.
A famous theologian, confronted by an eager young seminary student to say a few words about the resurrection of the dead, refused.
"I can't talk about the resurrection with anyone under the age of 30. Before 30 what do you know of honest-to-God failure? Real heartbreak, mortality, solid defeat? So what can you know of a dark world which only makes sense if Jesus Christ is raised?"
Sure, we could argue about the accuracy of choosing age 30, but the larger point remains. Unless we have experienced something of the world's darkness, then the light which shines in the darkness is never going to make any sense.
As a friend of mine said recently: "It was not until I had been a patient in a hospital for a month while the best of medical science played Sherlock Holmes over my body that I understood - down here where life gets real - what that fear and uncertainty and awful waiting is all about."
Maybe some questions shouldn't be asked unless we're starving for an answer.
The Sadducees who approach Jesus don't want an answer - they want to play theological tennis with the question, to throw a question up and bat it around a bit.
I love academic debate. But it's not the route of people starving for an answer. This is not a text about marriage; it's a question about the resurrection and Jesus' answer seems particularly flat. Like he's having an off day.
Other people got better answers to this resurrection question - but then they were asking from a very different place in life.
To Martha, weeping for her brother, Jesus said "I am the resurrection and the life".
To Mary, weeping outside the tomb on Easter Sunday, the answer came in the form of her name spoken from the other side of death.
Ask the question with tears in our eyes; ask it in a hospital room or a nursing home, ask it in those long hours of the night after a difficult verdict has been given and we may hear our own name in answer as well.
But if we ask it, as the Sadducees do, in a comfy, secure, brightly lit religious building where we imagine everything is under control, we get something that sends us away scratching our heads.
The Sadducees come to Jesus with their convictions. There's nothing wrong with convictions. But they can cause blindness - they can prevent us from seeing what others see.
The Sadducees were very conservative theologically. They only accepted the first five books of the bible - the ones everyone thought Moses wrote. For the Sadducees that was the extent of the bible. And since nowhere in those five books is resurrection mentioned - they believed that the resurrection couldn't be real. That's conviction number one.
Conviction number two that they came to Jesus with was that, if there is a heaven, an eternity, a resurrection, then it has to be just like this life. What you see is what we get - for eternity.
So they put together this peculiar, but marginally plausible, story about a woman and seven brothers. For you see, tucked away in the corner of Moses' law, in Deuteronomy 25:5-6, is the idea that if a man died childless it was up to his brothers to create children with his widow.
All the evidence suggests that this law, which is known as the law of levirate marriage, wasn't even practised in Jesus' day. But here's a nice little theological conundrum the Sadducees can pose. Maybe they even think it's funny. It's a ludicrous situation - designed to show everyone who was listening to them question that a halfway intelligent God couldn't dream up something like eternal life if it could result in a mess like this.
It didn't strike Jesus as funny. Maybe it leaves a sour taste in your mouth too.
Jesus' response is to turn the issue around. The Sadducees have been evaluating eternal life on the basis of earthly life. He tells them that all those social and legal and relational arrangements which can be so good and necessary and wonderful here, remain here. The structures of "this age" will be superfluous in "that age - in the resurrection of the dead".
So is eternal life so absolutely different that we can't do anything to get ready?
Not quite. Remember the servant and the master. It is a journey which we will all face. It is a journey for which we can prepare - although we are often reluctant to do so.
In preparing for this sermon I thought about all the funerals I have been to. The subjects of those funerals ranged from barely one year old to 96 years old. There have been men, women and children. Most died from so-called "natural causes" but I have had my share of accidents, murders, suicides and so on. Some funerals were attended by hundreds, some by only four or five.
The point, of course, is that death is no respecter of age or status. You know that and I know that but we often live as if we were blissfully ignorant of it. What can we do?
Here are some really practical suggestions.
Have you got a driver's license? Sign the donor card. You won't need any part of your body where you're going but someone here might. It is the last desperate act of human selfishness not to give that gift.
Have you talked to your doctor and your loved ones about what heroic measures if any, are to be taken in event of serious illness? This is a deeply personal decision, to be made individually, but don't leave it to your kids or your doctor outside the Intensive Care Unit to decide. Think about it. Talk about it.
Pre-arrange your funeral. Too many times I have heard the plaintive "we don't know what so-and-so would have wanted".
Have you a will and is it up to date? Or is your family going to get into a real mess because you haven't wanted to think about things ahead of time?
Several things you can do. Simple things - some of them. Things I'd be willing to help anyone through. Please, do them for the sake of those you love, don't leave the preparations for others to make.
But that's only one aspect of the preparations we can make - having to do with those thing we leave behind. What about being prepared for that which is to come?
I'm sure that the Sadducees were convinced that they had hard-headed common-sense on their side when they rejected the pie in the sky when we die by and by notion of eternal life. Better to stand tough and face the harsh truth that this is all there is.
But that is a position of faith just as surely as the one Jesus advances.
