God’s Chosen, part 1

Posted by David on August 3, 2003 under Sermons

This evening I want us to look at a biblical teaching that we too often ignore. We often ignore it because we find the subject confusing. As we look at this subject, instead of running in different directions and reacting to today’s concerns, I want us to note what scripture says.

In any serious study of any biblical concept, the beginning point must always be the same. A student must always open his or her mind and allow God to teach us His perspective and position on the topic. We must never begin with “what I believe” or “what other people believe.” We always must begin with “what has God revealed.” To come to an accurate understanding of what God has revealed, we must always study in context.

Most of us agree generally with that perspective if what God has revealed and what we always have been taught are in agreement. For example, if the subject is baptism, most of us would say, “That is exactly what everyone should do! Let’s just go back to the text and see what God says. Let’s listen to God’s spokesmen in scripture before we form personal conclusions.”

However, we get very nervous if two situations are true. If (a) our ignorance on the subject places us in “the dark” regarding God’s revelation or if (b) the position I believe and trust does not agree with all that God has revealed on the subject, we tend to get extremely nervous.

For example, if we discuss God’s choosing or election, many of us get quite nervous. While many of us can give people a comprehensive biblical perspective on baptism, many of us are unlikely to give people a comprehensive biblical perspective on election.

In regard to such subjects, we are more likely to begin by (a) declaring what we regard to be the “correct” position, or (b) declaring what we believe, or (c) forcing statements in scripture to agree with our conclusion.

Scripture clearly states that God always has “chosen” after sin became reality in our world and human lives. A lot of questions immediately arise. What did God’s choosing mean in the past? What does God’s choosing mean today? On what basis did God’s choosing occur?

1. This evening I want to make one point and from that one point make one observation.
   1. The point: God always has been a God who chooses.
      1. That is God’s nature.
      2. That is the way God functions.
      3. He chooses the type of people He will establish a relationship with and will nurture in that relationship.
   2. The observation: the fact that God chooses does not mean the chosen can manipulate or exploit God.
      1. It is too easy for the chosen to feel “special,” “unique,” or “privileged.”
      2. When the chosen feel this privileged status, they try to exploit God by exploiting the fact they were chosen.
      3. It is too easy for the chosen to feel like they are judges instead of slaves.

2. I want to begin by calling your attention to the fact that God has always chosen.
   1. I want to begin at a point that you might disagree with, but it is okay for you to disagree as long as you think about the full revelation of scripture: I want to begin with Cain and Abel.
      1. Most of you know that in Genesis 4 Cain and Abel offered sacrifices to God.
         1. Let me share with you the interpretation of those offerings that I heard and likely taught for years.
         2. First part of the Interpretation: God told Cain and Abel what to offer.
         3. Second part of the interpretation: Abel obeyed God and offered the correct sacrifice, and Cain disobeyed God and knowingly offered the wrong sacrifice.
         4. Third part of the interpretation: if Cain had just offered the right sacrifice, everything would have been okay.
         5. Fourth part of the interpretation: because Cain did not offer the right sacrifice, he sinned.
         6. At this point in my understanding, I do not agree with that interpretation of the Bible’s revelation of what happened.
      2. “Why do you not agree with that approach?”
         1. The basis of the problem did not lie in the form of the sacrifice, but in Cain’s attitude.
            1. If Cain had offered the same thing in sacrifice in the same way that Abel offered his sacrifice, but Cain gave that offering in the same attitude and heart, Cain’s offering still would have been unacceptable.
            2. The basic problem was a heart issue, not a form issue.
      3. Consider a scripture containing two statements, and note that God Himself made both statements after Cain offered his sacrifice.
         1. When God “had no regard” for Cain’s offering, Cain was angry and depressed (Genesis 4:5).
            1. God asked Cain why he had that reaction (Genesis 4:6).
            2. God then said:
               Genesis 4:7 If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.
         2. Here is what I call to your attention.
            1. God is not filled with rage and wrath because He is offended by Cain’s offering.
            2. In fact, God asks Cain why he is reacting as he does–Cain is the one offended and upset, not God.
            3. In fact, God does not accuse Cain of being sinful, but cautions him against sinfulness.
            4. Sin is crouching at Cain’s door; it has not entered Cain’s door.
            5. Sin has a desire for Cain–the issue is not that it has devoured him; the issue is this: will Cain yield to sin’s desire?
            6. Cain has a responsibility: he must master sin instead of allowing sin to master him.
      4. I call two things to your attention:
         1. The first thing: Cain’s problem was produced by the fact that Cain was a very selfish, self-centered person who refused to accept any responsibility.
         2. The second thing: God chose.
   2. The second illustration I call to your attention is Noah in Genesis 6.
      1. In Genesis 6:5-7 the writer made this statement.
         Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.”
         1. People had become totally corrupt, totally opposite what God made them when He created them in His own image, His own likeness.
         2. People exercised their choice to become something God never intended them to be.
         3. When God saw people were totally in the image of evil instead of any part of them being in His image, He was grieved and regretful.
      2. Now note what Genesis 6:8,9 stated:
         But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.
         1. I understand this to be a comparative statement, not a declaration that Noah was not a sinful person (except for the physical Jesus, no knowledgeable adult has ever existed as a sinless person).
         2. Noah found favor with God, not Noah deserved God’s recognition.
         3. Noah was a righteous man (just instead of violent in his treatment of others), blameless (a man who had some sense of integrity in that age), “walked with God” (had a lifestyle that would listen to God when God spoke to him–which it seems no one else would do).
      3. The point I want you to see is quite clear: God chose.
   3. The third illustration I want you to consider is Old Testament Israel.
      1. I would like to begin by calling your attention to several scriptures.
         Deuteronomy 7:5-8 But thus you shall do to them: you shall tear down their altars, and smash their sacred pillars, and hew down their Asherim, and burn their graven images with fire. For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
         Deuteronomy 14:1,2 “You are the sons of the Lord your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave your forehead for the sake of the dead. For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”
         1 Chronicles 16:12,13 Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done, His marvels and the judgments from His mouth, O seed of Israel His servant, Sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!
         Psalm 105:5,6 Remember His wonders which He has done, His marvels and the judgments uttered by His mouth, O seed of Abraham, His servant, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!
      2. God clearly chose Israel and blessed them because they were the chosen.
      3. However, God did not choose them because they were outstanding or superior to everyone else who lived.
         Deuteronomy 7:7 The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
         Deuteronomy 9:4-6 Do not say in your heart when the Lord your God has driven them out before you, ‘Because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is dispossessing them before you. It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord your God is driving them out before you, in order to confirm the oath which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Know, then, it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stubborn people.
   4. Pay careful attention to what were and were not God’s reasons for choosing them to be His people, releasing them from slavery, and giving them Canaan.
      1. It was not because:
         1. They were a huge nation.
         2. They were righteous.
         3. They were “upright of heart.”
      2. It was because:
         1. The nations in Canaan were wicked beyond God’s ability to tolerate wickedness.
         2. God made a promise to their ancestors, and God keeps His promises.
         3. They did not deserve what God was doing; God loved them in spite of their unrighteousness and stubbornness.
   5. This is the part of God’s choosing we do not like, do not understand, and do not like to think about.
      1. Moses told the second generation of Israelites that left slavery that God’s love for them and choosing them had nothing to do with them.
      2. It was no commentary on their goodness.
      3. It was no commentary on their deservedness.
      4. It was certainly no commentary on the fact that they were “special.”
      5. It was a commentary on God’s trustworthiness and nature.
         1. God keeps His promises!
         2. If that means loving a stubborn people, He will love a stubborn people!

Therein lies our struggle and our downfall. We think God’s choice means that in some unique way “I am special.” God says, “My choice of you does not have to do with the fact that you are ‘special,’ but the fact that I am ‘special.’ So be thankful, not arrogant!”

Parenting: An Exhausting Challenge

Posted by David on under Sermons

All of us know what we individually classify as being a difficult struggle in life. Hopefully, everyone in the auditorium this morning was handed a sheet of paper. First, I want you to listen very carefully to my encouragement. (1) You will not be asked to turn anything in. [I do ask you to take your paper with you when you leave.] (2) You will not be asked to share what you write on the paper with anyone. You are only speaking to yourself when you write.

“Okay, David. I understand. I have ‘got it.’ So what do you want me to write to myself on the paper?”

What I want you to write down is the answer to just one question: what do you regard to be life’s greatest struggle for the majority of people? You might answer with one word. You might answer with a short sentence. You might answer with a long sentence. [I doubt you will answer with a paragraph!] The wonderful thing: there are no wrong answers!

For the majority of people in our society, what do you think is people’s greatest struggle? By greatest, I mean hardest, or most difficult, or most challenging, or most complicated, or most demanding.

