Trust

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 16th of February, 2025.  A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams.]

Family, trust is one of those intangible emotions.  It can be very difficult to gain, often taking years and much effort to cultivate.  Yet it can be broken and shattered in a heartbeat.  Our US currency is printed with the words, “In God we trust”, but sadly fewer and fewer Americans do, or so it seems.

We humans just aren’t very good with this trust thing, neither in trusting nor in being trusted.  Apparently we’re just not all that trustworthy, not in all areas, at any rate.  I don’t know how many times I’ve heard a person say, “You just can’t trust anyone these days”.

Well, it’s not just “these days”.  Absolute trustworthiness has been impossible to find since mankind first walked in the garden.  Adam and Eve couldn’t trust the serpent and it turns out God couldn’t trust them to obey His simple command not to eat the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Most of our trust issues are born of our desires, the result of temptations we just can’t resist.  But many come from the more devious and evil plans and schemes of sinful people.  It has gotten to the point that we aren’t sure who or what we can trust!  Please listen and follow along as the prophet Jeremiah provides a solution to that problem, in verses 5 through 8 of the 17th chapter of the Old Testament book bearing his name, and I’ll be reading mostly from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible this morning…

5 This is what the Lord says:

“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,

who rely on human strength

and turn their hearts away from the Lord.

6 They are like stunted shrubs in the desert,

with no hope for the future.

They will live in the barren wilderness,

in an uninhabited salty land.

7 “But blessed are those who trust in the Lord

and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.

8 They are like trees planted along a riverbank,

with roots that reach deep into the water.

Such trees are not bothered by the heat

or worried by long months of drought.

Their leaves stay green,

and they never stop producing fruit."

--Jeremiah 17:5-8 (NLT)

Let us pray…  Heavenly Father, You caution us not to trust in man or in manmade things, and time after time we have seen our fellow humans, and especially the goods we produce, to be untrustworthy.  On the other hand, Father, You have proven to be fully trustworthy, with everything You’ve ever said coming true, every promise You’ve made has been kept.  Thank You, Father, for being holy and righteous and staying true to Your word.  In You we can place our trust with assurance.  But Father, there are times when we do place too much trust in someone or something, thinking it is all we need or they will surely keep their promise.  And then too often we are terribly disappointed.  Please forgive us these times, Father, when we don’t heed Your cautionary word.  May it sink into our brains that You are only trying to help us.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand the message You have for us this day.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, our worship, and our service.  And please keep us healthy and safe through these trying time.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   

And now may the words of my mouth and the meditations of each of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord our strength and our redeemer.  Amen.

Bernie May, in his book Learning to Trust, gives us this little gem:

There is an old story of a father who took his young son out and stood him on the railing of the back porch.  He then went down, stood on the lawn, and encouraged the little fellow to jump into his arms.  "I'll catch you," the father said confidently.  After a lot of coaxing, the little boy finally made the leap.  When he did, the father stepped back and let the child fall to the ground.  He then picked his son up, dusted him off, and dried his tears. 

"Let that be a lesson, son" he said sternly. "Don't ever trust anyone."  

Ouch!  You can’t even trust your own father, your Dad?!?

While that anecdote may be an exaggeration, a slightly humorous fiction just to make a point, it does speak to the fact that we can’t trust anyone all the time.  We humans are imperfect.  We don’t always act like we should.  Life gets in the way and distracts us.  Satan offers up a temptation we just can’t resist.  Whatever the reason, we sometimes break our promises, go back on our word, don’t do what we said we’d do, or do what we said we’d never do.  100% of us just aren’t trustworthy 100% of the time.

And of course, this is not a new or recent development.  When teaching the multitudes, Jesus cautioned about putting trust in material things, especially riches.  I’m going to switch momentarily to the New King James Version of our Holy Bible to read what the Apostle Mark reported in chapter 10 of his Gospel account, verses 23 through 25…

23 Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

--Mark 10:23-25 (NKJV)

Now I need you to note how Jesus phrases His statements regarding entry into heaven.  The first time He says “those who have riches”.  But then He kind of qualifies that by saying "those who trust in riches".  It’s not so much that we have riches, but that we put our trust in those riches.

Remember that the Apostle Paul tells us that, “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, and some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith”.  Money itself – riches – is not bad.  It’s the love of money, craving money, putting trust in money to fulfill our needs that brings us to ruin.

We cannot fully trust each other, or even ourselves for that matter.  How many times have we promised ourselves that we’ll eat better or quit some bad behavior, only to fail in a few days or weeks?  Nor can we trust the things we make, which are prone to breaking down and breaking apart.  And the things we make include what we consider our riches, our wealth, our money.  So who or what can we put our trust in?

After His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, His last visit to that holy city, Jesus spoke to His disciples and the crowds.  The Apostle John recorded what He said.  Please listen to what John saved for us in the 12th chapter of his Gospel account, verse 35 and the first part of verse 36, and then verses 44 through 46…

35 Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. 36 Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.”

44 Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust Me, you are trusting not only Me, but also God who sent Me. 45 For when you see Me, you are seeing the One who sent Me. 46 I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in Me will no longer remain in the dark.”

--John 12:35-36a, 44-46 (NLT)

Walk in the light, trust in the light, and become children of the light.  What is this light?

In the opening to his Gospel account, John tells us that in Jesus is life, and the life is the light of men.  Jesus said He came as a light, to shine in this dark world so that those who walk in the light will not stumble or get lost.  If we trust in Him, the light will guide our way and we need no longer stay in the darkness.

Our world is a dark and sin-filled place.  Satan was given free reign over the earth – for a time – and he is having a field day.  So God sent His Son Jesus to shed light into the darkness, that all who trust in Him may see and know the truth.  And trusting in Jesus also means trusting in God.

Man will fail us, as will any manmade creation.  We will even fail ourselves at times – not living up to our word, not doing what we know we should do.  But Jesus will never fail us; God will never fail us.  And we have the proof right here in our Bible, where everything God said came to pass, or soon will.  Everything that Jesus said and did rings true.

So let’s forget about any human, or human made things, or riches or wealth.  At some point, they’ll all let us down.  Our Lord will never let us down.  Let’s place all our trust in God and continue to walk in the light, while there is still time.  In the glorious name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, our Master and our Savior.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for always doing what You say, for keeping every promise You make.  And thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to shine the light of truth across the darkness of this world.  Father, we admit that many times we put too much trust in other people.  We often have more faith in things than we should.  And we know that sometimes we can’t even trust ourselves, for we are weak and fall prey to Satan’s distractions and temptations.  Please forgive us these times, dear Father.  Please help us continue to walk in the light by trusting You and Jesus fully and completely.  All others may fail us, but You never will.

Strengthen us, Father, to reach out to others and show them Your love by giving of ourselves in their service, in Your service, just as Jesus did.  And please help us share our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice.  Help us pave the way for Your Spirit to do His work on them.

Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own.  Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live.  And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what comes our way.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You brought light into the world to shine in the darkness of our sin.  When we walk in the light, we will not stumble and fall to the devil’s traps.  By trusting in You, we can be children of the light.  But Jesus, we don’t always do what we should.  We fool ourselves.  We don’t always put all out trust in You and our Father God.  Please help us fully trust in You and only You.  Remind us that everything You said came true, everything You promised came to pass and was fulfilled.

