What God Did For Us In Jesus’ Death and Resurrection (part 5)

Posted by David on January 22, 2006 under Sermons

James 1:19-27 This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

There was a time when some of us said, “If we don’t do what Ma said, we will get a beatin’ for sure!” There was a time when some of us said, “If my parents ever find out I did this, I will be grounded for life!” There was a time when some of us said, “When my parents hear about this, they will lock me in my room and throw the key away!” That is the forced obedience of the immature. The immature do not obey because they want to obey, but because they are terrified of the consequences of not obeying.

Hopefully, there has come a time in your life that you obey because a love relationship exists. Allow me to give you an example. If you have a good marriage, it is a marriage with numerous incidents of obedience. In a good marriage, there is lots of obedience. Every day the husband and the wife in that good marriage perform acts of obedience out of love and respect, not because they are terrified of a belt, a willow switch, being grounded, or being locked in a room. In a good marriage, the husband and the wife frequently do things they may never talk about simply because the thing shows the appreciation of affection for the spouse. Then in that marriage there are moments of conscious sacrifice made in the loyalty of affection. Such acts have nothing to do with punishment, but everything to do with love .

1. Perhaps the greatest single act of obedience from a human perspective was given by Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane
   1. Jesus had a relationship with the Father that you and I will never have with the Father.
      1. He had a prayer life that makes any of ours look anemic.
      2. His ministry was filled with personal surrender to the Father.
      3. Never once did he defy his Father’s instructions or will.
      4. Three times he asked the Father to let “this cup” pass from him.
         1. For multiple reasons, he did not wish to die then, in those circumstances, in that way.
         2. May I suggest two of the reasons.
            1. He did not want the pain.
            2. He did not want the responsibility [for thousands of years God worked toward that moment–God’s success hinge on Jesus’ reaction under severe stress and pain].
   2. Yet, though Jesus did not want the agony before him, he surrendered.
      1. Paraphrased, “If Your objective can be achieved in any other way, let’s go the other way.”
      2. “However, I surrender to what You want done and the way You want it done.”
      3. Jesus’ obedience in the face of his own death is incredible! He had an option to do things as he wished, and he did not exercise his option–instead he surrendered.
   3. In Jesus:
      1. We see the basic nature of obedience–surrender.
      2. We see the basic issue in obedience–surrender when there is another option [rebellion].
      3. We see the basic motivation for obedience–respectful love for a superior.

2. Nothing requires as much perspective as does obedience.
   1. We do not have to obey; we choose to obey.
      1. If obedience occurs, it occurs because of our choice.
      2. We do not have to do what God says; we choose to do as God instructs.
      3. Obedience is not always simple!
         1. Sometimes it is personally costly.
         2. Sometimes it is personally painful.
         3. What God asks of us is not always pleasant!
   2. The writer of Hebrews said this of Jesus’ obedience in the Gethsemane situation:
      Hebrews 5:7-10 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
      1. Note he knew God was able to save him from death [at great cost to us, but no additional cost to Jesus].
      2. Note God heard him [I understand that to mean God the Father responded to Jesus’ request].
      3. Note God heard him because of his godly character.
      4. Note Jesus learned obedience through suffering.
      5. Note God used Jesus’ suffering to make Jesus perfect.
      6. Note God used Jesus’ suffering to make Jesus our high priest.
      7. Note God used Jesus’ suffering to make Jesus the source of eternal salvation.

3. First, I wish to call your attention to the joys of obedience.
   1. The first joy is discovered in knowing there is something bigger than we are.
      1. I do not have to “play God” in any situation–I need to serve God, not play God.
      2. I do not have to decide what are right values–I just have to learn, apply, and follow right values.
   2. By letting God be God in my life, I am released from some impossible responsibilities.
      1. I am not responsible for your choices, and you are not responsible for mine.
      2. I can love you, care about you, encourage you, help you, and share with you–but your choices are yours and my choices are mine.
      3. All I am responsible for is my decisions.
      4. Your choices may break my heart, but your choices do not destroy my relationship with God–I never have to answer to God for what you decide of yourself to do.
   3. God knows why I do what I do.
      1. In Romans 14 these incredible statements are found among many incredible statements.
         Romans 14:4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
         Romans 14:6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.
      2. Understanding the context of this statement is critical to grasping its meaning.
         1. It was written by Paul to Jewish and gentile Christians who had very different ways of doing things.
         2. The Jewish Christians were returning to Rome, and the church had become quite gentile in nature in their absence.
         3. The Jewish Christians who did things uniquely as Jews did them for centuries [as far as multiple “hows” as well as “whats”–like in the foods they did and did not eat].
         4. They thought many of the daily practices of the gentiles were ridiculous.
         5. So Jewish Christians observed some days [like the Sabbath] and rejected some foods [like pork] that gentile Christians did not observe or reject.
         6. As a result, in Rome when the Jewish Christians returned, there was a big confrontation in the community of Christians.
      3. Paul incredibly said to both sides, “Leave each other alone!”
         1. “You each are doing what you do for God’s approval, not for each others’ approval.”
         2. “God knows not only what you do, but why you do it.”
         3. “God is as concerned about your motive as your act.”
         4. “You serve God; you are not servants to each other.”
         5. “You cannot make each other stand or fall before God–you do not have that power.”
         6. “You are God’s servants, not each others’ servants.”
      4. A lot of problems instantly would be solved in the church if Christians would stop being self-appointed judges and start being God appointed encouragers.