Have you written something down? Good! Now immediately under what you wrote down, I want you to write one word: parenting. Does what you wrote down naturally “fit” some part of parenting as a struggle?

1. Let me make some observations about being a parent.
   1. Once you become a parent, you are a parent until you die.
      1. When you have a preschool child, you are a nurturing parent.
      2. When your child starts to school and is in school for those first years, you are a guiding/teaching parent.
      3. When your child enters adolescents, your are a terrified parent.
      4. When your child goes to college, you are a hopeful parent.
      5. When your child begins independent adult life, you are a concerned parent, and you never stop being a concerned parent.
   2. At each stage of your child’s life, the struggle constantly changes, but it is always there.
      1. When your child is a preschooler, at some point of personal weariness, you will say:
         1. “I will be so glad when my child no longer needs diapers!”
         2. “I will be so glad when my child can tie his or her shoes!”
         3. “I will be so glad when my child can dress himself or herself!”
      2. When your child begins his or her early years of school, at some point you will worry about:
         1. Him or her learning what he or she should.
         2. Him or her NOT learning things he or she should not learn.
         3. Personal development.
         4. His or her interaction with other children.
      3. In adolescence, at some point you will be deeply concerned about:
         1. Your child’s values.
         2. Your child’s priorities.
         3. Your child’s sense of responsibility.
         4. Your child’s choices.
      4. When your child leaves home for college or some type of training:
         1. You will wonder about how they will handle being completely free.
         2. You wonder if they understand the consequences of choices.
         3. You wonder if they will play all the time.
         4. You wonder who will “keep them on track” since you are not there.
      5. Then when your child begins adult life, you are concerned.
         1. You are concerned about how much debt they acquire.
         2. You are concerned about the choices they make that will affect them morally.
         3. You are concerned because you either know too much or too little.
         4. You always want to help, to “be there for them,” but you dread requests that you cannot fill.
   3. In the entire process, you always want to do what is best for your child.
      1. That does not mean your always know what is best for the child.
      2. That does not mean that what you decide to do is always best for the child.
      3. It just means that is what you want.

2. God has children, too, and hopefully you are one of them.
   1. There are some similarities in God being our Father.
      1. He loves us.
      2. In that love, He can be extremely kind.
      3. He KNOWS when we are making bad choices that will produce horrible consequences.
   2. Consider a statement made in Hebrews 12.
      Hebrews 12:4-11 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by Him; For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.” It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
      1. The context:
         1. Those to whom this statement was written were enduring some really tough times.
         2. Consider some of the past struggles these Christians endured.
            Hebrews 10:32-34 But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.
      2. Did you hear all the things that happened to them before the writer sent them this message?
         1. They were made a public spectacle by verbal and physical abuse.
         2. They were not ashamed of Christians who received the same abuse.
         3. They were not ashamed of Christians who were put in jail.
         4. When their property was confiscated because they were Christians, they accepted the confiscation with joy.
      3. I do not know what happened, but something happened that was just too much.
         1. Whatever happened, they blamed Jesus Christ.
         2. They decided that if they left Jesus Christ, the suffering would stop.
         3. Throughout the entire book, the author is explaining to them why they must not do that.

3. One of the last challenges he gave them was this: understand God’s discipline.
   1. “Wait a minute. You mean that God practices discipline?” Discipline, yes. Abuse, no.
      1. “Are you sure that God practices discipline?”
      2. Yes, I am sure–for two reasons.
         1. If a parent loves his or her children, love demands that the parent discipline the children because the parent’s love cares.
         2. We have a lot of lessons we need to learn for our own good, and we will not learn some of those lessons unless we are disciplined.
   2. Is that not the same reason that you discipline your children?
      1. Please note that I said discipline, not abuse.
      2. As parents, why do you discipline your children?
         1. Because you love them.
         2. Because you want to teach them lessons they need to learn.
   3. God’s our parent! We commonly call Him our Father! We are supposed to look to Him as our Father!
      1. He knows when we are making horrible choices.
      2. He knows when we are following awful values.
      3. He knows when the consequences will be terrible.
      4. He knows when we are going in the wrong direction.
      5. And He cares! He always has cared about His children!
   4. If you doubt how deeply He cares, consider this illustration.
      1. When Moses explained the wilderness experience that lasted 40 years to the second generation Israelites, he made this statement:
         Deuteronomy 8:5 Thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.
      2. Israel had a lesson they desperately needed to learn if God was going to be able to help them: they desperately needed to trust God first.
         1. They did not learn that lesson from the ten plagues in Egypt.
         2. They did not learn that lesson from the exodus from Egypt.
         3. They did not learn that lesson at Mount Sinai.
         4. God tried to teach them to trust Him, but they did not learn to trust Him–they had so much idolatry in them they would not learn what they needed to learn.
      3. They left a caring God no choice.
         1. The only hope they had of learning the lesson they desperately needed to learn was discipline.
         2. So God used the discipline of 40 years in the wilderness to seek to teach them.

4. The writer of Hebrews declared that his recipients of his message should understand divine discipline because they understood basic truths about fathers disciplining their sons.
   1. The truths:
      1. God disciplines, and His discipline is not to be considered insignificant.
      2. God disciplines because He loves–the absence of discipline is the absence of love.
      3. The purpose of God’s discipline is to produce endurance and respect that are essential to life.
      4. God without fail disciplines us for our good.
      5. At the time of discipline, it hurts, but the results produce the joy of appreciation.
   2. What do you want God to do when He knows that as a Christian you are making a horrible choice or a terrible mistake?
      1. Do you want God to ignore the situation and let you do as you please to your own hurt and destruction?
      2. Do you want God to stand by and let you destroy yourself?
      3. Do you want God to lie to you [He won’t!] and make you think everything is fine when it isn’t?
      4. Do you want God to ignore you and just let whatever happens happen?
   3. To these very same people, the writer wrote:
      Hebrews 10:29-31 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Those who have been saved by God’s grace will be judged by the way they live as God’s chosen, God’s redeemed. When that moment comes [and it will come for all of us!], will you thank God or curse God for His discipline? I want God to do anything necessary to help me be His person!

Christ In Us — Our Hope!

Posted by David on July 27, 2003 under Sermons

What impressed you about our world this week? Your spent an entire week living in this world. I doubt that you spent seven days wearing a blind fold. I doubt you spent seven days wearing ear plugs. I doubt you spent the entire seven days interacting with people who make you feel good. So, what are your impressions from this week?

If your response is, “That depends,” I understand. For some it was not a typical seven days. Because of circumstances, some had their time consumed by situations that do not ordinarily consume their week. Some in those special circumstances were impressed by kindness, thoughtfulness, and love. Some in those special circumstances were impressed by grief, pain, and hopelessness.

Others who did have a typical week were impressed with a mixture of things. At moments they were impressed with some very good, encouraging happenings. At moments they were impressed with the rottenness of this world.

“Well, David, what about you? You lived in this world the last seven days, too. What impressed you about this week?” For me, it was a fairly typical week. In a typical week, usually several different things happen in my thinking and my seeing.

1. It is fairly common for me to stand in awe of God’s mercy and love. That is not a commentary on others, but on me. I have a sense of who I am and am not. I know how I struggle. I know how easily my weakness trip me up. When I see God’s goodness, I know the only goodness in me are the bits and pieces that feebly reflect God’s presence. And I marvel that God could be so patient with me. And I marvel that God could find any reason to even want me.

2. It is fairly common for me to be touched by the many kindness I see. Christians constantly amaze me with their ability to care, be kind, and love unselfishly.

3. It is fairly common for me to be distressed by evil. There is so much pain in people’s lives, so much hate in our world, so much violence because people despise people. This world can be a ugly place controlled by the acts of godless, selfish people.

4. It is fairly common for me to feel a sense of challenge in all the opportunities I see. There is so much need, so much potential, so many ways to show people that there is a way to live that does not involve hate, resentment, or causing suffering.