Opposite to the view that this is all there is - that history is nothing but a row of tombstones - Jesus places another vision. He says we'll be transfigured. That everything - our life, our relationships, even the very world itself - will be changed - as Paul puts it - in a twinkling of an eye..
How will all things be changed? And Into what? Neither Jesus, nor Paul, says.
Jesus does says that the transfigured life will be like that of angels - but to say it is like something implies it is also unlike.
In the end Jesus settles for saying that we will be the children of God. That's based on a few clear ideas.
First, history is going some place. Not just round and round. There is a beginning and an ending.
The words of the bible are theological and religious, not historical and scientific, but the message is plain: there is a beginning, a present, and a consummation.
And God is more than just a great engineer who set it all going and then walked away.
The clear reason that we were made - was to be friends with God.
There's lots that gets in the way of that but that's our purpose, to be God's friends - now in this world - and forever in the world of the resurrection, in a world, a state, a condition, which includes those most have viewed as long dead - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Sarah, Leah, Rachael, Rebecca and my friend Johnson.
As Jesus said - God is not God of the dead, but of the living - to him all of them are alive.
Are you willing to the friend of God - to go where God wants you to go? Are you willing to begin the process of being changed - of being transfigured - here and now? Are you willing to let go of the brief and transitory things of this world for the sake of drawing closer to God?
The Sadducees showed in their question to Jesus that they wanted an eternity as close to earthly life as possible - and of course it is ridiculous. As ridiculous and unappealing as sitting around on a cloud strumming a harp for all eternity. Jesus tries to blow the doors off that.
Whatever the resurrection is, it is utterly other than anything we have known. But, at its centre is the One we have always known, however dimly.
When John Owen, the great Puritan pastor and teacher lay dying, he was dictating some last letters to friends. He said to his secretary:
"Write, I am still in the land of the living." Then he stopped and said: "No, change that to read - I am still in the land of those who die, but I hope soon to be in the land of the living."
That is where what is real, what is love, will be lifted into the light and all relationships and all faces will be transfigured for the children of God.
In that transfigurement we will at last become the living.
To be ready for the journey, for that reality - that life - Jesus tells us that all we need to have is faith, and that all we need to do is to try to live by faith.
May the God of the living - the God of Christ Jesus - be praised now and evermore. Amen.
There is An Italian legend about a master and servant.
It seems the servant was not very smart and the master used to get very exasperated with him. Finally, one day, in a fit of temper, the master said: "You really are the stupidest man I know. Here, I want you to carry this staff wherever you go. And if you ever meet a person stupider than yourself, give them this staff."
So time went by, and often in the marketplace the servant would encounter some pretty stupid people, but he never found someone appropriate for the staff. Years later, he returned to his master's home. He was shown into his master's bedroom, for the man was quite sick and in bed. In the course of their conversation the master said: "I'm going on a journey soon."
"When will you return?", asked the servant.
"This is a journey from which I will not return." the master replied.
The servant asked: "Have you made all the necessary arrangements?"
"No, I guess I have not."
"Well, could you have made all the arrangements?"
"Oh yes, I guess I've had time. I've had all my life. But I've been too busy with other things."
The servant said: "Let me be sure about this. You're going on a journey, from which you will never return, and you've had all your life to make the arrangements, but you haven't."
The master said: "Yes, I guess that's right."
The servant replied: "Master, take this staff. For at last I have truly found a man stupider than myself."
Just a story - perhaps. Or perhaps it is more. Perhaps it describes the way in which we live, many of us, refusing to look on the one journey that faces us all. There may be good reason for that.
A famous theologian, confronted by an eager young seminary student to say a few words about the resurrection of the dead, refused.
"I can't talk about the resurrection with anyone under the age of 30. Before 30 what do you know of honest-to-God failure? Real heartbreak, mortality, solid defeat? So what can you know of a dark world which only makes sense if Jesus Christ is raised?"
Sure, we could argue about the accuracy of choosing age 30, but the larger point remains. Unless we have experienced something of the world's darkness, then the light which shines in the darkness is never going to make any sense.
As a friend of mine said recently: "It was not until I had been a patient in a hospital for a month while the best of medical science played Sherlock Holmes over my body that I understood - down here where life gets real - what that fear and uncertainty and awful waiting is all about."
Maybe some questions shouldn't be asked unless we're starving for an answer.
The Sadducees who approach Jesus don't want an answer - they want to play theological tennis with the question, to throw a question up and bat it around a bit.
I love academic debate. But it's not the route of people starving for an answer. This is not a text about marriage; it's a question about the resurrection and Jesus' answer seems particularly flat. Like he's having an off day.
Other people got better answers to this resurrection question - but then they were asking from a very different place in life.
To Martha, weeping for her brother, Jesus said "I am the resurrection and the life".
To Mary, weeping outside the tomb on Easter Sunday, the answer came in the form of her name spoken from the other side of death.
