What Now?

[The following is the manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 21st of September, 2014.]

What now?  We just concluded a truly wonderful revival series, so what comes next?

I believe the Apostle Paul can help us answer that question with some of the instructions he gave the new Christians in the church in Ephesus.  You see, at that time, the young Christian church was in crisis.  We could consider it split along racial lines: the Jews and the Gentiles.  The Jews had a long rich history of belief in the one true God, while the Gentiles had been mostly heathens, worshiping pagan gods and constructs of man’s own hand.  The Jews felt the Gentiles must be more like the Jews, must act and believe like them, before they can be true followers of Christ Jesus.  Paul said no, because all believers share one thing in common, the only thing that really matters: belief in Jesus as the Messiah and the risen Son of God.

Let’s hear what Paul says in his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 4 verse 17 through chapter 5 verse 2…

4:17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; 19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. 20 But you did not learn Christ in this way, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, 22 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, 23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

25 Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and do not give the devil an opportunity. 28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. 29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

5:1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; 2 and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.

--Ephesians 4:17-5:2 (NASB)

Let us pray...  Father, we come together this morning in the name of Jesus Christ Your Son to worship You, to hear Your word and the message Your Holy Spirit speaks to us.  Grant us the wisdom and the discernment, O Lord, to heed what You speak to our hearts.  In the holy name of our Lord and Master Jesus we pray.  Amen.


A school teacher was assigned by her system to visit and tutor children in a large city hospital.  One day she received a routine call requesting that she visit a particular child.  The teacher took the boy's name and room number, and was told by the teacher on the other end of the line, "We're studying nouns and adverbs in his class now. I'd be grateful if you could help him with his homework, so he doesn't fall behind the others."

It wasn't until the hospital teacher approached the boy's room that she realized it was located in the hospital's burn unit. No one had prepared her to find a young boy horribly burned and in great pain.  The teacher felt that she couldn't just turn around and walk out, so she stammered awkwardly, "I'm the hospital teacher, and your teacher sent me to help you with nouns and adverbs." The boy was in so much pain that he barely responded. The young teacher stumbled through his English lesson, ashamed at putting him through such a senseless exercise.

The next morning a nurse on the burn unit asked her, "What did you do to that boy?" Before the teacher could finish her outburst of apologies, the nurse interrupted her: "You don't understand. We've been very worried about him. But ever since you were here yesterday, his whole attitude has changed. He's fighting back; he's responding to treatment. It's as if he has decided to live."  The boy later explained that he had completely given up hope until he saw the teacher. Everything changed when he came to a simple realization. With joyful tears, the boy said: "They wouldn't send a teacher to work on nouns and adverbs with a boy who was dying, would they?"

This wonderful story invites us to celebrate the gift of life even when all we seem to see around us is pain and disappointment and brokenness. It shows us that on the other side of pain, there is resurrection. It reminds us of what is possible whenever there is hope.


This story also speaks to a life dramatically changed, or more accurately, two lives dramatically changed.  The teacher must have been truly touched by what happened.  I can only imagine that from that day forward she went about her assignment with a renewed vigor, and a hope of being able to help other children not only with their homework, but also with their spirits.

But the boy - his whole life was changed.  He told the nurses that he had completely given up hope.  He was in so much pain and agony he saw no way out.  I bet he was just waiting to die.

Anyone here ever felt that way?  You hurt so much inside that you just wanted it all to end?

That little boy had given up.  But then the teacher came and started teaching something so mundane and ordinary as nouns and adverbs.  And that simple act renewed his spirit, revived his hope, gave him just what he needed to fight his way back to recovery.  I believe it’s safe to say that both of these folks became new people from that point on.

And that brings to mind what Paul said in his second letter to the church in Corinth, chapter 5 verses 16 and 17…

16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

--2 Corinthians 5:16-17 (NASB)

As the teacher approached the boy’s room, she recognized him by his surroundings – she associated him with his surroundings - by being in the hospital’s burn unit.  When she saw him, all wrapped in his bandages and groaning in pain, she saw him only according to the flesh.  This is what we would all see.  And this is what Paul says we should change.  For you see, the flesh doesn’t matter.  Our earthly body is just a vessel for carrying our spirit through this life.  What matters is inside.  And if we are in Christ, then Christ is within us and we are new creatures!  The old person we once were is gone and dead and a new person is in its place.  That’s what it means to be revived, refreshed, renewed by the Holy Spirit.