1. Let me go to the heart of the matter: evil in this world attacks physical existence.
   1. This world has been a place of fear in every generation as far back as there has been recorded history.
      1. The fears have not changed, and I do not think the fears will ever change.
         1. The economic fear–“I won’t have enough to take care of my needs!”
         2. The disease fear–“Sickness will control my life!”
         3. The abandonment fear–“I will have to face a hostile world alone!”
         4. The death fear–“I will die!”
      2. There has never been a time when these fears did not exist prominently.
         1. Poverty has always been a reality.
         2. Sickness has always been a reality.
         3. Loneliness has always been a reality.
         4. Dying has always been a reality.
      3. There will never be a period in this physical world when there is no poverty, no sickness, no abandonment, no dying.
         1. No matter what lifestyle some people attain, those fears will be a daily reality for most people who live in our world.
         2. There always have been “the have and have nots.”
         3. There always will be “the have and have nots.”
         4. The purpose of life involves more than becoming a “have” or avoiding the existence of a “have not.”
   2. Your initial reaction may be, “David, that is crazy!” but consider some realities.
      1. On January 8, 1964 in a State of The Union address President Lyndon Johnson declared war on poverty in this country.
         1. Almost forty years later does this nation still have people struggling in poverty?
         2. I am impressed with the fact that we have proven that poverty is a very complex reality.
         3. You and I know the fear of poverty is a very real fear–right now!
      2. This nation has made incredible medical advancements in the past fifty years.
         1. I find it equally incredible to note the prominent new diseases of today that we had never heard of fifty years ago.
         2. With today’s astounding medical treatments, can you afford them?
         3. Just in this country, does everyone who has genuine need for these medical procedures have access to them?
         4. You and I know the fear of disease is a very real fear–right now!
      3. There are an enormous number of people in this society who deal with abandonment issues–and they include children and elderly people.
         1. Do you know anyone who struggles with a feeling of abandonment?
         2. Do you know anyone who just cannot escape that feeling?
         3. You and I know the fear of being abandoned is a very real fear–right now!
      4. The fear of death is universal.
         1. Accidents cause death.
         2. Violence causes death.
         3. Greed cause death.
         4. War causes death.
         5. Poverty, disease, and abandonment cause death.
         6. Time causes death.
         7. Nobody, absolutely nobody, beats death.
         8. You and I know the fear of death is a very real fear–right now!

2. People who accepted the challenge to be Christians after Jesus’ death and resurrection confronted bigger fears and struggles than we face.
   1. In no way is that an attempt to minimize our fears and struggles.
      1. Our problems and struggles are quite real.
      2. I just want us to realize that there have been many people in many ages who faced greater demands than we face.
   2. In every age, people make the same religious mistakes.
      1. In the first century world, commonly people were convinced that there was a religious key to being a person to whom God gave His approval.
         1. They even declared what the key was.
         2. Some said the key was having the right lineage–a person had to be a physical descendant of Abraham through Isaac.
         3. Some said the key was proper religious rites–doing the right thing in the right way (even if you had no understanding of what you did) was the key to gaining God’s approval.
         4. Some said self-denial was key to gaining God’s approval (so make yourself suffer physically for religious reasons).
         5. Some said becoming a fanatic for God was the key to gaining God’s approval–just do weird things for religious reasons.
      2. Paul said there is a key, but none of those are that key.
         1. “Well, Paul, if none of those are the key, what is the key?”
         2. Paul told the Christians at Colossae in Colossians 1:27 this was the key: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
   3. I want to illustrate what Paul meant by “Christ in you, the hope of glory” in these ways.
      1. First, in your mind look at a sheet of paper with “Satan,” “God,” and “humans” on the sheet.
         1. “Satan” is on the lower left hand corner of the sheet.
         2. “God” is on the upper right hand corner of the sheet.
         3. “Humans” are in the middle of the sheet with a pull in both directions being exerted on them.
      2. Second, in your mind look at that same sheet of paper, but this time have a continuous line (arrow) drawn from “Satan” to “God.”
         1. Basically Paul told those Christians at Colossae that God was unconcerned where you were on the line.
         2. God’s basic concern was this: which direction are you going? Are you moving toward God or are you moving toward Satan? Are you deliberately becoming more evil in your life, or are you reflecting more and more of God’s goodness in your life?
      3. If you really think about these two illustrations, there is a basic problem.
         1. It is easy for humans to move in the direction of Satan–it is really simple to do evil.
         2. It is hard for humans to move in the direction of God–doing God’s good when you are surrounded by evil is hard.
         3. If it were as easy to move toward God than it is to move toward Satan, there would be many more good people in the world.
         4. People, of themselves, of their own strength, of their own doing have a hard time moving toward God. Let me illustrate this fact in several ways.
            1. It is easier to be a racist than it is to care about people not like me.
            2. It is easier to hate the poor because some of them abuse the system than it is to care about the poor.
            3. It is easier to resent stealing, or adultery, or sexual perversion, or addiction to pornography, or alcoholism, or substance abuse than it is to care, be helpful, and extend forgiveness to such people.
            4. It is easier to ignore the divorced person, the jobless person, the mean person, the insecure person, the abandoned person, the defeated person than it is to care about and help such people.
         5. It is surely easier to live with any problem in my lifestyle than it is to change my life style.
         6. So where does the power to change come from? Where do we find the power to move closer to God? Is it just up to us and our human strength?
            1. Paul said, “No, it is not just up to human strength.”
            2. Paul said the source of your power as a Christian is this, “Christ in you.”
            3. I must move toward God, but I find the strength to move toward God in Jesus Christ.

3. I want us to read together Paul’s statement to these people, the Colossian Christians.
   1. As we read, I want you to notice something–see it, pay attention to it, note it.
      1. “What? What is so important that I should pay that much attention to it?”
      2. Note the two things:
         1. Note what it means for Christ to be in a person.
         2. Note that Christ is the power source.
   2. The reading:
      Colossians 3:1-17 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him– a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

We belong to a Savior who was resurrected from the dead. God says to us, “If I can raise that Savior from the dead, I can use him to lead you to me.”

So I ask you, which direction are you moving? Toward God? Do you know the impossible frustration of trying alone, or do you let Christ live in you and provide the strength?

When God Listens To Prayer

Posted by David on July 20, 2003 under Sermons

It is so simple to misrepresent God. It is so easy to substitute our concerns for God’s concerns. It is so simple to defend our conclusion instead of learning more about God’s nature and purposes.

As always on Sunday evenings, we will look at scripture and let the text speak to us. May God help us have open minds and soft hearts so we all listen to scripture instead of listening to our past conditioning. May we all let God direct our thinking instead of past sincere convictions directing our thinking.

As we study directly from the text, we will study from both the Old Testament and the New Testament. First, we will examine 1 Kings 8 by looking at Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the new temple he built. Then we will look in John 9 at the healing of the man born blind.

1. Please open your Bibles to 1 Kings 8 and note some specifics about Solomon’s prayer of dedication.
   1. Context:
      1. The building of the first Jewish temple was completed and the ark of the covenant was placed in the holy of holies by the priests and Levites (1 Kings 8:4).
      2. It was a time of festival so a pilgrimage to Jerusalem was made to keep a national holy feast. The result: the men of Israel were in the city (1 Kings 8:2).
      3. Solomon assembled the nation’s elders, the leaders of tribes, and the leaders of families (clans) for the dedication of the temple (1 Kings 8:1).
      4. When the transfer from King David’s holy tent to temple was complete, a cloud filled the temple: the cloud represented the glory of God [this was God’s act of acceptance of the temple] (1 Kings 8:10,11).
      5. First, Solomon faced the temple and pronounced a blessing upon the structure (1 Kings 8:12,13).
      6. Second, Solomon faced the assembly and pronounced an blessing on the Lord (1 Kings 8:14,15).
      7. Solomon’s prayer of dedication began in 1 Kings 8:22.
   2. There are some specific things I ask you to notice.
      1. First, Solomon declares the primary function of the temple to be a place of prayer. [Does that increase understanding of Jesus’ anger in Mark 12:15-18 when he said God’s house was a house of prayer, but they made it a den of robbers?]
         1. Solomon stands before the Lord with his hands spread toward heaven.
         2. He asks God to hear Israel’s prayers and forgive them when they pray toward that place (1 Kings 8:30).
      2. Second, I want you to notice the limitations of the first temple.
         1. Verse 27–it is inadequate to contain God.
         2. Verse 30–while the presence of God is in this temple, God’s place to live is in heaven.
         3. However, even with its limitations, listen to the prayers that are directed toward this place.
      3. Third, I want you to notice the request to hear prayers included people who were not Israelites. Note verses 1 Kings 8:41-43:
         Also concerning the foreigner who is not of Your people Israel, when he comes from a far country for Your name’s sake (for they will hear of Your great name and Your mighty hand, and of Your outstretched arm); when he comes and prays toward this house, hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to You, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, to fear You, as do Your people Israel, and that they may know that this house which I have built is called by Your name.
         1. Note the reason the person who is not Jewish has come is for the sake of God’s great name.
         2. Note the reason that God is asked to answer the prayer is to cause others to understand God’s name is great–it is primarily about advancing or spreading God’s greatness!
      4. God not only heard the prayers of people who were not Israelites, He answered them! And Solomon asked Him to do so!