Ask the question with tears in our eyes; ask it in a hospital room or a nursing home, ask it in those long hours of the night after a difficult verdict has been given and we may hear our own name in answer as well.
But if we ask it, as the Sadducees do, in a comfy, secure, brightly lit religious building where we imagine everything is under control, we get something that sends us away scratching our heads.
The Sadducees come to Jesus with their convictions. There's nothing wrong with convictions. But they can cause blindness - they can prevent us from seeing what others see.
The Sadducees were very conservative theologically. They only accepted the first five books of the bible - the ones everyone thought Moses wrote. For the Sadducees that was the extent of the bible. And since nowhere in those five books is resurrection mentioned - they believed that the resurrection couldn't be real. That's conviction number one.
Conviction number two that they came to Jesus with was that, if there is a heaven, an eternity, a resurrection, then it has to be just like this life. What you see is what we get - for eternity.
So they put together this peculiar, but marginally plausible, story about a woman and seven brothers. For you see, tucked away in the corner of Moses' law, in Deuteronomy 25:5-6, is the idea that if a man died childless it was up to his brothers to create children with his widow.
All the evidence suggests that this law, which is known as the law of levirate marriage, wasn't even practised in Jesus' day. But here's a nice little theological conundrum the Sadducees can pose. Maybe they even think it's funny. It's a ludicrous situation - designed to show everyone who was listening to them question that a halfway intelligent God couldn't dream up something like eternal life if it could result in a mess like this.
It didn't strike Jesus as funny. Maybe it leaves a sour taste in your mouth too.
Jesus' response is to turn the issue around. The Sadducees have been evaluating eternal life on the basis of earthly life. He tells them that all those social and legal and relational arrangements which can be so good and necessary and wonderful here, remain here. The structures of "this age" will be superfluous in "that age - in the resurrection of the dead".
So is eternal life so absolutely different that we can't do anything to get ready?
Not quite. Remember the servant and the master. It is a journey which we will all face. It is a journey for which we can prepare - although we are often reluctant to do so.
In preparing for this sermon I thought about all the funerals I have been to. The subjects of those funerals ranged from barely one year old to 96 years old. There have been men, women and children. Most died from so-called "natural causes" but I have had my share of accidents, murders, suicides and so on. Some funerals were attended by hundreds, some by only four or five.
The point, of course, is that death is no respecter of age or status. You know that and I know that but we often live as if we were blissfully ignorant of it. What can we do?
Here are some really practical suggestions.
Have you got a driver's license? Sign the donor card. You won't need any part of your body where you're going but someone here might. It is the last desperate act of human selfishness not to give that gift.
Have you talked to your doctor and your loved ones about what heroic measures if any, are to be taken in event of serious illness? This is a deeply personal decision, to be made individually, but don't leave it to your kids or your doctor outside the Intensive Care Unit to decide. Think about it. Talk about it.
Pre-arrange your funeral. Too many times I have heard the plaintive "we don't know what so-and-so would have wanted".
Have you a will and is it up to date? Or is your family going to get into a real mess because you haven't wanted to think about things ahead of time?
Several things you can do. Simple things - some of them. Things I'd be willing to help anyone through. Please, do them for the sake of those you love, don't leave the preparations for others to make.
But that's only one aspect of the preparations we can make - having to do with those thing we leave behind. What about being prepared for that which is to come?
I'm sure that the Sadducees were convinced that they had hard-headed common-sense on their side when they rejected the pie in the sky when we die by and by notion of eternal life. Better to stand tough and face the harsh truth that this is all there is.
But that is a position of faith just as surely as the one Jesus advances.
Opposite to the view that this is all there is - that history is nothing but a row of tombstones - Jesus places another vision. He says we'll be transfigured. That everything - our life, our relationships, even the very world itself - will be changed - as Paul puts it - in a twinkling of an eye..
How will all things be changed? And Into what? Neither Jesus, nor Paul, says.
Jesus does says that the transfigured life will be like that of angels - but to say it is like something implies it is also unlike.
In the end Jesus settles for saying that we will be the children of God. That's based on a few clear ideas.
First, history is going some place. Not just round and round. There is a beginning and an ending.
The words of the bible are theological and religious, not historical and scientific, but the message is plain: there is a beginning, a present, and a consummation.
And God is more than just a great engineer who set it all going and then walked away.
The clear reason that we were made - was to be friends with God.
There's lots that gets in the way of that but that's our purpose, to be God's friends - now in this world - and forever in the world of the resurrection, in a world, a state, a condition, which includes those most have viewed as long dead - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Sarah, Leah, Rachael, Rebecca and my friend Johnson.
As Jesus said - God is not God of the dead, but of the living - to him all of them are alive.
Are you willing to the friend of God - to go where God wants you to go? Are you willing to begin the process of being changed - of being transfigured - here and now? Are you willing to let go of the brief and transitory things of this world for the sake of drawing closer to God?
The Sadducees showed in their question to Jesus that they wanted an eternity as close to earthly life as possible - and of course it is ridiculous. As ridiculous and unappealing as sitting around on a cloud strumming a harp for all eternity. Jesus tries to blow the doors off that.