Does anybody feel that way today, after our services this week?  Do you feel new?  Then what do we do about it?  What comes next?  Can we just go back to doing what we were doing before?  Now that we know we’re saved and that God forgives us by Jesus’ intervention on our behalf, can’t we return to the life we’re comfortable with and do whatever we’ve been doing all along?

In Paul’s letter to the churches in the Galatian region, chapter 2 verses 15 through 20, Paul is again addressing the racial divide between Jews and Gentiles.  This time he is talking directly to the Jews, but what he discusses applies to all Christians.  And this time I will be reading from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible…

15 “You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles. 16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”

17 But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! 18 Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. 19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

--Galatians 2:15-20 (NLT)

Ignore for a moment that Paul is lumping all Gentiles together as sinners and implying that the Jews aren’t sinners.  We know we’re all sinners, right?  Each and every one of us.  The point Paul is trying to make is that we believe in Jesus so that we might be made right with God through our faith in His Son.  But what happens if we’re found to still be sinners even then?  Does that mean that Jesus promotes and encourages sin?

Absolutely not!  If, after we have been reborn in Jesus, if we again turn to sin, then we’ve rebuilt the old self that we should have destroyed.  That makes us the sinners, not Jesus.  He doesn’t want us to return to that old life.  That’s why He allowed Himself to be crucified, to die, to be buried, to go into hell and to rise again to new life, just so we could die to our old life and rise with Him to a new life, as a new person.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me!!!

And here’s the gem of the week: I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.  Those are Paul’s words, and he speaks for every one of us here today.  I live in this earthly body, I manage to get through each day of this mortal life, by trusting in Jesus, by putting my life in His hands.  There’s no other way I could do it, no other way I could survive this world.  I’d be like that little boy lying there in the hospital in abject pain, completely without hope.  The new me puts all its hope, all its faith, all its trust in Jesus.


Let’s go back to today’s message text and look a little more closely at what Paul instructs us to do and to not do.  We are to walk no longer as the world walks.  It is futile to think that we can get through this life on our own, excluded from a life with God whether by ignorance or willful disobedience.  Paul calls this darkened understanding.  And we know just Who can shed light on it don’t we – Jesus is the Light.

We must not give ourselves over to sensuality once again, not let impurities back into our lives.  And here Paul means sensual pleasures, anything that feels good to our bodies, that we do simply because it feels good to do it.

Notice that Paul allows that we might indeed get angry from time to time, but we must not “let the sun go down” on our anger.  In other words, we’re not to hold onto that anger until we bear it like a grudge, until it starts to consume us like a cancer.  We must let it go and resolve whatever caused it in the first place.  Otherwise we’re giving the devil an opportunity to move in.

If we ever stole anything before, we must make sure we never steal again, instead earning anything and everything by our own honest labors.  And Paul says in doing so, we will end up with enough for ourselves and to share with others.

We must be careful not to tell lies anymore, not even fibs, but speak only the truth.  Oh… and verse 29 is a toughie…  We must let no unwholesome word proceed from our mouth.  We’ve got to watch what we say, always trying to use words of edification and encouragement - striving to build others up, not tear them down.  We should provide instruction, not condemnation, showing God’s grace to those who hear our words.

Then Paul lumps all the “don’ts” together.  Put all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander away from you, along with all malice.  Don’t be bitter, don’t be vengeful, don’t slander others, don’t be angry all the time, and certainly don’t hold any malice or harmful intent against anyone else.

But do be kind and tender-hearted.  Forgive each other, just as God through Jesus forgives us.

I’d like to add a little to Paul’s list.  We need to be mindful of our entertainment and viewing habits – we can’t watch just any TV show or movie anymore, and some songs are nothing more than the devil’s tools.  We should be careful of who we hang out with – not that we shouldn’t try to help the lost be found and speak the Gospel to anyone who will listen, but we might need to change who we spend our leisure time with and what we spend it doing.  We need to constantly be on guard as to what we allow to influence our thoughts, our words, our actions.  We must be sure that anything we allow into our lives will be pleasing to God.