2. Now turn with me to John 9.
   1. The situation:
      1. Jesus and the disciples passed a man born blind.
      2. The disciples asked Jesus if the man had sinned or his parents had sinned.
         1. Physical defects were often considered as evidence of sin.
         2. The defect was a punishment for the sin.
      3. Jesus said neither sinned, but this happened to display God’s works.
      4. Then Jesus healed the man’s blindness.
      5. A serious controversy arose among the neighbors who saw the blind man begging. The controversy: “Who is this seeing man?”
         1. Jesus healed the man on a Sabbath day.
         2. Thus the situation was reported to the Pharisees.
         3. The Pharisees asked the man to explain how he got his sight back, and he told them.
         4. They asked him, “Who do you think this man is?” [“Who” in the sense of whether he was from God or not.]
         5. He replied, “He is a prophet” [God’s spokesman].
      6. The Pharisees did not believe the healed man, so they asked his parents.
         1. The Pharisees asked, “Is this your son? If so, how can he see?
         2. The parents replied, “This is our son, but we do not know how he sees.”
            1. “He is old enough to answer for himself, so ask him.”
            2. They were afraid.
      7. A second time they called the healed man in to be interviewed and demanded that he give God credit for what happened because his healer was a sinner.
         1. He said, “I do not know if he is a sinner or not; all I know is that I was blind and now I see.”
         2. They asked, “How did he give you your sight back?”
         3. He said, “I told you once, why do you want me to tell you again? Do you want to be his disciple?”
      8. With that answer the situation became very ugly.
         1. They begin to verbally abuse the healed man and to declare he is his healer’s disciple, but they are Moses’ disciples.
         2. They know God spoke to Moses, but they know nothing about the man’s healer.
         3. The healed man responded, “That is amazing! He healed me, and you do not know the origin of this man!”
         4. Then the healed man made this statement in verses John 9:31-33:
            We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
      9. Think about this statement:
         1. Who made it? The man healed from his blindness.
         2. What was he doing? Stating the obvious.
         3. What was the obvious? A person does not have the power to heal a blind person unless God gives the healer the power.
         4. Was this a commentary on God hearing prayers? No.
         5. What was it? A commentary on Jesus’ identity as a person from God made by a person who did not even know who Jesus was (see verses 35-39).

3. Look at Acts 10.
   1. Cornelius, who is not a Jew, is praying to God as he frequently does.
      1. He is a devout man who reverences God (with his household), who gave alms to Jewish people, and who prayed to God continually.
      2. He was praying at 3 in the afternoon when an angel appeared to him and made this statement:
         Acts 10:4 “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God.”
      3. What did Cornelius understand that statement to mean? Scripture tells us the meaning of this statement to Cornelius.
         1. Later he told Peter what that statement meant when he explained why he, a person who was not a Jew nor a Christian, send for Peter who was both a Jew and a Christian.
            Acts 10:30,31 Cornelius said, “Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments, and he *said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God.'”
         2. We can engage in lots of discussion, but the bottom line from scripture is this:
            1. God listened to the prayers of a person who was not a Christian.
            2. God listened to those prayers before the person became a Christian.

4. Is there ever a time when God will not listen?
   1. Absolutely!
      1. God does not hear when the prayer asks God to serve the purposes of evil rather than the purposes of righteousness.
      2. Is the basic issue who makes the request? No.
      3. The basic issue is serving righteousness as God’s purposes are sought.
   2. Listen to a very frightening statement.
      Isaiah 59:1,2 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short that it cannot save; nor is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.
      1. Note to whom this statement was made: to people who were God’s chosen people.
      2. Note their position did not provide them the privilege of practicing evil.
      3. In their willing evil behavior, they separated themselves from God, and God stopped hearing their prayers.

Remember: a condition God places on hearing our prayers is this: we must be concerned about godliness, not evil, when we ask.

What Is Your Life About?

Posted by David on under Sermons

For a moment, play a game of “let’s pretend” with me. Let’s pretend that God Himself sent a messenger to your home to interview you and your children about the purpose of life. This messenger’s interview centered on the answers to two questions. Each person in the family would answer these two questions. Each person had to answer with what he or she really believed was true (no “tactful evasions,” no lies). No one in your family could control the interview. Everyone but the person interviewed had to listen quietly without comment. The interview would start with the youngest child. It would go from youngest to oldest until everyone–children and adults–was interviewed.

Here are the two questions:

• What are the most important things in life?
• What does each specific person in this family think is the most important thing in life?

Each adult, each teenager had to listen quietly as a brother, sister, parent, or spouse stated aloud his or her truthful impression of what you think life is all about, what you think is really important as you live your life in your family. Would you like to hear what your family members think you regard as important in life?

1. Would you read with me Deuteronomy 8:2-6?
   You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. Thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son. Therefore, you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God, to walk in His ways and to fear (reverence) Him.
   1. Context: Moses spoke to second generation Israel before they entered the territory God promised them.
      1. All the adult men who left Egypt in the exodus are dead but three, and one of those three would be dead before they crossed the Jordan River into Canaan.
      2. Moses would be dead and buried before this nation crossed the river.
      3. In Deuteronomy, Moses emphasized what was important, what must be remembered as being important.
         1. This book centered on a very sobering moment in Israelite history.
            1. A lot of people were dead.
            2. Knowing why they died was extremely important.
            3. All these dead people gave a testimony to a very sobering truth: “If you do not understand what your life is about, you will be as dead as I am.”
         2. This moment could easily become a very materialistic, tragic moment: these people could allow the moment to focus them on the wrong thing.
            1. They could think about getting the finest piece of land in Canaan.
            2. They could think about indulging themselves with pleasures in a settled existence.
            3. They could think about becoming wealthy.
            4. They could think about prestige and power.
         3. It was extremely important that they be focused on life’s correct purpose.
   2. Think carefully about the reminder Moses gave them in our reading.
      1. “Do not forget your experiences of the past forty years in the wilderness.”
         1. It was not to be a “Phew! I am glad that is over!” time in their history.
         2. It was to be, “Did I ever learn something from that!” time in their history.
      2. Moses said, “God did three things in your experience of the forty years of your wandering.”
         1. “He humbled you to be certain you knew and understood who was the dependent and who was the sustainer.”
         2. “He tested you: are you like your parents who built the golden calf, or are you a people who trust Me?”
         3. “He provided you an opportunity to show Him your heart: is your heart in obedience to Me or in rebellion against Me?”
      3. “God humbled you by making you totally dependent on Him–you could not even provide yourself food.”
         1. “He let you get hungry–but it was for a reason.”
         2. “He gave you food to eat that neither you nor any of your ancestors had ever seen or eaten–and it was for a reason.
         3. “The reason is found in this understanding: the purpose of life is not found in physical need or desire; the purpose of life is found in listening to God.”
      4. “For forty years God took care of you: your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell.”
      5. “In the core of your being you need to understand that God was discipling you just like you discipline your sons–because they need to learn, and because you seek their best interests.”
      6. “So keep God’s commands, live a godly lifestyle, and reverence God.”
   3. Your success, your future, and future generations depend on these two basic truths:
      1. You must trust God’s teachings, not physical desires.
      2. You always must depend on God to determine who you are and how you live.

2. Now move hundreds of years forward to Matthew 4:1-4 and read with me.
   Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'”
   1. Jesus just had the exhilarating experience of being baptized.
      1. God Himself spoke on that occasion: “This is My beloved son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).
      2. God’s Spirit came from heaven in the form of a dove and landed on Jesus.
      3. This was a heady experience!
         1. This was the kind of experience that can build evil pride!
         2. We all are pretty much deceived by the compliments and praise of others.
         3. God Himself acted in an extraordinary way when Jesus was baptized!
      4. Soon after this incredible experience at baptism, God’s Spirit led Jesus into a deserted area to be tempted by the devil.
         1. Jesus spent forty days and nights focusing–he fasted for that period.
         2. He had to know who he was and what his life was about.
         3. Was sonship about serving or about position?
         4. Was sonship about obedience or about controlling?
      5. When he concluded this period of focus, he was hungry.
   2. The temptation:
      1. “Jesus, are you really God’s son? Are you real sure of who you are?”
      2. “If you are God’s son, you can turn these stones into something to eat.”
      3. “You are hungry, and eating is not a ‘right and wrong’ issue.”
      4. “You are hungry; you have been here for forty days fasting; you are weak; your really need some food; so make these stones into bread, not a royal feast, just a poor man’s meal of bread.”
         1. “It would be stupid for you to die out here from hunger and weakness.”
         2. “You know who you are!”
         3. “You have important things to do!”
         4. “So eat and get on with it!”
      5. Jesus quoted the statement from Deuteronomy 8.
         1. He said there was a bigger issue at stake than being hungry.
         2. The issue: is life fundamentally about physical need/desire or about letting God guide?
         3. Jesus was there to focus on who he was and what he was about, and neither feeling sorry for himself or becoming absorbed in physical need must be allowed to define who he was or what he was about.