Holy Spirit, please help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing God’s love through our love.  Give us the words to say, show us the deeds to bring more followers to Jesus.

And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises.  Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares.  Help us see though his temptations.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this world might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Jesus Calls Fishermen

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 9th of February, 2025.  A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams.]

Did you ever think about some of Jesus’ travels?  He and His disciples went almost everywhere by foot, with the few times they didn’t walk being by boat across the Sea of Galilee.  He covered a lot of ground, as a child with His family, and then as an adult before He began His ministry.

Raised in Nazareth, He walked down to Jerusalem to be baptized in the River Jordan by John, a distance of around 90 miles.  After being tempted by Satan in the wilderness, He made the trip all the way up almost to Capernaum, on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, about 120 miles or so from Jerusalem.  And as near as we know, He did it all on foot, on dusty, winding roads and pathways.  I wonder how many sandals He wore out in the first six months…

So as Jesus is nearing Capernaum, in the area between that city and Magdala (the home town of Mary Magdelene), He is walking along the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee when a crowd of people gather around Him, wanting to hear Him teach the word of God.  He spots two fishing boats, pushed up on shore.

Let’s let the Apostle Luke tell the rest of the story.  Please listen and follow along as Luke relates to us the events of Jesus calling His very first disciples, in the first 11 verses of the 5th chapter of his Gospel account, and I’ll be reading from the New Living Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

1 While Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, many people pushed to get near Him. They wanted to hear the Word of God. 2 Jesus saw two boats on the shore. The fishermen were not there because they were washing their nets. 3 Jesus got into a boat which belonged to Simon. Jesus asked him to push it out a little way from land. Then He sat down and taught the people from the boat.

4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Push out into the deep water. Let down your nets for some fish.” 5 Simon said to Him, “Teacher, we have worked all night and we have caught nothing. But because You told me to, I will let the net down.” 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish, their net started to break. 7 They called to their friends working in the other boat to come and help them. They came and both boats were so full of fish they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he got down at the feet of Jesus. He said, “Go away from me, Lord, because I am a sinful man.” 9 He and all those with him were surprised and wondered about the many fish. 10 James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were surprised also. They were working together with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will fish for men.” 11 When they came to land with their boats, they left everything and followed Jesus.

--Luke 5:1-11 (NLV)

Let us pray…  Heavenly Father, You chose us to be followers of Your Christ.  You gave us the faith to believe in Him.  And when we exercise that faith, accepting Jesus as our Lord and Master, You give us everlasting life in Your paradise.  Thank You, Father, for loving us this much.  But Father, too often we seem to forget or fail to understand that we have been chosen and called to follow Jesus.  And we don’t grasp what that really means.  Too often we hesitate to share the Gospel and make disciples as Jesus commanded.  Please forgive us these times, Father.  Help us be better servants of You and Jesus, better disciples and apostles of our Lord.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand the message You have for us this day.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, our worship, and our service.  And please keep us healthy and safe through these trying times.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   

And now may the words of my mouth and the meditations of each of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord our strength and our redeemer.  Amen.

Comedian Steven Wright once joked, "There's a fine line between fishing and standing on the shore like an idiot."  I must admit I've spent a lot of time standing on the banks of a pond, lake, or river like an idiot.  But surely there's more to catching fish than that.

A priest who had spent a fruitless day fishing picked out three fat fish in the market.  "Before you wrap them," he said to the store manager," toss them to me, one by one.  That way I'll be able to tell the monsignor I caught them and I'll be speaking the truth."  Ok, so that's stretching the truth just a bit.

Some failed fishing trips are blamed on the fish.  A gentleman by the name of Don Marquis once noted that, "Our idea of fishing is to put all the exertion up to the fish. If they are ambitious we will catch them. If they are not, let them go about their business."

But those of us who have ever spent much time fishing understand that it requires a lot of effort, time, and patience to be successful.  First we have to go to where the fish are.  Then we need to choose and use the right bait for the kind of fish we hope to catch.  And if they don't bite at first, we can't just give up.  We need to cast out, again and again, until we finally succeed.  Whether we're trying to snatch up fish for supper, or people for our Lord, this is how to ensure a good catch.

One thing I want to point out in our scripture reading that confuses some folks is that the lake of Gennesaret Luke refers to is more commonly known as the Sea of Galilee.  Gennesaret was a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, between Capernaum and Magdala, in the area where Jesus did much of His teaching and healing and other miracles, including feeding the 5000, walking on water, and calming the storm.  So Gennesaret was a significant location during Jesus’ ministry, especially in the earlier stages, such as calling His first disciples to follow Him.  And that is where our scripture event takes place.

Jesus has come near to Capernaum and is walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee.  A crowd gathers, wanting to hear Him teach.  Spotting a pair of boats pulled up to shore, with the fishermen off to the side washing their nets, He climbed aboard the boat that Simon just so happened to own.  Coincidence?  Nope – there is no such thing; everything is planned by God.

So Jesus asks Simon to push the boat out a little ways.  His excuse was that He wanted the people to be able to hear Him better.  And I say “excuse” because if you’ll think back to the story of Jesus feeding the 5000, He apparently had no trouble being heard by that multitude spread all across the field.

Now after Jesus finished addressing the crowd, He climbed out of the boat and told Simon to go back out into the deeper water and cast out his nets for a catch.  What we didn’t see in the full story before our reading started is that Simon and Andrew had been out fishing all night, along with James and John (the sons of Zebedee), and had caught nothing.  Cast after cast, their nets came up empty.  They were tired and discouraged, yet when Jesus told him to give it another try, something in His voice or demeanor convinced Simon to do just that.  And they caught so many fish it almost sank both boats.

When they excitedly came back to shore, Jesus told a humbled Simon that he would now fish for men.  Simon and Andrew and James and John would now become fishermen fishing for men to follow Jesus.  And they left everything – the fish, their boats, Zebedee – and followed the Lord.

Jesus chose these four men to be His first disciples.  Family, we too have been chosen to fish for men, and by that I mean all people, the generic “men”, male and female.  We have been called and chosen to tell other people all about Jesus and all that God has done for us.  The Apostle Peter reaffirms this calling in the 2nd chapter of his 1st letter to the scattered early church, in verses 9 and 10, when he writes…

9 But you are a chosen group of people. You are the King’s religious leaders. You are a holy nation. You belong to God. He has done this for you so you can tell others how God has called you out of darkness into His great light. 10 At one time you were a people of no use. Now you are the people of God. At one time you did not have loving-kindness. Now you have God’s loving-kindness.

--1 Peter 2:9-10 (NLV)

We are a chosen people, a holy nation, and we belong to God.  We have been called out of the darkness of sin into the great Light that is Jesus, called to tell others the Good News of salvation through Jesus and of the mercy of God on those who follow Him.

Peter goes on to say that before God chose us, we were useless, now we are useful.  We didn’t know loving-kindness, we had not experienced true, unconditional, sacrificial love, but now we have God’s loving-kindness, and there is no purer love.

We have been called, chosen as fishers of men.  And we have been chosen to bring in fruit, even though the world will hate us for our faith and belief.  We did not choose any of this for ourselves.

Listen to what Jesus told us as recorded by the Apostle John in his Gospel account, from chapter 15 verses 16 through 19…

16 “You have not chosen Me, I have chosen you. I have set you apart for the work of bringing in fruit. Your fruit should last. And whatever you ask the Father in My name, He will give it to you.