Whatever the resurrection is, it is utterly other than anything we have known. But, at its centre is the One we have always known, however dimly.
When John Owen, the great Puritan pastor and teacher lay dying, he was dictating some last letters to friends. He said to his secretary:
"Write, I am still in the land of the living." Then he stopped and said: "No, change that to read - I am still in the land of those who die, but I hope soon to be in the land of the living."
That is where what is real, what is love, will be lifted into the light and all relationships and all faces will be transfigured for the children of God.
In that transfigurement we will at last become the living.
To be ready for the journey, for that reality - that life - Jesus tells us that all we need to have is faith, and that all we need to do is to try to live by faith.
May the God of the living - the God of Christ Jesus - be praised now and evermore. Amen.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Gen 1:1-2
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters" Gen 1:1-2
"Daddy, where did fish come from?" "God created them." "Where did water come from, Daddy?" "God created it." "Daddy, where did God come from?"
That's a question that has been asked since the beginning of time. Oh, by the way, how did God mark time before the creation of the sun and moon? Where did time come from? What existed before time began?
I'm sure many of us have asked those questions and more. And, to be honest, I'm not going to give you an answer - because I don't know. It's easy to say "God has always been." But the skeptic will always come back with, "How do you know?"
Some things are better accepted by faith. The existence of God is one of those things. But this I will respond to, "How can I know my faith is in the right place?" And the answer is, "Because we can test it. We can try our faith in God. Early on in my faith, I would ask God for a parking space in front of the store where I was headed. I believed God would provide it - and He did - at least enough to prove my faith. Eventually I realized how selfish that prayer was and quit asking. Well, in extreme circumstances I will still ask. And He still provides.
A little later in my faith, I would ask God to help me with something much more serious than a parking space. It may have been a healing, or salvation of a loved one, or wisdom, or what ever. I always found that God would answer my prayers. Oh, some times he wouldn't answer the way I wanted, that is part of the maturing process. But I always knew that God answered. He usually made it clear to me in one way or another. And sometimes it took a long time for me to understand the answer.
Now my faith in God is strong - because I have tested it. And I still test it. Worse than having a weak faith is having a faith that has never been tested under fire. Imagine the army sending our soldiers into battle with weapons that had never been tested except on a rifle range. No one would know if they would work in the battlefield. So it is with our faith. It must be tested. It must be tried in the furnace of affliction. Only in that way will we know that our faith is strong when we face the inevitable trials of life.
Is your faith being tried? Are you right now in the fires of affliction? Do you wonder if you have the strength to hang on? Trust in God. When your strength fails, His will become strong in you. Now a question for YOU???
Are YOU right with God?
True Christianity is not about attending a particular church, or how your parents raised you, or what country you were born in. Being a Christian means that you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, that He is your Savior. It's not good enough that your priest, pastor, mother, or aunt knows Jesus, you must know Him for yourself. They cannot believe in Him for you, you must believe for yourself. They cannot repent for you, you must repent for yourself.
Jesus is everywhere all the time. He can hear you now if you ask Him for forgiveness. Please turn your life over to Him NOW. Time slips by so quickly, don't miss this opportunity. If you want to pray and ask Jesus to be your Savior, you can say a prayer something like this:
"Jesus, I know that I have sinned against you. I know the truth is that I have sinned by my own choice, and I am the one responsible for it. I know that I have earned punishment from You, and that the fair punishment would be death. Jesus, I believe that You died in my place. Forgive me for my sin. I cannot cover or take my sin away, I am relying totally and only on You. You are the only one who can save me. I reject my sin, I turn away from it, I repent. Come into my life, take away my sin, and show me how to live my life in a way that is right and pleasing to You." Thank You Jesus, Amen.
If you have prayed this, YOU ARE SAVED! You are now completely forgiven, a new creation, innocent in the eyes of God, please e-mail me and let me know. Welcome to the family of God! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
"Daddy, where did fish come from?" "God created them." "Where did water come from, Daddy?" "God created it." "Daddy, where did God come from?"
That's a question that has been asked since the beginning of time. Oh, by the way, how did God mark time before the creation of the sun and moon? Where did time come from? What existed before time began?
I'm sure many of us have asked those questions and more. And, to be honest, I'm not going to give you an answer - because I don't know. It's easy to say "God has always been." But the skeptic will always come back with, "How do you know?"
Some things are better accepted by faith. The existence of God is one of those things. But this I will respond to, "How can I know my faith is in the right place?" And the answer is, "Because we can test it. We can try our faith in God. Early on in my faith, I would ask God for a parking space in front of the store where I was headed. I believed God would provide it - and He did - at least enough to prove my faith. Eventually I realized how selfish that prayer was and quit asking. Well, in extreme circumstances I will still ask. And He still provides.