4. Second, I want to call your attention to the fact that there are some horrible consequences to misguided obedience.
   1. The objective of obedience has never been to secure human approval.
      1. The church should be God’s kingdom, not “our” kingdom–what God wills is always far more important than what we will.
   2. It is much easier to condemn than to nurture.
      1. Too often if “I” condemn, the action is much more about my comfort and control than it is about your salvation.
      2. Too often condemnation is much more about control than it is the will of God.
      3. We all have flaws!
         1. You see mine!
         2. I see yours!
         3. Condemning your flaws does not hide my flaws!
         4. God sees both, and forgives!
   3. It is much, much easier to raise sacred cows than it is to kill sacred cows.
      1. Among the devout in the Hindu religion, cows are sacred, cannot be harmed, and are free to roam any where at any time.
      2. Traditions that become marks of a movement are frequently called “sacred cows.”
      3. In a religious movement, it is easy to create a sacred cow.
         1. All it takes is time and consistent practice.
         2. In this way, the practice of a people becomes a directive from God.
         3. Consequently, a believer has and expresses faith in God if he or she follows the traditional practice.
         4. The problem is that the practice is never regarded to be a tradition, but a declaration of scripture.
      4. Thus to kill a sacred cow is to attack proper faith.
         1. So the matter cannot be discussed ever.
         2. Discussion quickly becomes emotional reaction instead of open investigation.

Rule of the thumb: if God specifically instructs something, do it. That is obedience. If it is based on human reasoning instead of a specific instruction from God, it well may be a matter of human tradition instead of a matter of revelation from God.

The Truth Will Set You Free

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

Read John 8:31-38

As it was in the first century, the institution of slavery in America created complex domestic relationships. Owners and slaves sometimes inhabited the same house, but the areas inhabited by the slaves were distinctly marked out. Slaves may have been intimately connected with the household and their master’s family, yet as slaves they could never fully assert their autonomy.

A vivid reminder of how slaves and their masters were, as one writer puts it, “intimate strangers,” may be seen at the Cane Ridge Meeting House in Paris, Kentucky.

The Cane Ridge Meeting House is a sort of historic landmark for all of us. It is part of our American heritage. It was built in 1791 and served as the meeting place for Scots-Irish Presbyterians. This was a little church house on the wild western frontier. In 1801, the minister, Barton Stone, organized what came to be known as “The Great Revival.” As many as 20,000 or more gathered at the camp meeting for nine days of worship. Stone and his colleague were so moved by the spirit of unity and the outpouring of the spirit that they began to call for the unity of all Christians. This is one of the deep roots of the Restoration Movement in America – the effort to restore simple New Testament Christianity. Stone and his colleagues wrote the Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery in 1804. Thereafter they strove simply to be Christians.

Yet, for a people so filled with the Holy Spirit and so close to God’s Word, there is evidence of a way in which they were still bound to the spirit of their culture rather than the spirit of God. The Cane Ridge Meeting House was built with a “slave gallery.” This is the upper balcony where the “intimate strangers” would gather for worship. How could a people who were striving to be freed by the spirit of God from the boundaries that separated them, regard their brothers and sisters as less free than they were? How could a people who resolved to simply follow the word of God rather than the traditions of men build the institution of slavery into their community? (Especially when such distinctions in worship are discussed in James 2? Think for a moment – who are the slaves in the Cane Ridge Meeting House? Those in the gallery? Or those enslaved to the sin and they don’t even acknowledge it?

Let’s consider this, but let’s resist the temptation to be critical of the Christians at Cane Ridge or the Jews who followed Jesus without some self-examination. Yes, both these groups thought of themselves as free without realizing how they were enslaved to the powers of sin deeply embedded in their culture, customs, and tradition. Yes, they read the Scriptures of God and considered themselves blessed because they had access to the house of God. But their access to the house was limited. They read like slaves rather than children who will inherit the house. But enough said of those groups …

Although I should mention and we ought to commend the Cane Ridge congregation. Some years after the Revival and their pledge to simply be Christians, the slaves’ gallery was removed from the meeting house and taken to a barn in another county where it was used as a hay loft for over a hundred years. The gallery was reinstalled during a renovation project in 1932.

How do we read God’s word? Do we read it as ancient instructions left to us from long ago by an absentee landlord who we’ve never met? How do we live in the household of God? As slaves who remain in the house part of the time but then we return to our different yet separate ways? Do we hear God’s word as the instructions of a demanding master or a serious boss?
When this is the case, we may think ourselves free but we are still enslaved to sin. Slaves and captives often lose the ability to imagine that there can be another way of living. In American slavery there are many stories of slaves who could be legally set free yet they opted to remain slaves because they were unable to imagine any other sort of life. That is the way of slavery. It erodes humanity and hope. That is the case with slavery in the first century, the nineteenth, and the twenty-first. (And yes, the institution of slavery still exists in the world today).