17 “This is what I tell you to do: Love each other. 18 If the world hates you, you know it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. You do not belong to the world. I have chosen you out of the world and the world hates you.”

--John 15:16-19 (NLV)

Jesus chose us – you and I – to continue His work here on earth, to carry His message to the world, to cast light into the darkness.  He chose us to bring in the fruit, to cast out our nets and haul in as big a catch as we can.  He chose us and calls us to be fishers of men.

Go, He commanded, and spread the Good News.  Go, and make disciples of all peoples.  We can’t “go” if we’re sitting around waiting for the lost to come to us.  It is right and righteous for us to come together in this beautiful house to worship our Father God and listen to His word and grow closer to His Son.  But then we need to get up and GO to where the people are.

Now I’ll admit that some of us don’t know or normally associate with non-believers.  But you can still share the Gospel by how you act in public, by displaying good Christian behavior in all things.  If you go out to eat somewhere, pause, bow your head, and pray over your meal – someone will notice.  If the opportunity presents itself, help someone in their time of need, and do so without any expectation of reward or recognition.

If we act like a Christian, like our Lord and His apostles tell us to act, people will take notice, and some may even ask what it’s all about.  God will open doors for us, and His Holy Spirit will help us and guide us, but we have to be willing to walk through that door and follow those directions.

So let’s get out there into the deeper waters and cast out our nets.  A big catch awaits.  In the glorious name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, our Master and our Savior.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to save us and redeem us of our sin.  And thank You for giving us the faith to believe in Him and accept Him as our Lord.  Father, we admit that we don’t always think of ourselves as being Your chosen people.  Or even if we do, we often hesitate to carry out the mission Your Son gave us.  We fail to step out of our comfort zone; we fail to act like Christians should.  Please forgive us these times, dear Father.  Please help us better understand what it means to be chosen and called to Your service.  Help us make good use of Your Spirit within us to reach out to others and show them Your love by giving of ourselves in their service, in Your service, just as Jesus did.  And please help us share our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice.  Help us pave the way for Your Spirit to do His work on them.

Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own.  Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live.  And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what comes our way.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You called four fishermen to be fishers of men, and You have called us to the same task.  Our loving heavenly Father has given us the gift of faith that we might truly follow You, our Lord and Master.  He created us, He chose us, and we belong to Him.  But Jesus we don’t always jump head first into the task You gave us.  We don’t always act like good Christians should.  Please help us be better servants.  Remind us that we are well equipped for our job through God’s Holy Spirit within us.  You’ve shown us what to do and how to do it, now please help us get out into the deeper water to bring more followers to You.

Holy Spirit, please help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing God’s love through our love.  Give us the words to say, show us the deeds to do to lead the lost to Jesus.

And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises.  Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares.  Help us see though his temptations.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this world might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Anointed by the Spirit

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 2nd of February, 2025.  A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams.]

Evangelist Francis Chan calls the Holy Spirit the Forgotten God.  We talk about God in His three persons, and we mention the Holy Spirit in some of our rites, sacraments, readings, and prayers.  But most of the time, aren’t we’re focused on the first two persons, God the Father and Jesus the Son?  And don’t we often refer to the Holy Spirit as “It”, rather than “He”?

But the Spirit is God, and is as powerful as God.  When God created the earth, His Spirit was right there, hovering over the face of the waters.  And it was the Spirit who breathed life into the dry bones in Ezekiel’s vision.  He joins with our spirit to give us life.  He is due the same honor and respect we give God and Jesus.

Throughout mankind’s history, God has sent His Spirit to assist specific people for a certain amount of time.  But it was not until Jesus returned to heaven after His earthly task was completed that God sent His Spirit to live within any of us for as long as we draw breath.  Our only requirement for this great gift is to repent of our sin, to believe in Jesus as God’s Son and our Christ, and to follow Him.

But before then, as I mentioned, the Spirit only came on what we might call specific missions.  One of those more notable missions was when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptizer in the River Jordan.  When Jesus rose from the waters, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him like a dove and God announced to all in earshot that Jesus was His Son.  And then the Spirit led Jesus to the wilderness where He spent 40 days fasting and being tempted by Satan.

Please listen and follow along as the Apostle Luke tells us what happens next in verses 14 through 21 of the 4th chapter of his Gospel account, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

14 Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. 15 And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.

16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,

Because He has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

20 Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

--Luke 4:14-21 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Heavenly Father, You anointed Your Son Jesus with Your Holy Spirit, empowering Him to do miraculous works in Your name and to Your glory.  This is the same Spirit You sent to live within us, to guide us and help us and be our constant Companion.  Thank You, Father, for so wonderful a gift!  And thank You for empowering us by Your Spirit to continue Jesus’ work on earth.  But Father, too often we don’t think about Your Spirit within us, even when we think about You.  And sometimes we don’t listen when He tries to tell us what to do so as to please You.  And too many times we hesitate to share the Gospel and make disciples as Jesus commanded.  Please forgive us these times, Father.  Help us be better servants of You and our Lord, and better homes for Your Holy Spirit.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better grasp the message You have for us this day.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, our worship, and our service.  And please keep us healthy and safe through these trying time.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

A gentleman by the name of Brian Powley once noted that,  “Any of us more than twenty-five years old can probably remember where we were when we first heard of President Kennedy's assassination in 1963.  British novelist David Lodge, in the introduction to one of his books, tells where he was: in a theater watching the performance of a satirical revue he had helped write.  In one sketch, a character demonstrated his nonchalance in an interview by holding a transistor radio to his ear.  The actor playing the part always tuned in to a real broadcast.  Suddenly came the announcement that President Kennedy had been shot.  The actor quickly switched it off, but it was too late.  Reality had interrupted stage comedy.  For many believers, worship, prayer, and Scripture are a nonchalant charade.  They don't expect anything significant to happen, but suddenly God's reality breaks through, and they're shocked.”

The Holy Spirit can do that to us sometimes - slap us up-side the head to get our attention.  He has all the power of God and can do mighty works.  He can even do those works through us if we let Him.

Mr. Powley also makes an indictment against many of us Christians.  We treat worship, prayer, and even scripture as some sort of charade, a dance where we nonchalantly go through the steps.  In his play, “As You Like It”, William Shakespeare claims that “All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players”.  Sadly, too many seem to agree with that.  But we Christians have a specific mission to carry out, and we have God’s very own Holy Spirit within us to help us do just that.  So let’s get off the stage and set ourselves to our task.

God anointed His Son Jesus with His Holy Spirit, empowering Him to preach the Gospel to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, to recover sight to the blind, to set at liberty all those who are oppressed, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.  Another way to read that last part is to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord, or the year of the Lord’s blessing.  God sent Jesus as a blessing to us.  And once Jesus left us to return to heaven, God sent His Spirit to live in us and continue that blessing.  A blessing we certainly never deserved.

Oh, by the way, this passage occurs in Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown, where He grew up and the people all knew Him before His true identity was revealed.  They marveled at His words here, and asked among themselves if this wasn’t the Jesus they knew.  This led Jesus to utter the now famous line, “no prophet is accepted in his own country”.  And then they turned against Him, accusing Him of blasphemy, and forced Him out of the city and would have pushed Him off a cliff but instead He merely passed through their midst and went His way.