3. When Jesus began his ministry, listen to what he said in Matthew 6:19-34.
   Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
   1. Jesus was not talking about “happy go lucky” irresponsibility; he was talking about the purpose of life. Let me try to focus us in this way.
      1. Is your job in jeopardy because of our weak economy?
      2. How much did you lose in the stock market the last year? In certificates of deposits? In investments?
      3. Have you had to adjust your lifestyle?
      4. What can you do to make it all “go away”? Nothing.
      5. If material things define your life, this is a time of high anxiety for you.
   2. In Jesus’ statement, allow me to focus your attention on a couple of things.
      1. In verse 32 Jesus said the Gentiles eagerly seek the same things you seek if the focus of your life is food, drink, and clothes.
         1. We miss the central point if we do not understand the context.
         2. Jesus spoke to people who seriously regarded themselves to be God’s people.
         3. In this context, the word “Gentiles” referred to people who did not know God, who did not want to know God, and who were not influenced by God.
         4. Jesus said, “You are the people who claim to know God, who claim to belong to God, who claim to be God’s people.”
         5. “But…you are acting and feeling and thinking just like the people you say do not know God and do not care who God is.”
         6. “There is no difference in what your life is about and what these godless people’s life is about.”
      2. The number one purpose in the lives of God’s people is being ruled by God.
         1. “I want God in control.”
         2. “I want to live the lifestyle of a person who places God in control.”
         3. “I want people quietly to note that the reason I am different, the reason my lifestyle is different can be understood only by knowing this fact: God rules who I am and what I am about.”

In concluding, I want to focus you on three facts that are true for each one of us.

1. Determining God’s will in your life is a life time journey, not a simple decision.
2. Physical death is certain; every physical body in this auditorium will die.
3. While your physical body will die, you as a person won’t die.

“So what does all that mean?” It means there is a whole lot more to life than physical existence. It means only God our Creator can guide us in all of life. It means when you face God after death, you will not present Him a financial report or a list of possessions.

So, in your family, what do your family members think life is about? What do you say by the way you live that life is all about?

And God Said To Us, “And Your Reasoning Was???”

Posted by David on July 6, 2003 under Sermons

This morning I want to begin by reading two statements from Paul written to the Christians at Ephesus. I want you to read with me either from your Bible or from the overhead. As we read, I want you to notice some specific things in each scripture.

We will begin with Ephesians 2:11-16.

This is what I want you to notice in this reading. You have two very different groups of people Paul acknowledged. The first group was the Jews who were God’s “called out people” for over 1400 years. For 1400 years they received God’s scripture. In fact, this scripture was written to them. For 1400 years they heard God’s prophets. The prophets were God’s voice to them. For l400 years they have had specific forms, specific ways of doing things. Those forms included everything from the way they worshipped to the way the treated each other.

The second group, known to Jews as Gentiles, were all people who were not Jews. God did not write any scripture to these people. All the known prophets from scripture were Jewish prophets. These people who were not Jews had a different set of gods, a different set of forms, differences in the way they worshipped, and differences in the way they treated each other [morality codes].

The problem: most Jews who were Christians adamantly declared that people who were not Jews and became Christians had to do things their way. If religiously people who were not Jews did not do things their way, then God could not possibly accept them as His people.

As we read, this is what I want you to notice.

1. These two groups of Christians had real problems accepting each other.
2. Paul wanted them to understand that God did not care if they were Jews or gentiles as long as they placed their lives in Jesus Christ.
3. The problem was a human problem, not God’s problem. What was a struggle for humans was an achieved goal for God.

Read with me as we look at Ephesians 2:11-16.
Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision,” which is performed in the flesh by human hands–remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.

Did you notice what Paul said to the Christians at Ephesus?

1. “The problem you have in reacting to differences is your problem, not God’s problem.”
2. “What you consider a problem God considers an accomplished goal in Jesus Christ.”

The second statement from Paul I want you to notice is found in this same letter to the Christians at Ephesus. It is found in Ephesians 4:20-24.

In this statement Paul focused their attention on God’s goal in all of them. Not their goal, but God’s goal! One of the reasons they had problems as Christians accepting each other was caused by this: they substituted their goals for God’s goal.

As we read this statement, ask yourself one question: “What was God’s goal?” As we read together, ask that question, and see if you hear Paul’s answer.

Ephesians 4:20-24 But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

In Paul’s statement to the Christians at Ephesus, what was God’s goal? God’s goal is to create again or anew any and every person who comes to Him through Jesus Christ. If a person is in Christ, God’s goal to is recreate that man or woman. Instead of being the person he or she was, he or she will become a new, recreated self. And how will it be visibly evident that this person has been recreated? By God’s standards, he or he is committed to being a righteous person dedicated to holiness.

1. Since Jesus died and was resurrected long ago, what is God’s goal in your life and my life?
   1. God’s goal had not changed.
      1. It was God’s goal throughout the generations before He sent Jesus.
      2. It was God’s goal throughout the generations after He send Jesus.
      3. It is God’s goal right now.
      4. It will still be God’s goal after everyone of us is dead and buried.
   2. God created a “very good” world with humans made in His image.
      1. Evil perverted the “very good” creation God made by enticing humans to rebel against God.
      2. From the moment evil produced human rebellion, God tried to influence humans to reconcile to Him.
      3. God can cause reconciliation to occur in the lives of those who accept Jesus as the Christ, and God does it by recreating the lives of those in Christ.
   3. Look at the simple progression:
      1. The sovereign God created a “very good” creation.
      2. Rebellious humans rejected the sovereign God and ruined His “very good” creation.
      3. God wants to destroy the rebellion through the reconciliation of recreating the person who comes to Jesus Christ.
   4. Stated very simply: God’s goal is to make us spiritual people in Christ.

2. The “us” problem: we are all very different.
   1. There are likely no two persons in this gathering who agree 100% on everything.
      1. There are likely no two persons in this gathering who are in 100% spiritual agreement.
      2. While all of us would find some who would agree with many of our general principals, each of us would be hard pressed to find one person who would agree with all of our personal applications of those principles.
      3. One of the hardest lessons to learn as a Christian is this: “every Christian is not exactly like me, and this congregation would not be a healthy congregation if every Christian was exactly like me.”
   2. One huge problem that causes endless struggle and often hurt among us is this: we simply do not learn alike.
      1. Some of us learn by the lecture method, and we are going to go to classes that have an authority figure who is in charge of the class.
      2. Some of us learn by the discussion method, and we are going to class where everyone says what is on his or her mind.
      3. Some of us learn by the interaction method, and we love being a part of a small group in which all of us study, all of us share, and no one is intimidated.
      4. Some of us learn by the mentoring method; we seek guidance from someone who has “been there, done that, and used faith in Christ to cope with the problem.”
   3. So which is the best method to learn? None of them and all of them.
      1. There is no “best method”; if we are not careful, methods have more to do with our goals than with God’s goal.
      2. God’s goal is for us to be recreated in Christ and become a spiritual person who is committed to righteousness and holiness.
         1. If the way you learn and understand best is by the lecture method, God does not care.
         2. If the way you learn and understand best is by the discussion method, God does not care.
         3. If the way you learn and understand best is by the interaction method, God does not care.
         4. If the way you learn and understand best is by the mentoring method, God does not care.
      3. God wants each of us to be recreated in Christ, dedicated to being God’s righteous, holy person–that is what God wants!
         1. The method we use to let God change us in Christ is not what is important to God!
         2. It is not “how we got there;” it is being the godly man or woman in Christ that God wants us to be!

3. Mark records a fascinating interaction between Jesus and one of his three closest disciples [John] in Mark 9:38-42.
   John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is for us. For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward. Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea.”
   1. In the New Testament, there is much more condemnation about causing division than there is about keeping forms.
   2. God invested hundreds of years in creating the Old Testament nation of Israel in order to send Jesus, and when that nation failed God, He did not give up.
      1. God sent many prophets to His people because His people loved evil, but God did not give up.
      2. God exiled His people into a harsh captivity, but God did not give up.
      3. God send Jesus, and God’s people rejected Jesus, but God did not give up.
      4. God allowed His son to be killed cruelly, and God did not give up.
      5. God raised His son from the dead, and people laugh at the idea of resurrection, and God does not give up.
      6. Today, we too often define God’s goal as something far less than allowing God to recreate us in Christ into people committed to a righteous, holy existence, and God still does not give up.
   3. Then, in human arrogance, we say to another Christian who has been baptized into Christ, “If you do not do things my way, God will give up on you!”
      1. Listen to a statement Paul made to the Christians in Rome in Romans 14:1-8:
         Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. 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. One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. 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. For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.

May we be only God’s people who are concerned with God’s goal, not our preferences. May the goal be to be spiritual, to be the recreated people of God dedicated to righteousness and holiness. And may we respect and encourage each other as we pursue that goal.