In order to be free, slaves and captives often have to draw from another the ability to re-imagine what it means to live as free indeed … In “Blue Like Jazz,” Donald Miller tells a story he heard: A group of Navy SEALS were performing a covert operation to rescue hostages from a compound where they had been imprisoned for months. They stormed the room and found the hostages. The room was filthy and dark. The hostages gasped in fear when the SEALS broke open the door. They huddled in the corner in fear. Even though the SEALS stood at the open door and called to the hostages to come to them and reassured them that they were Americans, the hostages were too afraid to move. They kept their heads down afraid to look up. The hostages had been so mistreated that they were not sure if they could believe the men at the door.

The SEALS were at a loss as to what they should do. Finally, one of them took off his helmet and put down his weapon. He huddled up in the midst of the hostages. He put his arms around them and did everything he could to act as if he were one of the hostages. (The hostage takers would never had done this). While he was in the midst of them, some of the hostages looked up at him. Their eyes met his eyes. The soldier whispered to them that he and his team were Americans. They were sent to rescue them. “Will you follow us?” he asked. After a moment, the rescuer stood up and one of the hostages stood up with him. Then another until they were all standing and they all followed their rescuers to safety.

Remember what the elder John said at the beginning of his gospel … 1:12 – “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” This is why the word became flesh and dwelled among us. He huddled up in our midst and put his arms around us and whispered the truth to us so that we might finally stand on our feet and follow him.

“If you remain in my word, then truly you are my disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will free you.”

Do we simply read God word, or do we remain in it? When we go to the word “on occasion” to make sure we are not transgressing a rule that will get us “thrown out of the house” then we are living like slaves, not as children. But when we “remain” in the word, then we are living like children. The Word became Flesh dwells in us and among us and the word is not just something we have heard, but as John says in his first letter – “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched-this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.”

Going back to the Gospel of John, Jesus describes it from his perspective like this …

That which I myself see with (by the side of) the Father I speak; but then that which you have heard from the Father you do.
Slaves take orders, but children speak with their Father. Christ is ruling by the Father’s side. Jesus has an inside track with the Father. This is the difference that makes us free indeed. This is the truth that sets us free.

Here at the West-Ark meeting house, we have emblazoned a statement of freedom on our upper gallery. “Making Disciples for Jesus Who are Eager to Serve Others.” Making disciples means being a disciple. So the disciples we are making are also you and me.

“If you remain in my words, then truly you are my disciples. You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” Jesus invites us into the “house” so that we can live as children, not as slaves.

Loving God’s Character

Posted by David on January 19, 2006 under Bulletin Articles

This is a significant self-disclosure of God’s character often cited (Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 4:31; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalms 86:15; 103:8; Joel 2:13; Romans 2:4).

Note all that flows from God’s character because He primarily is a compassionate [merciful] God filled with graciousness. Because He is full of mercy and grace, He angers slowly and is filled with patience and truth [absolutely trustworthy, not deceitful].

That is quite in contrast to many people’s concept of God’s character. They often declare that the primary quality of God’s character is justice. Thus, expressions of God’s mercy and grace are “out of character.” He is constantly angry, barely holding His anger in check because of Jesus’ cross. He is impatient. He prefers condemnation to salvation. While He is truthful, He quickly remembers our flaws and failures-and cannot wait to punish them!

While there is no desire to diminish our rightful responsibility that makes us accountable for our choices (Romans 14:10-12; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Corinthians 5:9, 10), God’s character declares His desire to save rather than condemn (1 Timothy 2:3, 4; 2 Peter 3:9). The good news is this: God wants to save you and will do all in His power to secure your salvation. He is on our side. The cornerstone of His character is composed of grace arising from His mercy. He rejoices in human repentance. He patiently awaits the redirection of our lives. He never lets us down. He keeps His promises.

At some point [hopefully early in our relationship with God], the Christian must stop running from hell and start running to God. The Christian is not driven by judgment’s terror, but by love for God. Rather than fleeing consequences, God’s people are attracted to His character. They find God’s character admirable in every way. They want God’s character to become their character. That is what they prefer!

Thus their goal as God’s people in an evil world is to be a people of compassion whose grace arises from mercy. In their patience they want to anger slowly. In every way they want to be trustworthy and dependable. Why? That is the nature of their Father, and they are honored to show the world their Father in their character (Matthew 5:43-48).

Would you prefer to own a heart or control a body? God prefers to own hearts. God prefers love to terror. Terror breeds resentment. Love breeds loyalty. Those who know God are committed to love’s loyalty. Feel your responsibility, but also feel God’s love!

What God Did For Us In Jesus’ Death and Resurrection (part 4)

Posted by David on January 15, 2006 under Sermons

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

This is the fourth part of what God did for us in Jesus’ death and resurrection. In the three previous lessons, we have noted:

Lost and Found

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

Last week as I was looking for a lost book in this building I looked through the “lost and found” section of this church. Most of the items in our Lost and Found are books. And most of those books are Bibles. That makes sense. We bring one of our many Bibles, we leave it in the pew, it is picked up and placed in the Lost and Found, and then we always remember that we need to check the Lost and Found when we are halfway home, right?

2 Kings records the story of lost Scripture. In the case, the loss happened for very different reasons – and it was found for different reasons. However, at the beginning of our resolution to read and listen to God’s Word in the next 90 days (or less), I think it is good for us to notice the impact of the loss and rediscovery of God’s Word in the life of his people.