There was a time when Peter and John were arrested by the religious leaders for preaching and teaching about Jesus.  Well, this was really just one time of many, that I’m speaking of.  The chief priests and elders decided to let them go, but with the warning that they no longer speak nor teach in the name of Jesus.  Otherwise, there will be serious consequences.  Listen to how Luke describes their reaction to this ominous warning from the chief priests, as recorded in the 4th chapter of his Book of the Acts of the Apostles, verses 21 through 31…

23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said:

‘Why did the nations rage,

And the people plot vain things?

26 The kings of the earth took their stand,

And the rulers were gathered together

Against the Lord and against His Christ.’

27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

--Acts 4:23-31 (NKJV)

The Holy Spirit went to work immediately.  Note that this occurred after the Pentecost, when the Spirit descended on the disciples there in Jerusalem.  But now He was really making Himself known, first by shaking the building and then by letting the disciples feel His filling presence.  And ignoring the warning of the chief priests, they went out and spoke the word of God with boldness.

If we ask for His help, and let Him work through us, we too can boldly serve our Lord.  The trouble is, I don’t think we truly and fully believe that the Spirit can help us do anything.  So many believers just consider the Spirit as an afterthought, if at all.  They have forgotten that He too is God, with the power of God, living right here within us, the same power that Jesus wielded to do wonders and miracles, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead into new life.

Family, we have been filled with the Holy Spirit.  We have been baptized by the Holy Spirit.  And we can be emboldened and empowered by the Holy Spirit, just as were the disciples.  Throughout the ages, people have been anointed by God’s Holy Spirit and blessed in these ways to do the work and carry out the will of the Father.  And so have we.  Let’s get out there and act on this blessings.  In the glorious name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, our Master and our Savior.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to save us and redeem us of our sin.  And thank You for giving us the undeserved but most wonderful gift of Your own Holy Spirit to be our Guide and constant Companion.  Father, we admit that sometimes we don’t think of Your Spirit as God.  Or even if we do, we don’t treat His as Your equal in all things.  Too often we just can’t fully believe that He can help us do the same marvelous things Jesus did, and by that doubt, we fail to act.  Please forgive us these times, dear Father.  Please help us be more fully aware and trusting in all three of Your Persons.  Help us utilize the power of Your Spirit within us to show Your love to others by giving of ourselves in their service, in Your service, just as Jesus did.  And please help us share our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice.  Help us pave the way for Your Spirit to do His work on them.

Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own.  Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live.  And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what comes our way.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You were baptized by water and by the Holy Spirit there at the Jordan River, and You promised we would be baptized by the Spirit as well.  You said You would ask our Father God to send His Spirit to be with us always, and You did just that upon Your return to the throne.  Our loving heavenly Father granted Your request as a gift to all those who accept You as Lord and Christ.  We are truly blessed by this gift and we thank You for fulfilling Your promise.  But Jesus we don’t always act like we have the full power of God residing within us.  We don’t always listen to His guidance or follow His directions.  And we seldom ask for His help.  Please show us how to make better use of the Spirit within us.  Remind us of what we have been given, and why.  

Holy Spirit, please help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing God’s love through our love.  Give us the words to say, show us the deeds to do to lead the lost to Jesus.

And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises.  Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares.  Help us see though his temptations.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this world might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Born A King

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 26th of January, 2025.  A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams.]

At the start I mentioned that we’re a little behind.  This service today was actually intended for last week, when I would have still been a little behind because of some earlier scheduling conflicts.  But even though I’m running late, I want us to look at that very important time when it was revealed to us Gentiles that Jesus is our Christ.

What we call the Epiphany is celebrated on the 6th of January, which was a Monday this year.  This is the day we recognize as being when the wise men from the east visited the Christ Child, and it represents the first physical manifestation of Jesus to the Gentiles, or when Jesus as the Son of God was made known to us non-Jews.  January the 6th marks the 12th day of Christmas – you know the song, “On the 1st day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…”  Those 12 days symbolize the time it took for the Magi to reach the place where the Baby Jesus lay, guided by the star.

First they had to make a little detour around King Herod, who had a nefarious interest in their quest.  We’ll get to that in a moment, but for now let’s try to put ourselves back in time and join the Magi on their journey to the birthplace of Jesus.  Please listen and follow along to the Apostle Matthew’s account of their visit and tribute paid to the King, as recorded in verses 1 through 12 of the 2nd chapter of the Gospel according to Matthew, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

5 So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

6 ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,

Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;

For out of you shall come a Ruler

Who will shepherd My people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

--Matthew 2:1-12 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Heavenly Father, You sent Your Son, Your Messiah to earth not as a conquering hero, but as a tiny baby, fully human yet fully God.  You sent Him as one of us, just like we enter this world, so that we could know Him and relate to Him.  Thank You, Father, for loving us so much that You sent Your Son to save us.  And thank You for granting Him kingship over all the earth and her rulers.  But Father, we tend to be a prideful people, and sometimes we don’t honor Jesus as our Lord and King, not like we should.  We often hesitate to obey His commands, or to be active witnesses for Him.  Please forgive us these times, Father.  Help us be better subjects of our King, better servants of You, and help us glorify You both in all we do and say.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better grasp the message You have for us this day.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, our worship, and our service.  And please keep us healthy and safe through these trying time.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

There's an old joke that asks what would have happened if the Baby Jesus had been visited by Wise Women instead of Wise Men.  Well, they would have asked directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, and brought practical gifts for the Christ Child and His parents.  But as they were leaving, the conversation may have gone something like this:

“Did you see the sandals Mary was wearing with that gown?” 

“That baby doesn’t look anything like Joseph!”

“Virgin? Yeah!  I knew her in school!” 

“Can you believe that they let all of those disgusting animals in the house?” 

“I heard that Joseph isn’t even working right now!” 

“And that donkey that they are riding has seen better days too!” 

“Want to bet on how long it will take until you get your casserole dish back?”

OK, so there’s a little bit of stereotyping there.  I did say it was an old joke.  But aren’t some of those the kind of comments we might make in that situation?  Don’t we tend to focus too much sometimes on the little, incidental, insignificant things and miss the much larger picture?

The point of the birth of Jesus was not about Joseph or Mary, or of their mode of transportation, or of the place where He was born, and especially not about a casserole dish.  It’s all about the King of kings, coming to us, coming into this world as one of us, as a helpless, vulnerable baby.  And yet this baby was recognized for who He truly was by strangers from a far off land, and by simple shepherds who had been watching over their flocks.  So let’s try to not get hung up on the little things, but remember how God sent His Son, His Christ into this world to save us from our sin.

These men from the east – Gentiles - may well have been wise, but they were obviously unaware of the political situation in Jerusalem at the time.  Had they known about Herod, the reigning king of the Jews – lower case “k” - and his habit of having people killed who posed even the slightest threat to his hold on power, I doubt they would have come to town asking about this newly born King of the Jews.

When Herod heard about them and their quest, he summoned his advisors and the chief priests and scribes and asked what this was all about.  Where is this supposed King?  Where is He going to be born?  Those in the know quoted from the prophet Micah pointing to Bethlehem as the birthplace.  Herod shared this information with the Magi, but we all know he had an ulterior motive when he said let me know when you find Him because I want to worship Him, too.  Replace the word “worship” with “slaughter” and you’d be closer to the truth of his intent.