A little later in my faith, I would ask God to help me with something much more serious than a parking space. It may have been a healing, or salvation of a loved one, or wisdom, or what ever. I always found that God would answer my prayers. Oh, some times he wouldn't answer the way I wanted, that is part of the maturing process. But I always knew that God answered. He usually made it clear to me in one way or another. And sometimes it took a long time for me to understand the answer.
Now my faith in God is strong - because I have tested it. And I still test it. Worse than having a weak faith is having a faith that has never been tested under fire. Imagine the army sending our soldiers into battle with weapons that had never been tested except on a rifle range. No one would know if they would work in the battlefield. So it is with our faith. It must be tested. It must be tried in the furnace of affliction. Only in that way will we know that our faith is strong when we face the inevitable trials of life.
Is your faith being tried? Are you right now in the fires of affliction? Do you wonder if you have the strength to hang on? Trust in God. When your strength fails, His will become strong in you. Now a question for YOU???
Are YOU right with God?
True Christianity is not about attending a particular church, or how your parents raised you, or what country you were born in. Being a Christian means that you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, that He is your Savior. It's not good enough that your priest, pastor, mother, or aunt knows Jesus, you must know Him for yourself. They cannot believe in Him for you, you must believe for yourself. They cannot repent for you, you must repent for yourself.
Jesus is everywhere all the time. He can hear you now if you ask Him for forgiveness. Please turn your life over to Him NOW. Time slips by so quickly, don't miss this opportunity. If you want to pray and ask Jesus to be your Savior, you can say a prayer something like this:
"Jesus, I know that I have sinned against you. I know the truth is that I have sinned by my own choice, and I am the one responsible for it. I know that I have earned punishment from You, and that the fair punishment would be death. Jesus, I believe that You died in my place. Forgive me for my sin. I cannot cover or take my sin away, I am relying totally and only on You. You are the only one who can save me. I reject my sin, I turn away from it, I repent. Come into my life, take away my sin, and show me how to live my life in a way that is right and pleasing to You." Thank You Jesus, Amen.
If you have prayed this, YOU ARE SAVED! You are now completely forgiven, a new creation, innocent in the eyes of God, please e-mail me and let me know. Welcome to the family of God! Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Luke 18:22
"So when Jesus heard these things, He said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me" Luke 18:22
What a shock. This young man had spent his life accumulating wealth. I suspect he had a good start from his father's estate, but he had worked to build his holdings. It's obvious that he was a good man for Jesus tells him to obey the commandments and lists four of them. "All of this I have done from my youth."
So I ask You, what had this young man failed in that Jesus would not allow him to enter the kingdom? Note: Jesus listed four commandments. These are the ones the young man had obeyed. There may have been others, but the list has been shortened. Then, Jesus gets down to the nitty gritty of the man's nature. "Sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor."
Now the young man had a problem. He rather enjoyed the fast chariot he drove. He liked the rich foods his personal chef prepared. The perks of the wealthy had overtaken him. What did he lack? He missed the first commandment. "You shall have no other gods before me." His wealth was his god. It came before his devotion to Jesus or the Father. This is why the rich gentleman left Jesus sad and despondent. He knew he lacked the ability to love God completely. He knew he was lacking in that and He was well aware of the fact that this deficiency would have to be corrected if he wanted any peace at all. I rather suspect he wished he hadn't asked the question!
I doubt that most of us have a real problem with excessive wealth. But do we have a problem with the first commandment? If Jesus were to tell you today that you must sell all you have, distribute it to the poor and then follow Him in complete trust that He would supply all your needs, would you be able to do it? Or would you say, "But Lord, my kids need new clothes." Or, "The baby needs a new pair of shoes" Or, "My wife is high maintenance. She must have her fancy clothes." Or, "I just bought that new car. The new car smell is still in it. I can't let it go!" Or . . ..
Just what god is first in your life? Hmmmmmmm. Amen.
What a shock. This young man had spent his life accumulating wealth. I suspect he had a good start from his father's estate, but he had worked to build his holdings. It's obvious that he was a good man for Jesus tells him to obey the commandments and lists four of them. "All of this I have done from my youth."
So I ask You, what had this young man failed in that Jesus would not allow him to enter the kingdom? Note: Jesus listed four commandments. These are the ones the young man had obeyed. There may have been others, but the list has been shortened. Then, Jesus gets down to the nitty gritty of the man's nature. "Sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor."
Now the young man had a problem. He rather enjoyed the fast chariot he drove. He liked the rich foods his personal chef prepared. The perks of the wealthy had overtaken him. What did he lack? He missed the first commandment. "You shall have no other gods before me." His wealth was his god. It came before his devotion to Jesus or the Father. This is why the rich gentleman left Jesus sad and despondent. He knew he lacked the ability to love God completely. He knew he was lacking in that and He was well aware of the fact that this deficiency would have to be corrected if he wanted any peace at all. I rather suspect he wished he hadn't asked the question!