We will pick up the story in 2 Kings 22. But before we read, some background: Josiah became king of Judah when he was eight. His father, King Amon, had been assassinated by some of his own officials. Josiah’s grandfather, King Manasseh, left of legacy that of sin and corruption that eventually led to the nation’s downfall. Josiah assumes the throne of his forefathers with the sense that things must be changed. One of his works to reverse his nations’ future involves destroying shrines to false gods and restoring the Temple of God to purity. In doing so, he learns just how much things need to change … read 2 Kings 22:1-13

What Was Lost?

• They lost their Identity – We can safely assume that sometime during the reign of Mannaseh, the Word of God, the scroll that was read during Israel’s worship, was lost. Perhaps it was placed in a box, or stowed away on a shelf and later stowed away in a cabinet that was buried in rubble created when the shrines of other gods were built in the Temple. Once it is lost, the people no longer hear the stories of the creation and flood. They forget their lineage; they no longer can tell the stories of God calling Father Abraham, or Isaac, or Jacob. They do not know the story of God saving Jacob and his sons through Joseph. They don’t remember their history as slaves in Egypt. They don’t know about the Passover and God’s mighty acts that set them free. They don’t know about God striking a covenant with them on Mt. Sinai. And they certainly do not know the story of the Golden Calf and the consequences that followed. And they do not know even the Ten Commandments. One generation neglected to tell, one forgot, and the next never heard. They have forgotten who they are. Their identity wasn’t stolen, it was lost.Very likely, Josiah has never heard all the word of God. If he has heard any of the stories of God’s action, he probably hasn’t heard what they mean, or how his people should live out the meaning of what God was done. Josiah tears his clothes in grief for when he hears the word of God he realized that they could be so much more than they are now. They have lost their identity as God’s people; and that is why …
• They lost their Integrity – Israel had a covenant with God. The Lord provided for them. He had rescued them. He had established them. Their singular devotion to God was to serve as an example to all other people that God should be followed wholeheartedly. They were to serve as a witness to other nations and invite them to call upon the Lord. But their allegiance was compromised. In the very place that was supposed to be a house of prayer for all nations to the Name of the Lord, Manasseh wrote in other names. He built altars to all the starry hosts. Not content to trust in God we turned to other means of forecasting the future and gaining control. And he was even willing to pay the price of the son he sacrificed to false gods. (2 Kings 21:5-6).
  There is a growing interest in witchcraft and divination in our age. Anyone remember “Psychic Friends?” As advanced as we are, we are still a superstitious culture. Even those who reject magic and sorcery may manipulate technology or influence. These are simply more sophisticated methods of securing our own way rather than trusting in God. The price of serving ourselves, whether it is through magic, money, politics, or pleasure is that we may lose our integrity. And when we lose our integrity we lose our innocence.
• They lost their Innocence – 2 Kings 21:16 says this of King Manassah’s legacy: “Moreover, Manasseh also shed so much innocent blood that he filled Jerusalem from end to end-besides the sin that he had caused Judah to commit, so that they did evil in the eyes of the LORD.” When God’s people lose their identity and integrity the innocents suffer. If they had known the story of Cain and Abel, then they would have known that God acts when innocent blood is shed. If they had known the story of the flood, they would have known that God was resolved to re-create his creation because the world had become such a violent, wicked, and brutal place. If they had known the story of Abraham, they would have known that God had called Abraham and his descendants to be a nation that operated by a different code of ethics and dealt with one another fairly, justly, and peacefully. But they lost those stories and they lost their innocence and with it they lost peace and justice. They had not become what God’s Word was intended to shape them into, and so we might say that …
• They lost Israel – 2 Kings 21:7-9, As a last straw Mannaseh placed the carved image of the sex goddess Asherah in The Temple of GOD, a flagrant and provocative violation of GOD’s well-known statement to both David and Solomon, “In this Temple and in this city Jerusalem, my choice out of all the tribes of Israel, I place my Name–exclusively and forever. Never again will I let my people Israel wander off from this land I gave to their ancestors. But here’s the condition: They must keep everything I’ve commanded in the instructions my servant Moses passed on to them.” But the people didn’t listen. Manasseh led them off the beaten path into practices of evil even exceeding the evil of the pagan nations that GOD had earlier destroyed. God calls his people to be salt and light. To make a difference by being different. We are different not because we are self-righteous or exclusive but because we want to show humanity a better way. To live out that calling we need to keep God’s Word. But if we lose it, who will be salt and light?

  Like Josiah’s generation we need to continually keep God’s Word so we might rediscover our calling for each generation …

What Was Found?