So the Magi left Jerusalem and headed to Bethlehem, following the star that shone before them and which then stopped over the place where the Baby Jesus lay.  When they arrived, they fell to their knees and worshiped the Christ Child, laying treasures fit for a king at the side of His manger bed.  These Gentiles recognized Jesus as both God and King as they worshiped Him, worshiped God, and gave gifts for a king.

Just as an aside, one of those gifts – the myrrh – was often used to prepare the bodies of the very rich and powerful for burial.  By this, we foresee the death and funeral of Jesus.  And we know what happened after that.

Standing with the Magi, we see the Baby Jesus there in the manger, the newborn King of the Jews.  The gift of myrrh foreshadows the Kings earthly death.  But death could not conquer and hold our King.  Walking with the Apostle John, we see the risen Jesus on His return to this earth.  Listen to how John describes the scene that opened up before him, in the 19th chapter of his Book of the Revelation of Christ, verses 11 through 16…

11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND

LORD OF LORDS.

--Revelation 19:11-16 (NKJV)

There we have it: King of kings and Lord of lords.  We Americans have a love/hate relationship with royalty.  We fought a King and his army to gain our independence, but we watch enthralled to the goings on of the royal family in England.  We say we answer to no king, nor bow before no crown.  We’re just not used to all this lordship stuff.

Kings of old held the people’s very lives in their grip.  One word and someone could have all their possessions taken from them, or even their life.  Well, family, God holds our lives in His hands.  Fortunately for us, He is a good God, a loving Father.  And He has placed His equaling loving Son as King over us, and over all rulers of this earth.

John clearly saw the evidence, written on Jesus’ robe and thigh – King of kings.  John was shown even more evidence of this, a little earlier in what was revealed to him.  Back in verses 12 through 14 of the 17th chapter of Revelation, John is told that our King is victorious…

12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. 14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

--Revelation 17:12-14 (NKJV)

At the end of days, ten men will be appointed kings of the earth for a short time by the beast, the Antichrist.  They are of one mind, these mighty kings, and they choose to pick a fight with Jesus.  Bad decision.  Jesus - the Lamb in this passage - will overcome them, for He is the Lord of lords, and King of kings, higher and mightier than any on earth.  And those who are with Him are the called, the chosen, and the faithful.  That’s us, Christians.

Family, Jesus is our King.  He holds our fate in His hands.  He can calm the storm, or call it to rage around us.  We owe Him everything because everything we have comes from Him by our Father God’s will.  So yes, we should fear Him, for He can strike us down or take all we have in the blink of an eye.  But He truly is a loving King.  As long as we obey Him, He will smile on us and see to our needs.  And better than that, when our time on this earth has ended, He will take us home to live with Him in His heavenly castle for ever and ever.

Our King asks very little of us, only that we truly love one another, help one another, and go out into the world spreading the Gospel and making disciples.  Let’s do all we can to follow His command.  After all, no other king has ever willingly given his life for his subject.  But our King did just that.

In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, the King of kings who gave His all for us.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for making Jesus our King.  He is a loving king, which He showed by taking our punishment upon Himself and giving up His earthly life for us.  And He did this so that we might be saved and spend eternity in heaven with Him.  Father, we admit that sometimes we don’t think of Jesus as King, or even as Lord.  Those are titles we’re just not used to honoring.  Sometimes we take Your love and the love of Your Son for granted, not doing what You would have us do.  Please forgive us those times, dear Father.  Please help us be more like Jesus.  Help us show Your love to others by giving of ourselves, giving of our love freely, unconditionally, sacrificially, just as Jesus gave of Himself for us.  And please help us share our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice.  Help us truly honor our King.

Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own.  Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live.  And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what comes our way.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You are our Lord, You are our King.  We have accepted You as Lord and taken Your name to identify ourselves to the world.  But Jesus we don’t always act like You are our King.  We don’t always listen to Your teachings, heed Your words, carry out Your mission.  Please help us be better subjects, better servants.  We want to be more like You - please help us reach this goal.  Help us love all others, even those who hate us and wish us harm.  Help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love.  Give us the words to say, show us the deeds to do to lead the lost to You.

And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises.  Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares.  Help us see though his temptations.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this world might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Chosen and Called

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 19th of January, 2025.  Today's service included observance of Holy Communion.  (Last week's service was canceled due to inclement weather.)  A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams.]

Family, any time we start off on a new endeavor, something we’ve never done before, there’s a bit of a learning curve involved.  We can get some good tips on how to do things from friends or experts, and the internet is a great source of information, too, but there’s still much we have to figure out on our own.  A lot of trial and error is usually involved, sometimes more error than we’d prefer.  This holds true for individuals, for businesses, and for organizations.  It just takes a while to get our feet under ourselves when it’s all brand new.  And in this regard, the early church was certainly no exception.

While many of the disciples scattered after Jesus was crucified, the eleven original apostles stayed in Jerusalem, just as Jesus commanded them, where they chose Matthias to replace Judas.  They were there in Jerusalem when the Holy Spirit came into the room and settled onto each one as if a tongue of flame touching them.  This event was witnessed by many in the city at that time, including visitors from other towns and villages.  Peter spoke to them all, in what we consider his first sermon, and the early church began, right there, with about 3,000 people being baptized and added to the rolls of disciples.

Now we know that the church didn’t have it very easy in its fledgling years.  Persecution from the Jews and Romans was intense.  The people were forced to meet in secret so as not to be arrested.  And quite frankly, all this church stuff was new to them.

These were mostly common people – fishermen, tradesmen, definitely not priests or synagogue leaders.  Using Jesus as their guide and example, they were pretty much making things up as they went along.  And the learning curve was steep, with trial and error.

But in those early stages, the leaders of this new faith made a decision and took a step that we still follow to this day.  Please listen and follow along to the Apostle Luke’s account of a very important policy instituted by the early church, as recorded in verses 1 through 8 of the 6th chapter of Luke’s Book of the Acts of the Apostles, and I’ll be reading from the Contemporary English Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

1 A lot of people were now becoming followers of the Lord. But some of the ones who spoke Greek started complaining about the ones who spoke Aramaic. They complained that the Greek-speaking widows were not given their share when the food supplies were handed out each day.

2 The twelve apostles called the whole group of followers together and said, “We should not give up preaching God's message in order to serve at tables. 3 My friends, choose seven men who are respected and wise and filled with God's Spirit. We will put them in charge of these things. 4 We can spend our time praying and serving God by preaching.”

5 This suggestion pleased everyone, and they began by choosing Stephen. He had great faith and was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they chose Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and also Nicolaus, who worshiped with the Jewish people in Antioch. 6 These men were brought to the apostles. Then the apostles prayed and placed their hands on the men to show they had been chosen to do this work. 7 God's message spread, and many more people in Jerusalem became followers. Even a large number of priests put their faith in the Lord.