I doubt that most of us have a real problem with excessive wealth. But do we have a problem with the first commandment? If Jesus were to tell you today that you must sell all you have, distribute it to the poor and then follow Him in complete trust that He would supply all your needs, would you be able to do it? Or would you say, "But Lord, my kids need new clothes." Or, "The baby needs a new pair of shoes" Or, "My wife is high maintenance. She must have her fancy clothes." Or, "I just bought that new car. The new car smell is still in it. I can't let it go!" Or . . ..
Just what god is first in your life? Hmmmmmmm. Amen.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
John 2:8
"And He said to them, "Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast." And they took it" John 2:8
What would have happened if the water had never been drawn out of the well? You know the story about turning water into wine. Jesus did it, but He had help. Jesus never touched the water. He didn't pray over it. As far as we can tell, He never came close to it. All He said was "Draw some out now . . . ." If it had never been drawn, it would never have turned into wine. A miracle would never have been performed. A wedding would have been less wonderful. But the water was drawn!
Jesus wants to do miracles in our lives. He speaks to us telling u- well let's put it this way, there will be no wine at our wedding! Every miracle of Jesus required something. The man with the withered hand had to stretch it out. The woman with the issue of blood had to touch the hem of Jesus' garment. The Syro-Phoenician woman had to keep asking Jesus to heal her son. She even had to remind Jesus that the dogs eat the crumbs dropped under the master's table. Someone had to remove the stone and Lazarus had to "come forth." The man let down through the roof had to pick up his bed and walk.
Jesus requires that you do something too. Whatever you need, no matter how simple or how complex, Jesus requires that you do something. If you need financial help, He may require that you tithe (give 10% of your income to the Church.) -- as a matter of fact, He DOES REQUIRE YOU TO TITHE! If you need healing, He may require that you dip 7 times in the nearest river. If He does, you had better not stop at 6! If your marriage is in shambles, He may require that you talk to your Pastor who may suggest that you change your attitude towards your spouse! I suggest you do that even without counseling. You see, there is no FREE ride - except for your salvation - and even that requires that you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior! Sure, God may play along with your selfishness for a while, but sooner or later He will require something of you. He is a jealous God and will not allow anything or anyone to take His place. So when Jesus asks you to do something, DO IT! You won't be disappointed! Amen.
What would have happened if the water had never been drawn out of the well? You know the story about turning water into wine. Jesus did it, but He had help. Jesus never touched the water. He didn't pray over it. As far as we can tell, He never came close to it. All He said was "Draw some out now . . . ." If it had never been drawn, it would never have turned into wine. A miracle would never have been performed. A wedding would have been less wonderful. But the water was drawn!
Jesus wants to do miracles in our lives. He speaks to us telling u- well let's put it this way, there will be no wine at our wedding! Every miracle of Jesus required something. The man with the withered hand had to stretch it out. The woman with the issue of blood had to touch the hem of Jesus' garment. The Syro-Phoenician woman had to keep asking Jesus to heal her son. She even had to remind Jesus that the dogs eat the crumbs dropped under the master's table. Someone had to remove the stone and Lazarus had to "come forth." The man let down through the roof had to pick up his bed and walk.
Jesus requires that you do something too. Whatever you need, no matter how simple or how complex, Jesus requires that you do something. If you need financial help, He may require that you tithe (give 10% of your income to the Church.) -- as a matter of fact, He DOES REQUIRE YOU TO TITHE! If you need healing, He may require that you dip 7 times in the nearest river. If He does, you had better not stop at 6! If your marriage is in shambles, He may require that you talk to your Pastor who may suggest that you change your attitude towards your spouse! I suggest you do that even without counseling. You see, there is no FREE ride - except for your salvation - and even that requires that you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior! Sure, God may play along with your selfishness for a while, but sooner or later He will require something of you. He is a jealous God and will not allow anything or anyone to take His place. So when Jesus asks you to do something, DO IT! You won't be disappointed! Amen.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
John 2:9
"He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now" 1 John 2:9
My Mother used to tell me to "do as I say, not as I do." By this she meant that she was not perfect. She made mistakes. But she knew what was right and that I should to that instead of always following in her footsteps.
I remember once seeing the picture of a man laying in the bottom of a pit. Up above, a child is following in daddy's steps in the snow. Daddy shouts, "Son, do as I say. Don't follow me into this pit. I want you to turn around and follow our footprints back out of these woods and back home. Tell your Momma to call the police and bring help."
John says in today's verse that it's not what we say that makes us righteous. It's how we treat our brother. I can say I am a believer until the cows come home. I can shout it from the roof tops. I can paint it on billboards. I can write it in big bold letters on my car. I can even carry a cross across the country - but if I have hatred in my heart, I am not a child of God.
The apostle is telling us that it's what's on the inside that counts. Jesus said it a couple of other ways. "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." (Matt. 12:23) He also said "religious people" were like "whitewashed tombs. On the outside they looked beautiful. On the inside they were defiled with dead men's bones." (Matt. 23:27)
As a Pastor I always try to be a true believer. But I have to admit that sometimes I get a little dark. Things come out of my mouth that shock me. It makes me realize that while I have been redeemed, not all that is in me has been equally saved. There are still chambers of my heart that harbor dark secrets, a sinful nature that must be revealed to the Light of the world - that's Jesus.