Back in verses 22 through 24 Paul tells us to put aside the old self because it has been corrupted by the lusts of deceit - that deceit, of course, is courtesy of Satan.  Paul tells us to be renewed in the spirit of our minds - to put on a new self, in the likeness of God.

If there’s anyone who might question or doubt why we need to be so concerned with this, we need only look at what the psalmist tells us.  In the 24th Psalm, verses 3 through 5, King David provides a cautionary word…

3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
And who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood
And has not sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive a blessing from the Lord
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

--Psalm 24:3-5 (NASB)

Who can go to heaven?  Only those with clean hands and a pure heart.  Only those who have not debased themselves by lies or deceit.  Jesus washed us clean by His own blood, sacrificed there on the cross.  He purified us and wiped our record clean.  He let us start all over again.  He revived us.  Now it is up to us to stay clean, to keep our hearts pure, to lift our souls by righteousness, by staying right with God.  And for that the God of our salvation will bless us.


Paul concludes by strongly urging us to imitate God… …as beloved children.  I talked to the kids earlier about how sometimes when we imitate someone, we’re doing it to make fun of them.  But have you seen how so many children will try their best to imitate Mom or Dad or some other prominent person in their life, not to make fun of them, but because they want to be like them – just like them.  That’s how we need to imitate God – like the beloved children that we are, trying our best to be just like our Father God.

We should always walk in love, loving each and everyone one of our fellows on this mortal earth, because that is how Jesus loves us.  He doesn’t care about race or skin color or ethnicity or place of birth or station in life.  He doesn’t care how rich we are, how poor we are, whether we were disadvantaged or advantaged, or how our parents treated us growing up.  Nothing matters except our eternal souls.  That’s why He gave so much for us, for our sake – that’s why He gave Himself.

So let’s be imitators of God and of Jesus.  Let’s spread His love and His Gospel everywhere we go, leaving nothing but love in our wake.

We’ve been given another chance.  Let’s make something of it.

Amen.


Let us pray…  Heavenly Father, thank You so much for giving us another chance, a new life.  Thank You for making us a new creation, and all because we simply believe in Jesus Christ, Your Son.  Help us, Lord, to completely cast off the old self we were and to be the new person You have made us.

We are revived, Lord.  We are refreshed and renewed and it’s all because of Jesus.  You have filled us once again with Your Holy Spirit to overflowing.  Help us share what we have found with others we meet.  Help us love unconditionally, as Jesus loves us.  Help us forgive others just as You forgive us.

Hear us now, Lord, as we pause in the silence and pray to You from our hearts and give You our personal thanks, as we confess our sins, repent, and seek Your forgiveness…

And now Lord, hear us as we pray as Your Son taught us…  Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.  Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.  Amen.

Alive!

[The following is the manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 14th of September, 2014.]

Today we conclude my short series leading up to our revival services tonight by focusing on the third and final “R” – revival.  Again I’ll be working from the words of the Apostle Paul, who so spectacularly experienced renewal and revival, who was given a new life and a new mission in life, all by the resurrection power of Jesus.

Hear Paul’s words to the church in Ephesus, chapter 5 verses 6 through 14, where he speaks to us all, we who call ourselves Christians…

6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not be partakers with them; 8 for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light 9 (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 12 for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light. 14 For this reason it says, 

“Awake, sleeper,
And arise from the dead,
And Christ will shine on you.”

--Ephesians 5:6-14 (NASB)

Let us pray...  Heavenly Father, we come before You this morning refreshed and renewed, eager to hear Your message for us.  Please, Lord, use Your servant to give Your word voice this morning.  Move Your Holy Spirit among us and touch each heart, those present and those missing from our family this morning.  Fill us with Your breath of revival.  In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord we pray.  Amen.