8 And God gave Stephen the power to work great miracles and wonders among the people.

--Acts 6:1-8 (CEV)

Let us pray…  Heavenly Father, You have chosen from among Your creation, certain men and women to believe in and follow Your Son Jesus as their Lord and Master.  And some of these You have called to a higher purpose and role within Your Son’s church.  Thank You, Father, for choosing us and adopting us as Your own children.  And thank You for calling those to lead our church.  But Father, we’re all human, with human frailties, and sometimes we just aren’t good leaders or followers.  Please forgive us these times, Father.  Help those of us who serve in roles of responsibility to do what is right in Your eyes, and help us all support each other in our faith and in our ministries.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better grasp the message You have for us this day.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, our worship, and our service.  And please keep us healthy and safe through these trying time.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

A. T. Pierson, in his book The Truth, describes service as being  “Whatever is done for God..., and only that is service.  Service is ... doing the will of God.  He is the object.  All is for Him, for His sake, as unto the Lord, not as unto man. Even the humblest act of the humblest disciple acquires a certain divine quality by its being done with reference to Him.

The supreme test of service is this: ‘For whom am I doing this?’  Much that we call service to Christ is not such at all. ... If we are doing this for Christ, we shall not care for human reward or even recognition.  Our work must again be tested by three propositions: Is it work from God, as given us to do from Him?  Is it work for God, as finding in Him its secret of power?  And is it work with God, as only a part of His work in which we engage as co-workers with Him?”

Mr. Pierson points out what I have mentioned many times, that our good works must not be in hopes or expectation of any personal reward or recognition.  This is what Jesus meant when He said, “when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing”.  And He demonstrated this practice early in His ministry, when He would instruct people He healed not to tell anyone about it.

Our good deeds should be done for God and His glory, and not for us.  But you know, when we do good works, it really makes us feel good doesn’t it?  Some even say it does more good for the giver than the receiver.  Which fulfills the promise that it is more blessed to give than to receive.  So let’s be sure to follow Mr. Pierson’s guidelines when doing our charitable deeds.

In our scripture reading this morning, the twelve apostles decided to make a division of responsibilities within the early church.  Seven men were chosen from among the disciples and tasked with seeing to the physical needs of the church and the community, while the apostles kept their focus on praying and preaching.  This, in effect, is where our church roles of Elder and Deacon originated.  Elders are responsible for the spiritual needs of the church, and Deacons are charged with attending to its physical needs.

It’s important to note that these men were chosen by their peers to serve as the original Deacons, just as we choose from among ourselves those who will serve that role in our church.  But each of these people, Elders and Deacons and all the disciples, are called by God to their tasks, called to service by the Almighty Himself.  They were called before they were chosen.

And the thing is, we are all called to serve, not just those elected as officers of our church family.  The Apostle Peter tells us we are called as a holy priesthood.  Hear the words Peter wrote to the early church in the 2nd chapter of his 1st letter, from verses 4 and 5…

4 Come to Jesus Christ. He is the living stone people have rejected, but which God has chosen and highly honored. 5 And now you are living stones being used to build a spiritual house. You are also a group of holy priests, and with the help of Jesus Christ you will offer sacrifices that please God.

--1 Peter 2:4-5 (CEV)

We also are highly honored to be called and chosen to be living stones used to build the spiritual house that is the church, the body of Jesus Christ.  And with our Lord’s help, we will offer sacrifices in service to God that please Him.  We are God’s servants now, just as Jesus was.  Remember that at the Last Supper, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, showing Himself to be a servant of the One who sent Him.

Now those sacrifices won’t be of the Old Testament type – not sacrifices of grain or fruit or blood.  The Apostle Paul, in the 12th chapter of his letter to the Romans, verses 1 and 2, tells us what our sacrifice should be…

1 Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to Him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That's the most sensible way to serve God. 2 Don't be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to Him.

--Romans 12:1-2 (CEV)

We are called to make of ourselves a living sacrifice in service to God.  And according to the author of the Letter to the Hebrews, in the 10th chapter verses 24 and 25 of his letter to the early church, we serve God by serving others…

24 We should keep on encouraging each other to be thoughtful and to do helpful things. 25 Some people have given up the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord's coming is getting closer.

--Hebrews 10:24-25 (CEV)

Jesus served His Father God by serving others, by giving of Himself for others, and by His sacrifice, He served all of mankind.  We’re not asked to die in our service, but to continue living as we sacrifice our time and resources and abilities in service to others, service that is pleasing and acceptable to God.

In just a few moments, we will be coming together at our Lord’s table to take of the elements of His body and blood.  The Apostle Paul cautions us not to come to this table until we are right with God.  So if any of us is harboring a personal sin that we know displeases our Father God, let us take the next few minutes to lay our sin at the feet of our Lord and seek forgiveness.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who gave His all for us.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for choosing us to believe in Your Son Jesus, and thank You for calling us to serve Him as we walk through this life.  You gave us the faith to believe, and by our service to others we give our thanks for so great a gift.  Father, we admit that sometimes we hesitate to serve.  Sometimes we’re just too weary, too beaten down by the world, too afraid of where our service might require us to go.  Please forgive us those times, dear Father.  Please help us be more like Jesus.  Help us show Your love to others by giving of ourselves, giving of our love freely, unconditionally, sacrificially, just as Jesus gave of Himself for us.  And please help us share our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice.  

Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own.  Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live.  And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what comes our way.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You set the example for us to follow.  And by bearing Your name, we are in effect Your ambassadors, Your representatives in this age.  Please help us represent You well.  Thank You for showing us what true service to God looks like.   Please help us, dear Lord - help us be more like You.  Help us love all others, even those who hate us and wish us harm.  Help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love.  Give us the words to say, show us the deeds to do to lead the lost to You.

And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises.  Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares.  Help us see though his temptations.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this world might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen

Just Another Day

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 29th of December, 2024.  A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams.]

Family, we’re still in the Christmas season, and Epiphany is coming up soon, but we also stand on the doorstep of a new year.  In just three days we’ll boldly stride out into 2025.  Considering the state of the world these days, we may not be so bold, preferring instead the simpler times of yesteryear.

But we can’t go backwards in time, only forward.   So let’s go forward with the idea of making the world a little better, even if only in our little corner of the world.  Instead of making resolutions and promises that we probably can’t keep, let’s consider that the New Year is another new opportunity from God to get things right and do good as we go about the year.  We’ve been given another chance, so let’s make the most of it.

The Apostle Paul often speaks of new things in his letters to the early church – of the new life we have been given, of the new creation we become when we fully believe in and accept Jesus.  And he encourages us to take full advantage of this newness we enjoy.  At the same time, he discourages us from reverting back to our old ways, back to our old selves, back to our sinful lifestyle.

Please listen and follow along as I read the first 17 verses of the 3rd chapter of the Apostle Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, and I’ll be reading from the Easy-to-Read Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

1 You were raised from death with Christ. So live for what is in heaven, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Think only about what is up there, not what is here on earth. 3 Your old self has died, and your new life is kept with Christ in God. 4 Yes, Christ is now your life, and when He comes again, you will share in His glory.

5 So put everything evil out of your life: sexual sin, doing anything immoral, letting sinful thoughts control you, and wanting things that are wrong. And don’t keep wanting more and more for yourself, which is the same as worshiping a false god. 6 God will show His anger against those who don’t obey Him, because they do these evil things. 7 You also did these things in the past, when you lived like them.

8 But now put these things out of your life: anger, losing your temper, doing or saying things to hurt others, and saying shameful things. 9 Don’t lie to each other. You have taken off those old clothes — the person you once were and the bad things you did then. 10 Now you are wearing a new life, a life that is new every day. You are growing in your understanding of the One who made you. You are becoming more and more like Him. 11 In this new life it doesn’t matter if you are a Greek or a Jew, circumcised or not. It doesn’t matter if you speak a different language or even if you are a Scythian. It doesn’t matter if you are a slave or free. Christ is all that matters, and He is in all of you.