• They found their Calling – Josiah hears the Word of God and is convicted that his generation and the generations of his forefathers have not done what they were supposed to. They did not do what God wanted them to do because they had not become what God wanted them to be. Too often we go to the Word of God to learn what we shouldn’t do. “Is there anything against that?” we ask. “Is it prohibited or forbidden?” I don’t know that this is the best way to read and hear the Word of God. The Word of God is fundamentally positive, not negative. It is trying to restore our identity and personality – not limit it. Our calling is not to avoid mistakes. Our calling in Christ Jesus is to live a new life – the life modeled by Christ and given to us through baptism and supported in the spiritual community called church. Like the nation of Israel under Josiah, our calling comes from our covenant with God …
• They found the Covenant – The discovery of the book of the covenant started with a project to restore the Temple. But God’s spirit does not dwell in a building – it dwells in us. What started as a contracted project with carpenters, masons, and builders to restore the Temple became a restoration of the people … (2 Kings 23:1-3) Then the king summoned all the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem. And the king went up to the Temple of the LORD with all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, and the priests, and the prophets–all the people from the least to the greatest. There the king read to them the entire Book of the Covenant that had been found in the LORD’s Temple. The king took his place of authority beside the pillar and renewed the covenant in the LORD’s presence. He pledged to obey the LORD by keeping all his commands, regulations, and laws with all his heart and soul. In this way, he confirmed all the terms of the covenant that were written in the scroll, and all the people pledged themselves to the covenant. As we read the New Covenant over the next few months, let’s pledge ourselves to keep the covenant. Like Israel, we will be blessed to do so. They were blessed because …
• They found Ceremony and Celebration – Now that they had God’s instruction, they celebrated the Passover again. They are not merely keeping new rules that they had lost. They have found a heritage and a ceremony that enables them to experience joy and renewal. King Josiah then issued this order to all the people: “You must celebrate the Passover to the LORD your God, as it is written in the Book of the Covenant.” There had not been a Passover celebration like that since the time when the judges ruled in Israel, throughout all the years of the kings of Israel and Judah. (2 Kings 23) This experience of joy and celebration is shared with young and old. It is to be shared and kept by each generation.
• They found their Children – After Josiah found the law he set about removing the symbols of his nations decline – the ungodly shrines to other powers. Among those was the altar to Molech: Then the king defiled the altar of Topheth in the valley of Ben-hinnom, so no one could ever again use it to sacrifice a son or daughter in the fire as an offering to Molech. Israel had invited this power that destroyed the life of their children into their country. But after hearing the Word of God, that power is sent away. Molech is still worshipped today – (not literally of course) – but many parents offer their children up to powers such as success, beauty, popularity, and family violence. When we influence our children to conform to a power other than God’s spirit, we are sacrificing them at the altar of a false god.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 – Passing on the word of God from one generation to the next. What could be more important? What else is worthy of shaping their Identity? Of shaping our identity?

What God Did For Us In Jesus’ Death and Resurrection (part 3)

Posted by David on January 8, 2006 under Sermons

Colossians 1:9-20 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

Years ago I discovered an incredibly helpful invention. [Illustrate with two pieces of chain and a coupling link.] The invention is the coupling link. With it, you easily can add a link to a piece of chain. So, with it you can make two broken chains a single chain. The link has an opening that can be opened or closed easily. If it is open, it can easily fit on to a chain. If it is closed, it becomes a strong part of the chain. The link makes what would be impossible easily possible.

This evening I want to begin by reading several scriptures. Though these scriptures come from different contexts and make many points, I want you to notice two things. (1) All of them are in some way about the work of Jesus as he benefits us. (2) All of them state in some way that Jesus is our “link” to God. In Jesus we can be again “connected” to God, and that would be impossible if it were not for Jesus.

Please read with me on the overhead or in your Bible. Notice the “coupling” Jesus makes possible between us and God the Father. The Father can be in Jesus’ disciples because Jesus is in those disciples.

1. Please pay attention to the fact that Jesus allows us to have God the Father in us.
   1. Scriptures:
      • John 1:14-18 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'” For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
      • John 3:16-21 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”
      • John 10:34-38 Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.”
      • John 12:44-50 And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”
      • John 14:9-21 Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”
      • John 16:25-28 “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly of the Father. In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father. I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father.”
      • John 17:1-5 Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”
      • John 17:20-26 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”
      • Hebrews 1:1-4 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.
      • Luke 9:23-26 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”
      • Luke 10:21-23 At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” Turning to the disciples, He said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see.”
      • Mark 8:34-38 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
      • Matthew 10:32,33 “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.”
      • Matthew 10:25-30 “It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
   2. I know we just read through these, but I hope you saw something emphasized repeatedly in these readings.
      1. In some way, these readings each focus on three parties: we humans, Jesus Christ, and God the Father.
      2. There was a repeated emphasis on this fact: God the Father dwelled in Jesus, and Jesus can dwell in us.
         1. Therefore we can have God in us because Jesus is in us.
         2. It is what God did in Jesus that makes it possible for God to live in us!

2. Let me seek to illustrate the problem and the solution in this way.
   1. The problem:
      1. God is absolute holiness and has no association with anything that has evil in it.
      2. Everyone of us has evil in us.
      3. Thus the problem is how can the holy God have association with people who have evil in them?
      4. It is easy for us to respond, “God can have association with us if we are forgiven,” but that does not solve our problem because we cannot forgive ourselves.
   2. The solution:
      1. God made it possible for us to have association with Him because of what God did through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
      2. God the Father can forgive us because Jesus atoned for us–he paid the full price for our evil in his total innocence.
      3. Thus Jesus becomes the link that makes it possible for unholy us to associate with the holy God.

None of us associate with God because we are worthy. All of us associate with God because we are forgiven. We do not create our forgiveness. God does through what He did in Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Living Out the Living Word

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

Have you ever waited eagerly for a dramatization of a book you read?Maybe there’s talk about a movie or mini-series based on one of yourfavorite stories. (This May all the talk will be about the “DaVinciCode” which will be the dramatization of a best-selling novel. A bookthat claims to reveal the truth about Christ.)