One day when a father came home, he sat down to relax and read the paper.  His young son had other ideas.  The playful boy continually pestered his father.  The frustrated farther tired of his son’s nagging and took a page of the paper with a picture of the world and tore it into pieces – many pieces.  “Son,” the father said, “go into the other room and put the world back together.”  A few moments later the boy returned.  He had taped the world back together.  The surprised father asked, “How did you do that so quickly?”  “It was easy,” the boy replied.  “You see, on the other side of the world was a picture of a man, and as soon as I got the man straightened out, the world was OK too!”

Perhaps the way to fix our broken world, a world that has been shattered into a million pieces by the deadly hammer of sin, is to put the broken man back together first.

[From 1001 Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking, “Fix the World”, #795, p. 302.]


Does anyone know how to eat an elephant?  One bite at a time.  What if we tried fixing the world one person at a time, one lost soul at a time?  We might not be able to fix the entire world, but I bet we can put one broken person back together.  And then maybe another, and another, and another…

So we’ll pick a person to fix, but how do we fix them?  What can we tell them to help put them back together?

Well, we can start with what James, the half-brother of Jesus, tells us all.  In chapter 4 verse 8 of his letter, James gives us a promise…

8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

--James 4:8 (NASB)

God never left us - we left Him.  If we simply turn back to Him, truly wanting to be near Him, He will open up His arms and pull us into His embrace.

But James says there’s a little more to it than just drawing near to God.  We must also get right by Him.  James says to cleanse our hands, we sinners.  We’re all sinners – we were born into sin, we’ll die in sin.  We just can’t help it because we’re human.  But we can help whether we continue behavior we know God hates.  That’s what James tells us, to clean up our act.

He also calls us double-minded.  Too often we do one thing while saying another.  I’m sure you’ve heard, or even spoken, the command to “do what I say, not what I do”.  We don’t often set very good examples for our kids, or for those we’re trying to help “fix”.  We’re a little bit hypocritical in that regard.  James tells us to remove that from our hearts.

So there are two more things we can share with our broken friend – to clean up their act and rid their hearts of any hypocritical nature.

But the first suggestion James provides may be the most important: to draw closer to God.  Before James wrote these words, Jesus presented the same concept.  In Matthew’s Gospel account, chapter 6 verse 33, Jesus instructs us…

33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

--Matthew 6:33 (NASB)

Tell that broken person that the first thing they need to do is to put their focus on God, on God’s kingdom and His righteousness.  And then everything else they might need will be provided.  Seek God’s face, and in doing so draw closer to Him.  Then stop doing the things God hates and quit thinking the thoughts that would pull you away from Him again.

That almost sounds too easy, doesn’t it?  I think we all know it’s not quite that simple.

In our message text today, Paul warns us not to be deceived.  In his second letter to Timothy, Paul cautions that a time will come when people will not listen to sound doctrine, but will fill their churches and their pulpits with those who will tell them only what they want to hear.

Family, if a preacher isn’t preaching Jesus and the Gospel, if they don’t set the Bible as the first and foremost guide for Christians to live by, then they’re trying to deceive you with empty words.  And this kind of disobedience will invoke the wrath of God.  We’ve seen Paul use this phrase before: the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience.  So, broken person, don’t even associate with people of this sort.  Because if you want to change, to truly be revived, then you will not want to continue walking in darkness like they are.

And then Paul gives us another of those wonderful little gems we’ve been so blessed with.  He calls us “Light in the Lord” – he says we are Light in the Lord.  That “L” in “Light” is capitalized – something reserved for designating the Lord, for God, Jesus.  With the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, God is in us, the Light is in us and we are the Light just as Jesus is!  We can light the way for others!  Broken person, you can be the Light too!

Things that crawl around in the darkness hate the light.  They scatter before it like cockroaches in the kitchen when you turn on the overhead late at night to get a snack.  And like cockroaches, those who still walk in darkness can’t hide because the Light exposes them.  They can’t hide from God, because Jesus knows their heart.  Don’t be like them, broken person, but instead keep trying to learn what pleases the Lord.

If our friend still has doubts, we can show them that even the psalmist sought to be renewed and had questions about revival.  We can read Psalm 85, verses 4 and 6…

4 Restore us, O God of our salvation,
And cause Your indignation toward us to cease.
6 Will You not Yourself revive us again,
That Your people may rejoice in You?