However, it is with great confidence that I say to you "Do as I say - but follow in my foot steps as well. Either way you will see Jesus." Amen and Amen.
My Mother used to tell me to "do as I say, not as I do." By this she meant that she was not perfect. She made mistakes. But she knew what was right and that I should to that instead of always following in her footsteps.
I remember once seeing the picture of a man laying in the bottom of a pit. Up above, a child is following in daddy's steps in the snow. Daddy shouts, "Son, do as I say. Don't follow me into this pit. I want you to turn around and follow our footprints back out of these woods and back home. Tell your Momma to call the police and bring help."
John says in today's verse that it's not what we say that makes us righteous. It's how we treat our brother. I can say I am a believer until the cows come home. I can shout it from the roof tops. I can paint it on billboards. I can write it in big bold letters on my car. I can even carry a cross across the country - but if I have hatred in my heart, I am not a child of God.
The apostle is telling us that it's what's on the inside that counts. Jesus said it a couple of other ways. "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." (Matt. 12:23) He also said "religious people" were like "whitewashed tombs. On the outside they looked beautiful. On the inside they were defiled with dead men's bones." (Matt. 23:27)
As a Pastor I always try to be a true believer. But I have to admit that sometimes I get a little dark. Things come out of my mouth that shock me. It makes me realize that while I have been redeemed, not all that is in me has been equally saved. There are still chambers of my heart that harbor dark secrets, a sinful nature that must be revealed to the Light of the world - that's Jesus.
However, it is with great confidence that I say to you "Do as I say - but follow in my foot steps as well. Either way you will see Jesus." Amen and Amen.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Gen 5:24
"And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him" Gen 5:24
What is it about walking? I fellowship with Jim. Is that the same? I worked with Dennis. Doesn't that count? I live with my wife, Carmel - she wants me to walk with her to get exercise. What's wrong with living? Isn't that enough?
Enoch walked with God. Noah walked with God. It doesn't actually say it, but Adam walked with God in the garden of Eden. Why walk and not work or fellowship or live? I've come to a conclusion. The man or woman who walks with someone knows them better than anyone else. When a person walks with you, you talk. You share intimacies. You share the joys and sorrows of the day. You share your dreams; your hopes; your innermost desires.
Walking with someone involves personal contact - not necessarily a touch - but a one on one contact that is missing in other relationships. Cavan and I talk when we fellowship on the ferry ride up and back from the City - but he's playing the computer and I'm busy doing what I'm doing. Do I know Cavan? Yes, pretty well. Can I read him like a book? I don't think so. When we fellowship together, I know his basic needs - and he knows the same of me. But I don't know him like I would if we were both walking together.
When you are side by side with someone, neither is superior. Both are equal - though one may well be the mentor, leader, teacher and the other the student and follower. Even in a crowd, two people walking together are alone in their own world.
Three people walking together isn't the same. One is always on the outside of the conversations. One is always missing something. Only two walking together share an intimacy that is precious indeed.
So Enoch walked with God. He knew God. He shared with God. God was the mentor. Enoch was the student. God was the leader. Enoch was the follower. But they knew each other - well - so well that one day while on their walk, God must have said something like, "Enoch, we're closer to my house than yours. Why don't you come home with me?" And Enoch agreed. And Enoch was no more.
I want to walk with God. I want to know God. I want to be intimate with Him. I want to share my hopes and dreams and joys and sorrows. I have only one problem with that. I want to bring my friend, the world, with me. And I miss the intimacy of a twosome. God, help each of us to walk with you - daily - every day of our lives. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
What is it about walking? I fellowship with Jim. Is that the same? I worked with Dennis. Doesn't that count? I live with my wife, Carmel - she wants me to walk with her to get exercise. What's wrong with living? Isn't that enough?
Enoch walked with God. Noah walked with God. It doesn't actually say it, but Adam walked with God in the garden of Eden. Why walk and not work or fellowship or live? I've come to a conclusion. The man or woman who walks with someone knows them better than anyone else. When a person walks with you, you talk. You share intimacies. You share the joys and sorrows of the day. You share your dreams; your hopes; your innermost desires.
Walking with someone involves personal contact - not necessarily a touch - but a one on one contact that is missing in other relationships. Cavan and I talk when we fellowship on the ferry ride up and back from the City - but he's playing the computer and I'm busy doing what I'm doing. Do I know Cavan? Yes, pretty well. Can I read him like a book? I don't think so. When we fellowship together, I know his basic needs - and he knows the same of me. But I don't know him like I would if we were both walking together.
When you are side by side with someone, neither is superior. Both are equal - though one may well be the mentor, leader, teacher and the other the student and follower. Even in a crowd, two people walking together are alone in their own world.