Why are we so eager to see stories dramatized? Perhaps it is becausewe want to see them fleshed-out and made real? We want to experiencethe story with more of our senses. Even listening to a reading of theNew Testament with different voices and sound effects “rounds out” theexperience somewhat.

Drama is the embodiment of story. Since we are embodied creatures, wehave a desire to experience story and truth in more than just words.God knows that. That is why the Word became Flesh and dwelled amongus. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and theword was God. But the word did not remain disembodied or far away anduntouchable. The word became a man and lived among us. He attendedweddings and contributed to the celebration by helping out when therewas a need. He stayed up late and grew tired teaching those whowanted to know the truth. He walked great distances and even venturedacross the “wrong side of the tracks” to meet people where they livedand worked. And he got thirsty. But he spoke to people and they notonly heard the word – they saw the word and touched the word.

The Word became flesh and dwelled among us. And he became hungry. Heknew that the people starving for truth were also physically hungryand he bothered to provide them with food. He knew what it felt liketo be threatened and misunderstood, but he showed us what it meant tobe brave and resolved to stand up for the truth. The Word becameflesh and had hands – hands that wrote in the dirt when an angry mobbrought a sinful woman to him to be killed brutally. He must havefelt the tension when he risked his own safety for the sake ofeveryone. They heard the truth when he said, “Whoever is without sinlet him cast the first stone.” But you know, some fool very wellcould have lobbed a rock at him. The Word became flesh and livedamong us – and like us he knew pain.

Jesus did not just deliver a message. He was the message. He did notsimply speak truth. He was truth. He did the truth. On the nightthat he is betrayed, when he celebrates the Passover (an embodiedworship celebrated by God’s people for centuries), Jesus does thetruth. He serves. He shows the disciples what it means to be great.He shows them what it means to lead. He shows them what it means todo the truth. And he asks them, “Do you understand what I have done?” In other words, “Do you get it?”

Jesus goes on to teach his disciples many things. And thanks to thewitness of the apostles we have this teaching in the form ofScripture — God’s Word. What are we to do with that word? If weunderstand it, then what? In his teaching on the night of thePassover and betrayal, Jesus says, “If you love me, then keep mycommandments.” Notice that he doesn’t simply say “agree to mycommandments” or “defend my commandments” or “study my commandments.”He says “keep them.” He is calling us to embody the commandments. Hewants us to “dramatize” them – but not as if we are pretending or donot mean it. We “act them out” because we are acting on them. TheWord became flesh and dwelled among us. And so we as fleshlycreatures need to dwell in the Word.

To keep the commandments, we must know them. To do them, we mustdwell in them. This is why we need to become familiar with theteaching of our Lord and the Bible. This is why we need to read itand hear it every day – privately, with others, and let it become ourlanguage. Jesus gave us an example – to do the truth. To embody thetruth.

Baptism is an embodied act of faith. We don’t simply love God withour mind, or heart – but with our whole self. If you have beenbaptized, then your life has been submerged into the life of the Wordmade Flesh. He also was baptized to please the Father. If you havebeen baptized then you are made new to live out that Christ-life. Asthe apostle Paul says it, “I have been crucified with Christ, but Istill live. But it is not I that lives, but now Christ lives in me.”The Word is still flesh living among us.

If you haven’t been baptized you can be. God welcomes all who believeand repent and want to live an abundant life in Christ.

The Truth

Posted by Chris on January 1, 2006 under Sermons

Our lives are full of questions. As we move through the years we find ourselves confronted with questions great and small. But no matter the importance of these questions they shape our lives:

“Is she the one for me?” “Will this be on the test?” “What sort of career should I go into?” “Where will I get the money to pay the bills?” “What neighborhood should we live move to?” “Should we go to the doctor?” “Who are you going with?” “Adjustable or fixed rate?” “Where will we go to church?” “What if it is cancer?” “How should I vote this time?” “Am I getting enough exercise?” “Did I take my medicine this morning?” “What if they find out?” “Will God forgive me?”

Most of the questions we ask seek truth. We want to know. [Yesterday – CNN featured The Amazing Kreskin. Why is a mentalist interesting to us? Because he lets us know answers to our questions.] We can respond to the questions we ask with particular truths, but even if we could know everything or be in a position to always make the right decision, we would still ache and hunger for the truth.

That’s because knowing particular truths is not the same as knowing THE truth. Particular truths are simple facts, or gossip, they may even be personal admissions or beliefs or statements about faith.

The speed of light is 186,281 miles per second. Green tea aids in digestion. Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban are dating. The resale in that neighborhood is very low. Admitting to being an alcoholic. If I give all I possess to the poor, but I do not have love, I gain nothing.

Knowing these may be important but they never satisfy. We can drink water to satisfy our thirst, but we will get thirsty again. The Truth is different. This is the truth that Pilate is asking about. “What is THE truth?”

Pontius Pilate’s life was full of questions. “How could he rise in the ranks and win favor with the emperor?” “Was his wife crazy or were her dreams really divine revelation?” Pilate was a military man, a government man. He very likely confronted questions with discipline and creativity. “Should he release Jesus or Barabbas?” Jesus is the innocent one, but Barabbas is the popular choice. Pilate answers his question my removing himself from the choice. He washes his hands of the responsibility.
Confronting the questions of life as he did, Pilate gained a position of authority. He was the representative of the Roman Emperor in Judea. Which raised a question that may have been on Pilate’s mind: “Was this an honor or a punishment?” Everyday he was confronted with questions from others. He is asked to make a decision on behalf of the government. “How should these criminals be punished?” “How do we respond to the lack of funds to support works projects in Jerusalem?” “The Jews do not want the official symbol of the Emperor near their temple.” “What is to be done about the Galilean rebels who worship in open defiance to the Emperor?”