--Psalm 85:4,6 (NASB)

That is a legitimate question, isn’t it?  Maybe one we ask God ourselves?  I mean isn’t that why we’re having a revival service?  O God, we want to be restored!  Won’t You please revive us?  Breathe into us Your breath of life and fill us anew with Your Holy Spirit.  Revive us, please Father!  When we ask this, when we plead with God to be remade, refreshed, restored, does He answer?

Sure He does.  We get our answer in what Jesus reveals to John, in the Book of Revelation, chapter 21, verse 5…

5 And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”

--Revelation 21:5 (NASB)

“I am making all things new”.  “These words are faithful and true.”  When Jesus fills us with the Holy Spirit, we are made new.  Not only are we revived, we are made new.  We are allowed to start all over again.  We’re given another chance to get things right.  We can’t fix our broken friend, but Jesus can, because He can make them new again.


Now we know what to tell that broken person so we can begin to fix the world.  All we have to do is find one, find ourselves a broken, sinful person and get to work on them.

Have you already guessed where I think we should look first?  In the mirror.

We are all broken, to one degree or another.  If we are honest in our longing for revival, then we need to take these words God gives us to heart.  We need to seek God and His kingdom.  We need to clean up our act and work on making our hearts pure.  We need to practice what we preach and think right thoughts.  We need to get right with God.  And if we do, He will breathe life into us once again, will fill us yet again with His Holy Spirit.  Just like we can refill that balloon and make it fly again just by blowing more air into it, God can refill us and make us soar.  He can make us new.

But we have to take the first steps.  Just like Paul says, we have to awaken from our sleep of apathy and start caring again.  Caring for our own future and for that of our brothers and sisters.  We need to arise from the death that is our sin, casting it off, turning from it, cleansing ourselves of it.

And then Christ will shine on us and we will become the Light, for the Light will be in us.  And we will truly be alive!

Amen

Let us pray…  O gracious God in heaven, we desperately seek Your face.  Father, we acknowledge we have sinned against You, and we are so sorry for having done so.  Help us, please Lord, to turn from our sinful ways, to repent fully from our behavior that You hate, to place Your kingdom and Your righteousness first in our lives.

Breathe life back into us, Lord.  Fill us once more with Your Holy Spirit that we might shine with the Light that is Jesus.  Help us leave behind the old self so we can be made new.  Revive us, O Lord we pray!

Hear us now, gracious Father, as we speak to You silently from our hearts, as we beseech Your favor…

Heavenly Father, You revive us.  You make us new.  You breathe into us and we can fly.  You touch us and we become alive.  Strengthen us, O Lord, to share this revival spirit with others so that they too might be made new.  In the holiest of all names, the precious name of Jesus Christ our Master and our Lord we pray.  Amen.

The New You

[The following is the manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 7th of September, 2014.]

Continuing my little series leading up to our revival services, today we’ll be looking at the second “R” – renewal.  There is probably no better example in our entire Bible of complete transformation and renewal than what the Apostle Paul experienced.  He spoke of this transformation often, as his personal witness to the resurrection power of Jesus Christ.  He spoke without shame for his beliefs and without fear for what might lie ahead.

In his letter to the church in Colosse, Paul tells us that after our spiritual renewal, we should live a life in Christ.  Follow along as I read to you from the book of Colossians, chapter 3 verses 1 through 17, where the Apostle to the Gentiles describes for us what a life in Christ is and is not…

1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. 

5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 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— 11 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. 

12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 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. 17 Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

--Colossians 3:1-17 (NASB)

Let us pray...  Father God, I pray that You hide me behind the cross of Your Son Jesus, so that Your children may see and hear only Him, our Lord and Savior.  Let Your Holy Spirit dance in our hearts as we receive Your message this morning.  And may we all experience the joy of renewal only You can give.  In the name of Jesus our Christ we pray.  Amen.


Bill McCartney, a former football player himself, retired as the head coach of the University of Colorado football team back in the 90’s. His reason for retirement was not because he was unsuccessful as a coach. His teams had won the national championship and had been in the top 10 many times.

McCartney said that he was retiring because he needed time for introspection, to look within himself. He said, “I’m leaving coaching, and I’m going to take a whole year to re-evaluate my priorities. Is God first? Is my family second? Is my work third?”