The Faith to Yield to God’s Courage

Posted by David on June 29, 2003 under Sermons

There is a fundamental quality that is essential for any man or any woman to follow God. No, that fundamental quality is not sinlessness. It is impossible for anyone to be 100% sinless. No, that fundamental quality is not deeds. It is impossible for anyone to be such a super servant for God that he or she deserves to walk with God.

If this fundamental quality is not sinlessness or service, what is it? The fundamental quality is courage.

The way God looks at life and defines what is important is totally different from the way we humans look at life and define what is important. It takes real courage to look at and to define life the way God does.

1. I am going to illustrate the courage God wants us to develop.
   1. I want to challenge every Christian here in the deepest part of his or her being to open his or her eyes and see this courage.
      1. I want to shake everyone of us out of the complacency of trusting in our system, in our way of doing things.
      2. I want to disturb each of us on the deepest level of our consciousness.
      3. I want to make all of us think with such honesty that we cannot get this off our minds.
   2. The end result is that I want each of us to trust our Savior as we have never even considered trusting him before.
      1. I want us to trust our Savior so much that the focus of our faith moves away from confronting other people.
      2. I want us to trust our Savior so much that we move closer and closer to God’s courage.
   3. Then I want to emphasize one point.

2. To illustrate this courage, I use four well known persons in the Bible.
   1. The first person I want to use as an illustration is Abraham.
      1. If you are a Bible student, you are quite familiar with this truth: in both the Old and New Testaments, Abraham illustrates the greatest faith in God that a human ever had.
         1. If we consider the person of the greatest faith in every generation, his or her faith could not surpass Abraham’s faith.
         2. That simply is not possible!
         3. If we want to show a person God’s definition of faith, we would use Abraham.
      2. Abraham’s faith is truly incredible!
         1. I do not have to consider his faith much to realize I do not come anywhere near that depth of faith.
         2. When I look at Abraham’s faith, I see just how small my faith is.
      3. Even though that is absolutely true, Abraham is an unusual person to be the “forever” illustration of faith.
         1. Why? Because Abraham had so many imperfections.
         2. What imperfections?
            1. Twice (Genesis 12:10-20; Genesis 20) Abraham said that Sarah [his wife and half sister] was his sister.
               1. Both times he let another man take “his sister” with the intention of marrying her!
               2. Both times he did not say a word!
            2. Once he asked God to let his head servant serve as his heir because he feared he and Sarah could never have children (Genesis 15:1-4).
            3. Later, he made Hagar, mother of his first son, and the son [Ishmael] leave his family and camp–totally unacceptable in his day!
      4. If the church today were going to advance someone to be a great example of faith, we would not have the courage to use a man like Abraham for our example!
         1. Why?
         2. From our point of view, he made too many mistakes to be an example of faith!
   2. The second person I want to use is David, king of Israel.
      1. If you are a Bible student, you are familiar with this truth: David is known in both the Old and New Testaments as “the man after God’s own heart.”
         1. If we want to understand how a heart that belongs to God acts, David is our illustration.
         2. I seriously doubt that any of us here this morning has a heart that belongs to God as did David’s.
         3. I seriously doubt that there are many people in the entire world who have hearts that belong to God as did David’s.
      2. Even though it is absolutely true that David’s heart belonged to God in an exceptional way, David is an unusual person to use as a “forever” example of a person whose heart belonged to God.
         1. Why? Because David had too many faults, too many failures.
         2. What faults and failures?
            1. 2 Samuel 11 tells us that David committed adultery with Bathsheba.
            2. The same chapter tells us how David had her husband killed in order to cover up what he did.
            3. 2 Samuel 18 tells us how he grieved so deeply at the death of his rebellious son that he shamed the people who in their loyalty saved David’s life.
            4. 2 Samuel 24 tells of David’s arrogance in conducting a census of Israel which God regarded to be an act of faithlessness.
      3. If the church today was going to present to the world an example of a person whose heart belonged to God, we would not have the courage to use a person like David.
         1. Why?
         2. From our point of view, he made too may mistakes to be an example of devotion to God.
   3. The third person I would like to use as an example is Peter, Jesus’ apostle to the Jewish people and the man who preached the first gospel sermon.
      1. If you are a Bible student, you know Peter’s faith in Jesus and Jesus’ resurrection was profound!
         1. God Himself gave Peter the understanding that Jesus was the Christ–before even any of the rest of the apostles understood on his depth (Matthew 16:13-20).
         2. On the first Pentecost after Jesus’ death and resurrection, Peter knew what happened to Jesus, knew that Jesus was resurrected, and was not ashamed to tell a crowd in Jerusalem about what he knew.
         3. If you want to help someone understand the courage of faith, I doubt you could do better than Peter.
      2. Even though it is absolutely true that Peter knew with all his being that Jesus was the Christ and was raised from the dead, Peter is an unusual man to serve as a “forever” example of commitment to Jesus.
         1. Why? Because he made too many mistakes after he knew Jesus’ true identity.
         2. What mistakes?
            1. After Jesus confirmed that God revealed Jesus’ identity to Peter, Peter became such a source of temptation to Jesus that he called Peter Satan (Matthew 16:21-23).
            2. Peter had such arrogant confidence in himself, he contradicted Jesus when Jesus said he would deny him that night (Matthew 26:33-35).
            3. Then three times that night before Jesus’ enemies he denied even knowing Jesus–in the very city he would soon preach about Jesus! (Matthew 27:69-75)
      3. If the church today was to present to the world a standard who knew the truth of Jesus’ identity and the truth of Jesus’ resurrection, we would not have the courage to select a person like Peter.
         1. Why?
         2. From our point of view, he made too many mistakes to be an example of conviction.
   4. The fourth person I want to use as an example is Paul, Jesus’ apostle to people who were not Jews, and the author of many New Testament letters.
      1. If you are a Bible student, you know Paul’s example of conversion to Christ is one of the most profound examples in the New Testament.
         1. The man literally turned his life around 180 degrees!
         2. Paul is a classic example of what God wants in repentance!
         3. He likely spread the news of Jesus’ resurrection to more people in the first century than any other person.
      2. Even though it is absolutely true that Paul is an incredible example of conversion to Christ, he is an unusual man to use as a “forever” example to the world as an example of conversion.
         1. Why? Because he was much too violent a person prior to conversion.
         2. What violence? Allow me to read just two statements that Paul made about himself.
            Acts 26:10,11 And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.
            1 Timothy 1:12-16 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.
      3. If the church today was going to present to the world an example of conversion, we would not have the courage to pick a person like Paul.
         1. Why?
         2. From our point of view, he was much too violent before he became a Christian.

3. In Abraham, David, Peter, and Paul this is strikingly evident to me: God does not do things the way we do them.
   1. If we are going to have the courage to explode for Jesus Christ, to have an incredible impact for Jesus on our community, we must find the courage to see people the way God sees them.
      1. Evil is grinding us up like hamburger.
         1. It is cutting our lives to pieces as it grinds us up.
         2. Then it molds us in evil’s mold as evil desires, not in God’s image.
      2. We must stop helping evil make hamburger out of our lives.
   2. We need the courage to do three things.
      1. All of us need the courage to turn to God in the realization that all we are capable of doing is making a mess out of life.
      2. The congregation needs the discover the courage to allow those who use faith to resist evil to help and encourage others with similar struggles.
      3. All of us need the courage to share our stories about our struggles and STOP PRETENDING LIKE WE HAVE NO STRUGGLES!

When we as people in need of God start helping people in need of God as they struggle, God can and will use us–just like He used Abraham, David, Peter, and Paul.

Familiar Scriptures: 2 Timothy 2:15

Posted by David on June 15, 2003 under Sermons

How important is it to make people you love happy? In your mind and heart, is there a connection between being a source of love and being a source of happiness?

Let me ask you some questions, and you honestly answer them in your own mind and heart. In your answers, do not substitute wishes for answers. As you answer to yourself, answer in terms of what you can do.

The questions:

• What would you do to make a treasured friend happy?
• What would you do to make your husband or wife happy?
• What would you do to make a child happy?
• What would you do to make a parent happy?
• What would you do to make your Savior happy?
• What would you do to make your God happy?

I apologize for not having a closer connection between our study of 2 Timothy 3:16,17 and tonight’s lesson which focuses on 2 Timothy 2:15. I conclude that it is very important to understand Paul’s emphasis rather than our emphasis. If we are not careful, we create a division in emphasis, a problem that God never intended.