When the bruised and bleeding man from the hill country up north is brought in chains before the authorities, Pilate, whose life is just as full of questions as any of our lives, does what he had done so many times before. Dealing with a bandit who claimed to the new Jewish liberator was getting to be routine. (And there’s something comforting about routine. It can serve as the truth we create in the midst of our nagging questions.)

It really doesn’t seem possible that this beaten up carpenter with the thick accent could be a king. That just doesn’t seem like it could be true. Nevertheless, Pilate starts there because that is the basis of the legal charge – treason against the rule of the Roman Emperor. He was weary of the doublespeak of the Jewish leaders who avoided his direct questions (“If he weren’t a criminal we wouldn’t have brought him to you.”) So he gets to the facts with Jesus – “Are you King of the Jews?”

Jesus has a question of his own. He wants to know why Pilate is asking this. Pilate however is into his routine. He is not a Jew and he has no interest in their internal politics. He just wants to know of Jesus, “What is it that you have done?”

Perhaps Pilate expects a simple plea of guilty or not guilty. That would simplify things. He has a full schedule today and he has no time to waste on this schoolyard fight. So when Jesus tells him that his kingdom is from another place, Pilate is still trying to cinch up the whole deal. “You are a king then!” says Pilate. That’s good enough for him. Claiming to be the king is enough to convict.

Pilate doesn’t expect the reply of Jesus: “You say I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

Don’t we all want to be on the side of truth? In our lives full of questions don’t we all want to know THE truth. Pilate expects a humbled prisoner to beg for mercy or spit at him in angry defiance. Something that he can use to discern the truth and answer the question “What do I do with him?” But instead he encounters a man who had purpose and mission. A man who can reveal the truth. Not a mentalist or soothsayer who can reveal particular truths that are hidden, but a man who testifies to THE truth with his words and deeds.

Pilate has no answer. Just another question! But it may be the most honest question he has ever asked – “What is truth?”

Why doesn’t Jesus answer that question? Why doesn’t he extend the invitation or tell Pilate THE truth? Why is Jesus silent?” Why? Because the truth that Jesus bears witness to isn’t a proposition or a proverb or a plan. It isn’t a particular truth that is easily converted to a slogan. Jesus does answer Pilate’s question, but it cannot be answered with a word spoken. It can only be answered with a Word made flesh.

Back when the slogan “Jesus is the answer” was popular (before WWJD [“What Would Jesus Do”]) it became even more popular to ridicule this Christian slogan by saying “If Jesus is the answer, what was the question.” Maybe people stopped using that slogan because of the ridicule. Pilate has the question. You and I have the question. “What is Truth?” Jesus is the answer. He is the Word made Flesh.

In our lives full of questions, do you know the truth? As another old saying goes, “It’s not what you know, but who you know.” The gospel invitation is not to know a secret, but to know God. To know Jesus and listen to his voice – then you will find yourself on the side of the truth.

I Am Proud to Be Part of You!

Posted by David on December 29, 2005 under Bulletin Articles

Tuesday we said farewell to George Thompson. After a long and valiant fight, George surrendered to the devastation of Parkinson’s disease. Again, we sought to extend comfort to Margaret, his sons, and his daughter.

Thursday we still again said good-bye to Thelma Blackburn as we sought to extend comfort to her daughter and extended family. Thelma at 94 had been sick for years and was unable to be with her spiritual family for so long.

For a few hours Friday night, it seemed sadness would visit us again. Jess Huff in a state of extreme confusion and weakness disappeared. Thankfully he was found in good condition after many of you spent a nervous period of anxiety and prayer.

I was proud of all the expressions of concern and outpouring of helpfulness throughout the week-everything from food coordination to visits! As powerful as all the expressions were on Monday and Tuesday, nothing made me more proud than the support the congregation gave the Blackburn family on Thursday.

Jeremy we knew. He grew up in this congregation. We saw his family every week. Roy was a part of the staff here for over 25 years and is now one of our elders. George and Margaret were here every week. He and Margaret were a weekly illustration of courage and faith in trying circumstances. Just their presence gave many of us strength.

Thelma was not known by many of us. She had been seriously ill for years. The past two years she suffered from Alzheimer’s Dementia. Illness and age prevented her from attending. And yet many who never met her were present Thursday to extend caring and comfort to the family. The family wanted her funeral in our auditorium. The full family numbered considerable less than twenty-in a room that would seat almost a thousand!

I have no doubt that we all were emotionally and physically exhausted that Thursday. It was a demanding, exhausting week! Still to come was Christmas day in only three days. Yet, you still came and in your weariness once again extended comfort by your presence and your words.

The biggest message we have to share with our community is who we are by virtue of Jesus Christ’s blessings and influence in our lives. In today’s realities, that is declared as certainly by our priorities in our lives as by our words. Last week you made a powerful statement by demonstrating your priorities. Thank you!

Do You Understand What You See?