And when that year was over, Bill McCartney had dedicated his life and talents to Christ, and threw his efforts into founding the great men’s renewal gatherings that we know today as “Promise Keepers.”


That’s a pretty good picture of how God can take what most people would consider to be a very successful life, and make something even more from it, make it even more successful.  And which do you think God would rather we succeed at: some worldly endeavor like football wins, or helping His people get closer to Him and Jesus?

Could it be that Coach McCartney had a similar transforming experience as Paul? One bio I read of the coach mentioned that his examination of his life priorities came about after he had participated in an extramarital affair.  While he may not have been blinded as Paul had been, he most certainly had felt convicted by the Holy Spirit.

I wonder if during part of his self-examination, Coach came across verses 6 and 7 of today’s message text…

6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them.

--Colossians 3:6-7 (NASB)

Or perhaps Paul’s instruction to the church in Rome caught his eye, in his letter to the Romans chapter 12 verses 1 and 2 where Paul said…

12 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

--Romans 12:1-2 (NASB)

Make a mental note of that, or write it down if you want to.  Paul says the will of God is whatever is good and acceptable and perfect.  God’s will is indeed perfect.  Coach McCartney’s renewal of spirit led him in a direction that was certainly acceptable, and what he did was good, without question.


What about us?  Do we need to re-prioritize what is important in our lives?  Paul did, and so did Coach McCartney.  Oddly enough, though, I think sometimes it easier for us to relate to Paul than to someone like the coach.  And maybe because it’s a matter of how it hits us personally.  The coach is a contemporary, a man of our times who was quite successful in the world’s terms and gave it up to become even more successful in God’s eyes.  How could we ever compare?

But the thing is, if we put God first and seek to do His will, everything else will fall in place because His will is perfect.

Paul tells us in the first few verses of our text this morning that since we have been raised up with Christ, we should keep seeking the things above, in heaven where Christ is.  Once we’ve accepted Jesus as our Master and acknowledged Him as our Savior, and once the Holy Spirit has moved into our hearts, we become new creations and are effectively resurrected, raised up, in Him.  So it behooves us to keep our focus on Him, as we’ve talked about before.

But it’s tough to live here in this world and keep our eyes and our minds and our hearts fixed firmly on Jesus, with all the traps and snares and distractions all around.  God knows this; He understands.  That’s why Paul describes the earthly body, the carnal body, and what will happen to those who disobey God.

In verses 5 and 6, Paul warns us of indulging in immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed.  And notice he equates greed to idolatry.  If we want something so much that we put it ahead of God, isn’t that the same as worshiping it more than God?

But Paul doesn’t stop there.  In verse 8 he tells us to put all that aside along with anger, wrath, malice, slander and abusive speech.  That last really hits close to home for me.  I always had a razor-sharp tongue and was never afraid to wield it, nor ever concerned with whom it might cut.

Yet right before that, in verse 7, Paul shows that he is quite aware of our human nature, knowing full well that others are just like him, that we have all walked this path before and some still walk it.

But again Paul emphasizes that by this point we should have put aside the old self and our sinful ways and taken on the new self, the whole new person.  And right there in verses 10 and 11 he uses the words renewed and renewal.  The new person that is us is renewed according to the very image of Jesus Christ our Lord!  That renewal knows no boundaries of race or previous creed or origin of birth or station in life.  We are renewed because Christ is in us.

How did Jesus effect this?  What was our role?

Paul provides a little more clarity in his letter to his fellow traveler and missionary Titus, chapter 3 verse 5…

5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior.

--Titus 3:5 (NASB)

Jesus saved us - not by anything we did, even those deeds done in all righteousness.  He saved us through His own mercy alone, washed us in His own blood.  When we accepted Him, when we were symbolically washed by the waters of our baptism, He filled us with the Holy Spirit and we were regenerated and renewed.

Did we stay that way?  Did the renewal stick or do we need to flip the switch on the ol’ regenerator again?