1. Let me begin with a brief review of my thoughts on 2 Timothy 3:16, 17.
   1. I stressed that the scripture the first century church used (for the most part) was what we call Old Testament writings.
      1. Printing had not been invented.
      2. Christians did not have personal Bibles to read and study.
      3. The Old Testament scriptures were used extensively in New Testament writings as documentation and authority.
   2. Paul, with admiration, spoke in 2 Timothy 1:5 of the sincere faith existing in Timothy.
      1. Paul said this admired faith originated in his mother and grandmother.
      2. This faith was not produced by devotion to New Testament writings (which did not exist when Timothy’s grandmother developed closeness to God).
      3. It was produced by what we would call an understanding of the Old Testament’s emphasis on being a righteous person.

2. Allow me to transition to another statement Paul made to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:14-17a, with specific attention to verse 15.
   Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene.
   1. As a preacher, Timothy was to remember he was a reminder–he was to help those Christians remember.
      1. I conclude in this particular injunction Paul spoke of the things that were to be entrusted to faithful people. (2:2)
         1. Suffer hardship as a good soldier which involves keeping yourself free to respond to the orders of those in control.
         2. Compete according to the rules as any good athlete must do.
         3. Persevere as a farmer who understands he will be the first to receive a share of the crops.
      2. Depend on the Lord to give you understanding.
         1. Remember Jesus Christ, the resurrected one, the descendant of David.
         2. Remembering him your foundation reason for enduring.
         3. He (Jesus Christ) will keep his word and honor his promises.
      3. Remember what is important.
         1. Do not wrangle about words.
         2. Those confrontations are useless and cause listeners to be ruined (spiritually).
   2. I want you to focus on the very familiar verse 15.
      1. First, consider it in the King James translation, which is likely the translation most of us used as we learned this verse.
         2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
         1. When I was a boy, this was my understanding of the emphasis that I was taught.
            1. Study–do a lot of reading of the New Testament.
               1. It is good to read the whole Bible. (Reading the Old Testament is fine.)
               2. But your focus of serious study needs to be the New Testament.
            2. If you are to have God’s approval, you need to develop expertise in your knowledge and understanding of the New Testament.
            3. The only way that you can become an unashamed worker for God is to understand the New Testament.
            4. No one will be able to properly separate scripture, the word of truth, unless he is an expert in the New Testament.
         2. That was the emphasis I heard as a boy, but Paul was not talking to Timothy about focusing on the New Testament–the New Testament as such did not even exist when Paul made that statement. So what was Paul saying to Timothy?
      2. Now let me direct you to the same verse in the New American Standard translation:
         2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.
         1. Notice Paul’s emphasis to Timothy and notice how that emphasis is consistent with the emphasis in the verses before 2 Timothy 2:15.
         2. “Timothy, be serious in your commitment to God; be diligent as your seek God’s approval as His workman.”
         3. “Remember that you are a workman.”
            1. The concept here is that of a servant, a laborer.
            2. Timothy is to remember that is what he chose to be.
            3. There is an implied contrast here: (a) a man who serves by choice who wants God to be pleased with his service versus (b) a man who serves by necessity, who wants to look good when he is noticed (“front and center”) but who does not care about God if he thinks he is not noticed.
         4. “Remember your chosen objective–you want to be God’s unashamed laborer. (It was God’s evaluation of him that was important, not people’s evaluation.)
         5. “You must not use scripture, God’s word, to excuse or justify ungodly behavior–you emphasize in your life God’s emphasis; you are concerned about God’s concerns, not yours.”
         6. “You do not make scripture say something it does not say.”

3. We desperately need to understand that some things have never changed.
   1. The nature and character of God have not changed.
      1. What God wants in the hearts and minds of His people has not changed.
      2. God’s values and priorities have not changed.
      3. The nature of righteousness has not changed.
      4. The nature of godliness has not changed.
      5. The fundamental expectations of God 5000 years ago in righteous people are still the fundamental expectations of God in righteous person today.
   2. Let me ask you to consider some specific examples.
      1. Consider Psalm 24:3-5.
         Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood And has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
         1. That is a timeless description of a righteous human life.
         2. Never has there been a time when people could dirty their hands with evil, be unconcerned about pure hearts, be liars, be deceitful people, and live in God’s presence.
         3. The person who will be blessed with God’s salvation is the person devoted to purity in life and honesty in dealing with people.
         4. That has always been true!
         5. Do you not remember Matthew 5:8?
            Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
      2. Consider Proverbs 6:16-19:
         There are six things which the Lord hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.
         1. God despises arrogance, deceit, those who cause the innocent suffering and death, hearts that plan evil, people who enjoy and reinforce evil, those who spread lies, and those who promote conflict.
         2. That has always been true!
         3. When God resurrected Jesus, those evils did not suddenly become righteous acts with God.
      3. Consider Isaiah 1:16,17:
         Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.
         1. Isaiah just completed an emphasis on two facts:
            1. Israel, compared to a body, was covered with horrible sores.
            2. Their technically correct acts of worship made God sick.
         2. What would reverse the situation? What did they need to do?
            1. Become concerned with being pure instead of just being technically correct.
            2. Stop evil behavior in their daily deeds.
            3. Quit doing evil.
            4. Learn to do good (they did not know what good was!).
            5. Start being fair in all circumstances to everyone.
            6. Start caring about those who were at the mercy of the ruthless, and start condemning the ruthless.
         3. That has always been true! It continues to be true!
         4. Rightfully handling God’s teaching in the Old Testament and New Testament will lead to no other conclusion.
         5. Do you remember James 1:26,27?
            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.

Paul’s encouragement to Timothy was not about Old and New Testaments. It was simple: “Timothy, be serious and devoted to being God’s righteous servant.”

A Spiritual Check Up: Analyzing Personal Situations

Posted by David on under Sermons

This morning I want you to place yourself in a father’s situation. This situation is discussed in Matthew 17:14-21, Mark 9:14-29, and Luke 9:37-42.

I invite you to read with me as we read Mark 9:14-27.
When they came back to the disciples, they saw a large crowd around them, and some scribes arguing with them. Immediately, when the entire crowd saw Him, they were amazed and began running up to greet Him. And He asked them, “What are you discussing with them?” And one of the crowd answered Him, “Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; and whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.” And He answered them and said, “O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!” They brought the boy to Him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth. And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.” After crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out; and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, “He is dead!” But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up.

Place yourself in this father’s situation. Your son is born! As a father (in that world), you are filled with such a sense of joy. This is your heir! This is the one who will let your name live! This is the one who will continue the traditions of your family and their presence on earth! This is much more than the birth of another baby–it is your family’s hope for the future!

1. Quite early in the child’s life it is obvious something is seriously wrong.
   1. At first you notice that your son is not learning to talk.
      1. That deeply distresses you, but nothing you try helps.
      2. As time passes and you see more, your distress grows deeper.
      3. One day your son who cannot talk has a convulsion.
         1. But it is more than just a convulsion.
         2. It is like some unseen force suddenly throws him on the ground.
         3. There he writhes uncontrollably and foams at the mouth until he becomes very still and stiff.
         4. It is as though he died.
         5. Then slowly he revives.
      4. It gets worse.
         1. One day this violent force seizes him and throws him into the cooking fire.
         2. If Mom had not been there, he would have died in the flames.
         3. Another day this violent force seizes him and throws him into a stream.
         4. If you had not been there, he would have drown.
   2. It becomes evident that something far more powerful is wrong with your son than just physical problems.
      1. Something seeks to violently kill him.
      2. He will go for a while living as normally as a child who cannot talk can live.
      3. Then, suddenly, with no warning, he is slammed to the ground, or thrown into a fire, or thrown into some water.
      4. Each time this violence happens, someone is near to rescue him from death–he surely cannot help himself.
      5. But inside you know it is only a matter of time when he will die a violent death.
      6. Some demonic force wants to destroy him, and there is nothing you can do.
      7. As months fade into years, you give up hope and deep within accept the inevitable.