12 God has chosen you and made you His holy people. He loves you. So your new life should be like this: Show mercy to others. Be kind, humble, gentle, and patient. 13 Don’t be angry with each other, but forgive each other. If you feel someone has wronged you, forgive them. Forgive others because the Lord forgave you. 14 Together with these things, the most important part of your new life is to love each other. Love is what holds everything together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking. It is for peace that you were chosen to be together in one body. And always be thankful.

16 Let the teaching of Christ live inside you richly. Use all wisdom to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 Everything you say and everything you do should be done for Jesus your Lord. And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus.

--Colossians 3:1-17 (ERV)

Let us pray…  Heavenly Father, You raised Your Son from death back to life, to become the firstborn among many.  By this act You showed that we too will be raised to new life once this life is over for us.  And You have already raised us to new life, in this life, when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Master.  You made us new again, giving us another chance to get things right while we still walk this earth.  Thank You, Father, for always giving us another chance, for we do tend to mess up often.  Help us to look at the coming New Year as another new opportunity to serve You.  Help us not get distracted and anxious by all the hustle and bustle of everyday life.  Please forgive us when it does happen, Father, for we are all too easily distracted and our spirits often grow weak.  Help us see all the opportunities You present for us to spread the Good News of salvation through Your Son Jesus.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better grasp the message You have for us this day.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, our worship, and our service.  And please keep us healthy and safe through the coming days.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

Let me share a few interesting facts about New Year's.  The very first known New Year's celebration dates back 4000 years to when Julius Caesar, as emperor of Rome, declared January 1st as a national holiday.  Around 45% of Americans make New Year's resolutions, with losing weight, getting more organized, spending less and saving more money,  getting more fit and healthy, and quitting smoking being at the top of the list.  Sadly, half of them give up on their resolutions by the second week of January.  And of course, there's the New Year's Day meal.  Tradition has it that the more leafy greens a person eats, the more prosperity they will experience.  Beans and peas are also supposed to bring prosperity because they somewhat resemble coins.  Sounds like a pretty good incentive for eating a more healthy meal.  And lastly, the Times Square New Year's Eve ball drop came about because of a ban on fireworks.  The first ball, in 1907, weighed 700 pounds and was lit by 100 25-watt light bulbs.  Thanks to advances in technology, and the human desire to always do bigger and better, the current ball is covered in 2688 crystals, is lit by 32,256 LEDs, is 12 feet in diameter, and weighs 11,875 pounds!  How'd you like to use that for a backyard decoration?!?

Like so many of our holidays, New Year’s Day has become a day for entertaining ourselves.  First there’s New Year’s Eve, with all the parties and music and TV shows counting down to midnight.  Then there’s the ball drop and fireworks all over the world – I’ll be enjoying some of those down at the beach.  And come New Year’s Day we get parades and football games, on TV and even in our own backyards.

But we sometimes overlook the aspect of the new beginning the new year brings.  Yes, in a way, it is just another day.  The calendar simply clicks from December 31st to January 1st, even if we do hang a new one on the wall.  And then we have all those resolutions I mentioned.  They’re made with the hope and desire of making ourselves a little batter in one way or another.  But they’re too often broken and forgotten.  Oops…  I didn’t do my exercises today.  Oh well, it’s just another day.  There’s always tomorrow.

In our scripture reading, Paul says we were raised from death with Christ.  Now I mentioned that when we accept Jesus as our Lord, we are made new - in effect, raised from the death of our sin to new life.  But there is another meaning behind Paul’s words, and it also bears on our accepting Jesus.

Our baptism is an external sign of our internal faith.  It is our way to show that we believe in Jesus as the Christ and accept Him as our Lord.  And it is also a symbolic act that reflects the death and resurrection of Jesus.  When we are dunked beneath the water – or have it sprinkled on our head as the case may be – we symbolically die with Jesus, die to our sin.  And then when we are raised from the water, it symbolizes being raised to new life with Jesus, just as He was resurrected to new life.  Listen to how Paul explains this in the 6th chapter of his Letter to the Romans, verses 3 through 5…

3 Did you forget that all of us became part of Christ Jesus when we were baptized? In our baptism we shared in His death. 4 So when we were baptized, we were buried with Christ and took part in His death. And just as Christ was raised from death by the wonderful power of the Father, so we can now live a new life.

5 Christ died, and we have been joined with Him by dying too. So we will also be joined with Him by rising from death as He did.

--Romans 6:3-5 (ERV)

There’s that promise: we will be joined with Jesus by rising from death as He did.  We’ve already been raised from our death in sin to life anew in Jesus.  And someday we will be raised from mortal death to life eternal.

So now maybe we have a little better understanding of what Paul means when he says we have been raised from death with Christ.  And hopefully it will impress us more with the importance of his instructions.

Our old self has died with Jesus.  We’re new creations now, so we must act like it and not go back to how we were.  Part of that is that we should quit worrying so much about what we have or don’t have here on earth, in this mortal life.  Instead, we should focus on what is important to God.  We need to put evil ways, and evil thoughts, out of our minds and our lives.  We must exercise more self-control of our lust and desires, our anger and hatred, our wants and our greed, our telling falsehoods and gossiping, and our chasing after anything other than God.

It’s like taking off our old, ratty, torn and filthy dirty clothes and putting on an entirely new outfit.  And to do that, for at least a moment we will be completely nude, just as we stand stark naked before God who sees everything we are.

We have been chosen by God and given faith to believe in Jesus as the Christ, the one true Son of God.  We are His holy people, representatives of Jesus, and we need to act and live accordingly.  Just as God loves us, we need to show our love to others.  Just as God is merciful to us, we must extend mercy to others.  Just as God forgives us, let us forgive others.

Focusing on the things of heaven, let us strive everyday to be more like Jesus.  Let His words and His teachings live inside us, as we live for Him.  Let everything we say and do be done for Jesus, giving thanks to God our Father through Jesus our Lord.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus, the Son of God, our Savior, who came to us once and is coming again.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for giving us so many second chances.  Each new year, and really, each new day, You give us another opportunity to get things right and make ourselves better, ever closer to a likeness of our Lord Jesus.  Thank You for loving us enough to give us so many new chances at serving You.  And thank You for the promise of raising us from the dead when this life is over, just as You raised Your Son Jesus.  Father, sometimes we let the things of this world steal our focus from the things of heaven and what pleases You.  Too often the busyness and turmoil of life swirling around us distracts us from remembering all You do for us.  Forgive us those times, please Father.  Please help us remember that each new chance is a gift, an opportunity to do the right thing, to do good.  Let us this year not treat New Year’s Day as just another day, but as another chance to serve You by sharing our Lord Jesus with others so that they might be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice.  And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what comes our way.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You gave of Yourself to us, even giving up Your mortal life for us.  Even Your death was for our benefit, for You did not stay dead but were raised from the dead by our heavenly Father.  And this became our promise, too, that we would be raised from the dead to new life with You, symbolized by our baptism.  Thank You, Jesus, for washing us clean of our sin.  Thank You for showing us how to love, how to give.   Please help us be more like You in our daily walk, Lord.  Help us love all others, even those who hate us and wish us harm.  Help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love.  Give us the words to say, show us the deeds to do to lead the lost to You.  Make sharing love and joy be the highest priority in our lives.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Leap for Joy!