Posted by David on December 25, 2005 under Sermons

This evening will be a little different. We will have more singing. We will have more Scripture readings than usual. Each reading will come from the first two chapters in the book of Luke. I will share with you some thoughts from each reading. My objective will be to challenge you to think.

Our first reading is from Luke 1:5-17.
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years. Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering. And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

[Songs]

1. There are not many physical things in life that I desire.
   1. About a month ago, my middle son asked me what I wanted for Christmas.
      1. I tried to convince him, without any success, that I neither wanted or needed anything physical.
      2. I know I merely increased the difficulty of his selecting and giving me a gift, and I felt badly about that.
      3. However, if he asked me right now, I still want nothing physical.
   2. However, there are some things I know I do not want.
      1. I am 65 years old.
      2. If the Lord God announced to me that Joyce and I were going to have a child, that would not be a joyous revelation–to me or to Joyce!
      3. Zacharias and Elizabeth were old–it does not say how old they were, but they knew all hope of having children was gone.
         1. When the angel appeared to Zacharias as he offered incense to God, I get the distinct impression that this was a first time experience for him.
         2. The situation scared him–and scared him badly!
      4. The angel declared several things to Zacharias:
         1. “You and your wife will have a son.”
         2. “You will name him John.”
         3. “When he is born you will have joy and gladness.”
         4. “He will be great in God’s sight.”
         5. “He will be a Nazarite and filled with the Holy Spirit from birth.”
         6. “He will be a restoration influence in Israel–many sons of Israel will turn back to God because of him.”
         7. “He will also be the forerunner of someone God will send, and he will do this in Elijah’s spirit and power.”
         8. “He will prepare a people for the Lord.”

2. I wonder if Zacharias had any in depth understanding of what God was planning to do through his son.
   1. I have little doubt that Zacharias was happy to hear that a son would continue his lineage even after Zacharias was dead.
   2. But what was this business of:
      1. That son beginning a restoration movement in Israel?
      2. That son functioning as Elijah?
      3. That son being a forerunner?

   I seriously doubt that Zacharias had any real idea of what God would do through this son!

   Reading: Luke 2:8-20
   In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

   [Songs]

3. This is likely one of the more familiar events that occurred the night Jesus was born.
   1. Some shepherds were in a field watching their sheep at night.
      1. This may be a clue as to the time of year these events occurred.
      2. From the little indication given, it was a typical, uneventful evening.
   2. The uneventful evening suddenly, shockingly became quite eventful.
      1. God’s angel suddenly stood before them, and the glory of God shone around them.
      2. Just as we would be, they were terrified.
   3. The angel said several things to them:
      1. “Do not be afraid.”
      2. “In the city that David came from, God has sent your Savior, Christ the Lord.”
      3. “This will be your confirming sign: You will find a wrapped baby lying in a manger” (that is not where you would expect to find a new born).
   4. Suddenly there appeared a heavenly host.
      1. They praised God for keeping His promise.
      2. They declared a special form of peace was coming to this world.
   5. The curious shepherds went to find the baby.
      1. They found the family.
      2. They told everyone what happened to them.
      3. The events astounded many, and Mary held these things in her heart.
      4. The shepherds returned to their sheep, glorifying and praising God for what they heard and saw.

   As happy and excited as they were, I wonder if they had any idea of what they had just seen.

   Reading: Luke 2:22-38
   And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A Light of revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.” And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed– and a sword will pierce even your own soul–to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

   [Songs]

4. In Jewish society, there were (are in the Jewish orthodox communities) some laws that they had followed for centuries.
   1. Laws surrounding birth were one such group of laws.
      1. Leviticus 12 said:
         1. After the birth of a son, the mother was to be considered “unclean” for seven days–just as she was after her menstrual flow.
         2. On the eighth day after birth, the new son was to be circumcised.
         3. Exodus 13:2, 11,12 states that every first born male belonged to the Lord and must be redeemed.
         4. Leviticus 12 further said that a woman was to be considered ceremonially impure for an additional 33 days after the birth of a male child, and then she was to be purified by giving a sacrifice.
         5. It is my understanding that is what occurred in Luke 2:22-24.
      2. In 40 days when Jesus was taken to Jerusalem for presentation and redemption, he is met by two people who understand his significance.
         1. The first is a man named Simeon who is described as a righteous and devout man.
         2. Some unusual statements are made regarding this man:
            1. The Holy Spirit was on him.
            2. He was looking “for the consolation of Israel”–he understood that Israel was God’s vehicle to a divine goal, not God’s end goal.
            3. He took Jesus in his arms, blessed God, and said in essence, “I am ready to die now because I have seen God’s salvation.”
            4. He made an incredible, unthinkable statement for a first century Israelite–the salvation coming through Jesus is for all peoples, is to serve as a light to the gentiles, and is to serve as the glory of Israelites.
            5. The parents were astounded, and Simeon said to them the child will result in the rise and fall of many in Israel and will reveal the thoughts of many.
         3. The second person is a woman named Anna.
            1. She is elderly and has been a widow for many years.
            2. She constantly stayed in the temple area night and day fasting and praying.
            3. As soon as she saw Jesus, she thanked God.
            4. Incredibly, she began to speak about Jesus to all who were looking for the redemption of Israel.

When you look at Jesus in your life, do you understand what you see?