2. Then one day you hear about a man by the name of Jesus who has power over demonic forces, and you hear he is in your area.
   1. Frantically, you find out where he might be found.
      1. With difficulty you take your son on foot to locate this man.
      2. Even though you hoped to see the man Jesus himself, you found only nine of his disciples.
         1. Like everyone else in the crowd around the nine you want to see Jesus, but you hear that these men also have power over demons.
         2. You make opportunity to approach the nine, explain your son’s need, and ask for their help.
         3. They are nice folks and listen to you willingly, with compassion.
         4. After hearing the problem, in the confidence that they can help, they try to help, but it is obvious to them and to you that they do not have the power to throw the demon out of your son.
      3. Your hopes fall.
         1. Maybe no one can help.
         2. Maybe Jesus himself could not help.
         3. Maybe you were foolish for thinking anyone could help.
         4. Maybe you were stupid for bringing your son out to what now seems to you a desolate place.
      4. Instead of finding help, you sparked a fierce argument between some of the critics who watched and the nine.
         1. When the nine could not cast the demon out of your son, the critics verbally confronted them.
         2. The critics did all they could to shame and disgrace the nine.
   2. Just as your hope hit bottom and your distress overwhelmed you, the man Jesus appears with three of his disciples.
      1. He sees the argument and asks what is going on.
      2. You see your opportunity and explain the situation.
         1. “My son has a spirit that prevents him from speaking.”
         2. “Sometimes that spirit seizes my son, slams him into the ground, makes him grind his teeth and foam at the mouth until he becomes stiff.”
         3. “I asked your disciples to throw this spirit out of my son, but they could not.”
      3. Jesus groaned when he heard the nine could not make the demon leave.
         1. His spiritual influence on them had not produced what he longed for them to have.
         2. He asked for the boy to be brought to him.
         3. At that moment the spirit throws the boy on the ground, and the boy rolls around and foams at the mouth.
         4. Jesus asks you, “How long has this been happening?”
            1. You say, “Since he was a child” or as we might say, “All his life.”
            2. Now your desperation speaks–your hope has been dashed once.
            3. In desperation, he asks, “If you can, take pity on us and help us.”
         5. Jesus answers, “If I can? All things are possible to him who believes.”
            1. The father responded with what I consider one of the most truthful statements ever made to Jesus: “I do believe; help my unbelief.”
            2. Jesus commands the spirit to leave and never return.
            3. It did, but the spirit leaves the boy looking dead.
      4. Jesus, the life giver, raises the boy to his feet.
   3. Later, in a house, in private, the mystified disciples asked Jesus, “Why could we not drive the spirit out of the boy?”
      1. Jesus’ answer was brief and to the point.
      2. “Only prayer can force this type of spirit out.”

3. We live in a very evil world and a very evil society.
   1. Yet, we are so deceived we often think that we live in a good world.
      1. Every day of our lives, evil influences seep through our pores and saturate our minds and emotions.
      2. Every day of our lives, evil invades our souls and convinces us to regard forms of evil as blessings.
         1. Daily, commercials persuade us to measure the importance and success of our lives on the basis of (a) what we own and (b) what we consume.
         2. Television programs and movies frequently tell us that sexual perversion, sexual pleasure, and sexual addiction are common, are good, and are desirable–and to think otherwise is ridiculous.
         3. News stories often tell us that causes are more important than people.
         4. Political statements often confuse justice with the preservation of our life styles.
   2. As a result, when we search for the causes of our personal struggles, we Christians commonly begin the search outside ourselves.
      1. “Let’s straighten the nation out, and all our problems will vanish.”
      2. “Let’s straighten our community out, and all our problems will vanish.”
      3. “Let’s straighten the church out, and all our problems will vanish.”
      4. “Let’s straighten theology out, and all our problems will vanish.”
      5. “I wish you would get control of your family, because when you do, I will not have any problems.”
   3. Far too few of us say, “God, straighten me out; that is the foundation of my problems.”
      1. This world is not fair, and if you believe otherwise you are deceived.
      2. This life is not just, and if you believe otherwise you are deceived.
      3. Society is not composed of a majority of kindness, and if you believe otherwise you are deceived.
      4. God did not ask us to go into all the world and make it fair, or just, or kind.
      5. He said go into all the world and find people who will make Jesus Christ their Lord by learning to live life as he teaches.

4. All of us have struggles, and all of us hurt.
   1. In your hurt and struggles, what is the solution?
      1. Are the struggles created by someone else, or are the struggles found in you?
      2. Is step one addressing everyone else’s shortcomings, or dealing with yourself?
      3. Is your hope in Jesus Christ, or is you hope in controlling other people’s lives?
   2. Many times Jesus emphasized the importance of believing.
      1. Too often we are like the father.
         1. We hurt as our world crumbles and we watch helplessly.
         2. We struggle as we oppose all the forces “out there” trying to find hope.
         3. Then our hope is dashed and desperation rules us instead of faith.
      2. As we are brought to our knees, we say, “Lord, if You can do anything, take pity on me and help me!”
         1. We say to the Creator, “Lord, if you can do anything…”
         2. We say to Him Who gives life, “Lord, if you can do anything…”
         3. We say to Him Who resurrects from death, “Lord, if you can do anything…”
         4. We say to Him Who rules eternity, “Lord, if you can do anything…”
      3. And when He finally “gets through” to us, He says, “If I can do anything?”
         1. And suddenly we understand, we realize who God is, who Jesus is, and who God’s presence in our lives is.
         2. And when we do, with a heart writhing in agony, with shame, we shout, “Lord, I believe!”
         3. And even as our hearts shout our belief, we know it is so small, and we beg God to deepen its roots.

The key in coping with our struggles is not “fixing” everything else. The key to coping is not even “fixing” ourselves. The key to coping with our struggles is learning to trust our God–even in death.

None of us can realize the wonderful things God plans for us if we will learn to trust what He does for us in Jesus Christ.

Moving Toward God’s Commitment

Posted by David on June 8, 2003 under Sermons

John Paul and Ruby Lee Hundley inspire and encourage me. I met them shortly after I moved here about 6? years ago. When Joyce and I came to Fort Smith, John Paul was a business man in Fort Smith. A few years ago he and Ruby Lee moved to France to again involve themselves in mission work after years of not being directly involved in a mission effort.

When they acted on their decision, I saw a love and fulfillment in them that simply overflowed. They really enjoy living there, and really enjoy helping the people! When they first went, they faced all kinds of discouragement from their past world here. Yet, they refused to be distracted or discouraged.

I want to read a statement Paul made in I Corinthians 9. I encourage you to read with me.
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

1. Allow me to challenge you to think about a few things from Paul’s statement.
   1. Paul stressed he made himself a slave to other people and their spiritual needs.
      1. If any of us serve God with a whole life devotion that involves sacrificial love, it will not be because God commanded it; it will be because we desire it.
      2. Paul had an objective that was personal, that consumed him–he wanted to win people to God through Jesus Christ.
         1. Why did he have this devotion that some would regard an obsession?
         2. Paul was rescued from opposing God, and deeply appreciated that rescue.
         3. He wanted others to benefit from what he so deeply treasured.
   2. Paul did an extremely difficult thing–Paul learned to think like people whose way of thinking was radically different from his own.
      1. He did not do that to win arguments; he did that to communicate with them with understanding.
      2. When Joyce and I first committed to mission work, I was very naive.
         1. I thought people spoke different languages, but thought alike, using identical thought patterns.
         2. I quickly learned that, while most different cultures speak different languages, and their thought patterns are also different.
         3. John Paul, I first discovered that truth in my interaction with and exposure to the French.
      3. Paul said he learned how different people thought so he could speak their language using thoughts and words they understood.
         1. Thinking like a first century Israelite in Palestine likely was simple–that is where his education occurred.
         2. Thinking like a first century Israelite who live outside of Palestine likely was simple–he grew up in a Jewish community in Tarsus a long way from Palestine.
      4. The rest had to be very difficult.
         1. All his life his thinking and behavior was shaped by thinking in terms of Jewish religious law.
            1. The Christian Paul taught a lot of people who knew nothing about Jewish law.
            2. He learned to think like a person who was never controlled by Law thinking.
            3. That had to be hard!
         2. He learned to think like people who were weak.
            1. There are many things I consider Paul being before and after meeting Jesus Christ on the Damascus road.
            2. Weak is not one of them!
            3. Learning to think from the world and realities of the weak had to be demanding!
         3. No matter who Paul was among, he accepted the responsibility of thinking as they thought so he could communicate his thoughts with them.
   3. Why? Why did he do this?
      1. He wanted to use every possible means to help people understand their need of Jesus Christ.
      2. The good news he learned about Jesus Christ was so wonderful that he could not know what it did for him and not share it with others who could be bless by it as was he.
      3. In fact, if that good news was to bless him, he had to share it.

2. I want you to consider something I regard quite important.
   1. Paul did not say, “I have something you really need, but if you are going to receive it, it is your responsibility to learn my vocabulary, my thought process, my concepts so I can share it with you.”
      1. “You become like me, and I will tell you what you need to know.”
      2. That is precisely opposite Paul’s thinking and approach.
      3. Obviously, Paul did not live in spiritual isolation and demand the world come to him.
   2. Neither can we live in isolation and demand that the world come to us.
      1. We cannot say to people, “We have some information you really need. Learn to think and do as we do, and we will share it with you.”
      2. We cannot and must not live in the isolation of our own little world and blame everyone else for not hearing us.
   3. The same thing that was important to Paul must become important to us.
      1. We must accept the responsibility to think through the minds of others and see through the eyes of others if we want them to understand why we chose to belong to Christ.
      2. Even those who would accept Jesus Christ as the Savior will not respond to him unless we make him understandable to them.

That will not happen because we are “commanded to do it.”

That will happen because, like Paul, we value what Jesus Christ does for us.