Three people walking together isn't the same. One is always on the outside of the conversations. One is always missing something. Only two walking together share an intimacy that is precious indeed.
So Enoch walked with God. He knew God. He shared with God. God was the mentor. Enoch was the student. God was the leader. Enoch was the follower. But they knew each other - well - so well that one day while on their walk, God must have said something like, "Enoch, we're closer to my house than yours. Why don't you come home with me?" And Enoch agreed. And Enoch was no more.
I want to walk with God. I want to know God. I want to be intimate with Him. I want to share my hopes and dreams and joys and sorrows. I have only one problem with that. I want to bring my friend, the world, with me. And I miss the intimacy of a twosome. God, help each of us to walk with you - daily - every day of our lives. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
Monday, November 1, 2010
James 4:15
"Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that" James 4:15
The Apostle Paul was traveling from his last mission trip to Jerusalem. Two times he received prophecy that he would be bound in chains in Jerusalem. Two times people encouraged him to not go to Jerusalem. He went anyway. When He reached that holy city, he went to the holiest place of all - the Temple - where he fulfilled a vow he had previously made. Then he was arrested, bound in chains and cast into prison. Why? Why did Paul not listen to the prophets? Why did he not stop somewhere else until the prophets said it was OK to proceed. Why didn't he return to Galatia, or Corinth, or . . . anywhere but Jerusalem?
Paul had learned a lesson. The Lord told Him to go to Jerusalem - and so he would. The Lord told him he would go to Rome - and so he did . . . from Jerusalem . . . in chains . . . with Rome picking up the travel expenses! But the prophets? Wasn't their word valid? Yes, they were right. Paul was bound in chains. But why didn't Paul stay away? Because God told him to go. You see, Paul's lesson was that he was in the hands of God. Whatever God wanted, Paul wanted. Whatever God said, Paul did. If God said, "Go to Jerusalem." To Jerusalem he went. If God said, "You will be bound in chains." That didn't bother Paul. It had happened before. It would probably happen again.
James says that we should not say "I will do this and that." (my paraphrase.) Instead he says, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that." Note the difference . . . it's found in four little, single syllable words, "if the Lord wills . . ." If the Lord wills, I will become a millionaire. If the Lord wills, I will be a teacher. If the Lord wills, I will be healed. If the Lord wills, I will marry. If the Lord wills, I will . . . be bound in chains and cast into prison.
That was Paul's attitude. It should be ours. I fear that we think entirely too much of ourselves and our ability. How often to we presume to tell God how to run our lives - or the lives of others? What if His will is different? Is it any wonder that some of our prayers go unanswered? How can God answer our prayer if it is in direct opposition to His will? Why do we ever think that we know more than the God of the Universe - the God of Creation? When God speaks, we need to respond with the words of Jean Luke Piccard Captain of the USS Enterprise, "Make it so," Lord. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
The Apostle Paul was traveling from his last mission trip to Jerusalem. Two times he received prophecy that he would be bound in chains in Jerusalem. Two times people encouraged him to not go to Jerusalem. He went anyway. When He reached that holy city, he went to the holiest place of all - the Temple - where he fulfilled a vow he had previously made. Then he was arrested, bound in chains and cast into prison. Why? Why did Paul not listen to the prophets? Why did he not stop somewhere else until the prophets said it was OK to proceed. Why didn't he return to Galatia, or Corinth, or . . . anywhere but Jerusalem?
Paul had learned a lesson. The Lord told Him to go to Jerusalem - and so he would. The Lord told him he would go to Rome - and so he did . . . from Jerusalem . . . in chains . . . with Rome picking up the travel expenses! But the prophets? Wasn't their word valid? Yes, they were right. Paul was bound in chains. But why didn't Paul stay away? Because God told him to go. You see, Paul's lesson was that he was in the hands of God. Whatever God wanted, Paul wanted. Whatever God said, Paul did. If God said, "Go to Jerusalem." To Jerusalem he went. If God said, "You will be bound in chains." That didn't bother Paul. It had happened before. It would probably happen again.
James says that we should not say "I will do this and that." (my paraphrase.) Instead he says, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that." Note the difference . . . it's found in four little, single syllable words, "if the Lord wills . . ." If the Lord wills, I will become a millionaire. If the Lord wills, I will be a teacher. If the Lord wills, I will be healed. If the Lord wills, I will marry. If the Lord wills, I will . . . be bound in chains and cast into prison.
That was Paul's attitude. It should be ours. I fear that we think entirely too much of ourselves and our ability. How often to we presume to tell God how to run our lives - or the lives of others? What if His will is different? Is it any wonder that some of our prayers go unanswered? How can God answer our prayer if it is in direct opposition to His will? Why do we ever think that we know more than the God of the Universe - the God of Creation? When God speaks, we need to respond with the words of Jean Luke Piccard Captain of the USS Enterprise, "Make it so," Lord. Hallelujah, Amen and Amen.
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