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 22nd of December, 2024, the 4th Sunday of Advent.  Today's service also included the ordination of a Deacon and the installation of officers for the coming term.  A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams.]

Family, today as we enter the fourth and final week of Advent, may our hearts be filled with joy in anticipation of the coming of our Savior, born to us as a little baby.  In the first week, we embraced the hope that God gave the world when He sent His Son Jesus to redeem us of our sin by the sacrifice of the Spotless Lamb.  In the second week, we took comfort in the unconditional, undeserved love of God and the sacrificial love of Jesus, all for us – we who are all too often so unlovable.  And last week we looked into just what the angel meant when he proclaimed, “And of earth peace, goodwill toward men”.  Today we take joy in knowing the birth of our Christ, our Savior, will happen soon.

You may have noticed by now that I read from the Apostle Luke’s Gospel account a lot during the Christmas season, and maybe you wondered why.  Well, part of the reason is because Luke gives more emphasis to the human side of Jesus, the fully man side of His duality.  Jesus, while God, was born to us as a man, as a small, vulnerable baby, just like us.  He came to us as a man, the Son of Man, at Christmas.  And Luke just tells the Christmas story so beautifully.  Part of that story is how it all began.

In our scripture reading this morning, Luke relates the beginning to us, telling us about that little baby’s mother and Father.  Please listen and follow along as I read verses 26 through 45 of the 1st chapter of the Apostle Luke’s Gospel account, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

29 But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”

38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

--Luke 1:26-45 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Heavenly Father, You sent Your Christ Jesus into the world to offer salvation to all of mankind if we would only truly believe in Him, and in believing, to follow Him.  And You sent Him not as some mighty king or super star celebrity, whose coming would be announced far and wide and with great fanfare.  You sent Him in the most humble manor, as a tiny, vulnerable baby, whose birth was proclaimed only to a lowly group of shepherds watching their flock nearby.  Thank You, Father, for loving the world so much that You would send Your only begotten Son to redeem us of our sin and offer us salvation.  May the joy that Mary and Elizabeth felt fill our hearts as we await Your Son’s birth in just a few days.  Sadly though, Father, too often the hustle and bustle and commercialism of the season overfill us with stress and anxiety.  For so many, our emotional hurts rob us of our joy.  Please forgive us these times, Father.  Help us remember the true reason for the season.  Help us 

spread the news of our Savior’s birth and the joy it brings.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better grasp the message You have for us this day.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, our worship, and our service.  And please keep us healthy and safe through these trying time.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

George Bernard Shaw once observed that,  “This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one: the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap, and being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.”

We see it all the time, especially in social media: people complaining about all they don't have, rather than being grateful for what they do have.  I think these fit the description of “feverish selfish little” clods, “complaining that the world will not devote itself to making” them happy.

There have been many studies on happiness that concluded with the results that, overall, true Christians are the happiest, most content people of our society.  And I think that is primarily because of two things.  First is our hope in Jesus, our anticipation of His return, His promise of a much better eternal future.  And then there’s the part Mr. Shaw spoke of: our propensity toward giving, giving of ourselves in service to God.  Let’s partake of that true joy in this life that comes from being all used up for this greatest of purposes.

When the angel Gabriel first appeared to Mary, he greeted her with the word, “Rejoice”.  Rejoice, be joyful, be filled with joy and let it sing out from you.  As Gabriel continued and told her what is to come, doubts crept in and she began to fear what all of this truly meant.  But she accepted what the Lord had planned for her.

Now we know there was a bit of confusion and consternation over her becoming pregnant while betrothed, and not by her intended husband Joseph.  So she went to visit her elderly relatives, Zacarias and Elizabeth.  As it turned out, Elizabeth – while well past normal child-bearing years – was also pregnant, and also according to God’s plan.  When Mary came into the house, the baby within Elizabeth’s womb leapt for joy at the sound of Mary’s voice, and the babe she herself carried.  Elizabeth’s little one would grow to be John the Baptist, who would prepare the way for Jesus.

As an adult, Jesus also spoke of joy.  One time in particular I’d like to mention came during what we often call Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain, not to be confused with the Apostle Matthew’s recording of the Sermon on the Mount.

There are many similarities between the two accounts, but Matthew recalls Jesus speaking to more spiritual matters while in Luke’s reporting, Jesus addresses more practical concerns.  And both begin with Jesus blessing certain groups.  Please listen to the Apostle Luke’s version of Jesus’ Beatitudes as I read verses 20 through 23 of chapter 6 of Luke’s Gospel account…

20 Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:

“Blessed are you poor,

For yours is the kingdom of God.

21 Blessed are you who hunger now,

For you shall be filled.

Blessed are you who weep now,

For you shall laugh.

22 Blessed are you when men hate you,

And when they exclude you,

And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,

For the Son of Man’s sake.

23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!

For indeed your reward is great in heaven,

For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.”

--Luke 6:20-23 (NKJV)

We are to leap for joy when we’re hated and reviled and persecuted because of our belief in Jesus.  We should be joyful, because our belief will lead to a great reward in heaven.

Now that is hard to do.  It’s hard to be joyful when someone is actively hating us, talking bad about us, wishing us harm.  But the reason we should be joyful is because of why they are hating us and all that bad stuff.  They hate us because we believe in Jesus and the promise He made us!  And that promise is everlasting life in heaven, where our reward awaits us.

So yes, be joyful!  Be joyful when nothing seems to be going your way.  Be joyful when you hurt so much you just want to crawl in bed, pull the covers over your head, and wish that the world would go away.  Be joyful, for great is our reward in heaven.

Today we lit the candle of joy.  May our love for Jesus spark the flame of joy within our hearts, and may that flame spread as wildfire among everyone we touch.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, whose birth brings joy to the world.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for sending Your own Son to earth as one of us.  Fully God, yet fully human, He came to set us free from our bonds to sin.  He came that we might know Him and believe, for some have trouble believing what they can’t see.  Thank You for loving us this much, even when we were so disobedient and unlovable.  Thank You for offering us salvation through Your Christ, Your Son, Jesus.  Father, we admit that too often our faith weakens.  Too often the troubles of this world rob us of our joy, replacing it with grief and anger.  Forgive us those times, please Father.  Please rekindle the flames of joy in our hearts that we first felt when we gave ourselves to Jesus.  And then help us to share that joy by giving of our love freely, unconditionally, sacrificially, just as Jesus gave of Himself for us.  And please help us share our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice.  

Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own.  Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live.  And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what comes our way.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You didn’t necessarily come to bring joy to the world, but we believers are definitely filled with joy when we think of Your coming, of Your birth as a little baby, and of Your return when You will set things right.  You love us, and gave Yourself for us.  And because of Your love, we are not condemned, but are redeemed.  Thank You, Jesus, for washing us clean of our sin.  Thank You for showing us what love looks like.   Please help us, dear Lord - help us be more like You.  Help us love all others, even those who hate us and wish us harm.  Help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love.  Give us the words to say, show us the deeds to do to lead the lost to You.  Make sharing love and joy be the highest priority in our lives.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.