If we have any doubts, we need only look at the closing verses of today’s scripture, starting in verse 12.  Paul gives us a list of attributes that we need to put on if they’re not already evident in our lives.  We need a heart of compassion, of kindness, of humility, of gentleness and of patience.  We must forgive each other just as the Lord forgives us.  The peace of Christ must rule in our hearts and show in our every decision and action.  The word of Jesus and all His instructions must be dear and crucial to us, teaching us wisdom.  Thankfulness should flow from our very core.  And above all else, we must wear love like a second skin - love for God, love for one another.

When we look in our mind’s mirror do we see these beautiful clothes?  Do others see them in us?  If someone knew us “before”, can they tell a difference in the “after” photo?  If not, then we need to seek renewal once again.


Last week when we looked at repentance, I read to you from a passage of a sermon Peter gave at the “Portico of Solomon” in Jerusalem, from Acts chapter 3 verse 19.  Today I’d like to repeat that and add a verse, verse 20…

19 Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; 20 and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you.

--Acts 3:19-20 (NASB)

One blessed day we will stand in the physical presence of our Lord and Savior.  But until then, we can seek His presence in prayer.  We can earnestly plead for His help in donning the new self and wearing it well.  He will hear us and answer our prayer if we truly repent and seek His favor, His blessing, His face.  He will help us become “the new you”.

And here comes the amazing part…

Once we are wearing those new clothes, once the new self is firmly in place, once the new you has taken over, then others can be in the presence of Jesus simply by being with us!  Because once all that happens, Jesus will be in us, and us in Him.  The Holy Spirit fills us to overflowing so that He can spill out from us onto others we go near.  And I promise…  the “new you” will look good on you.


As Paul says in verse 17: whatever you do in your daily walk, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, giving thanks through Him to God our Father.

Amen.


Let us pray…  Father in heaven above, You brought Jesus out of the grave and raised Him to be with You, to sit at Your right hand.  And because He saved us out of His love and Your mercy and grace, we need to keep our eyes on Him.  Help us, Father, to seek only those things above and not to look for worldly satisfaction.  Help us focus on Jesus and the new self He has given us, and not on carnal wants and pleasures.  May we be greedy only in our desire to know You more, to get ever closer to You.

Renew us Lord Jesus, if we are not everything You want us to be.  Refresh us with Your holy presence in our lives so that others might see You in us.  Regenerate our hearts with Your Holy Spirit that He might pour out from us onto others.  Embolden us and encourage us that we might use the gifts You have so generously bestowed upon us to help show others the way to You and to salvation.

…Hear us now, Savior Jesus, as we open our hearts to You in silent prayer…

Father God, You have renewed us with Your Holy Spirit.  You have washed us anew by the blood of Your Son Jesus.  We are refreshed just being here in Your presence.  Thank You so much, Father, for Your grace in giving us what we could never earn, and Your mercy in not giving us what we rightly deserve.  Thank You for making us new.  In that name above all names, the beautiful name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior we pray.  Amen.

Knee Deep

[The following is the manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 31st of August, 2014.]

In three weeks we’ll be celebrating our homecoming and kicking off our revival services.  So for the next three Sundays, I’m going to take us on a path leading to those services by covering the three R’s.  Not readin’, ‘ritin’, and ‘rithmetic.  Repentance, renewal, and revival.

If we look at a red-letter edition of our Bible, it’s easy to see that nearly half of the four Gospels are direct quotes of Jesus.  The book of Luke perhaps best exemplifies this statistic, with 586 of its 1151 verses being the words of Christ.  Listen and follow along to a little of what our Lord has to tell us, in the Gospel according to Luke, chapter 13, verses 1 through 9…

1 Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? 3 I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

6 And He began telling this parable: “A man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. 7 And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered and said to him, ‘Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; 9 and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.’”

--Luke 13:1-9 (NASB)

Let us pray...  Heavenly Father, ever faithful and ever-forgiving, thank You for giving us Your word as our guide in life.  Help us, please Lord, understand and heed the message You have for us today.  Speak through Your Holy Spirit in our hearts that we might repent and not perish.  In the glorious name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.


A little story in the March 1993 Reader’s Digest tells of a man who awoke one morning to find a puddle of water in the middle of his king-size water bed. In order to fix the puncture, he rolled the heavy mattress outdoors and filled it with more water so he could locate the leak more easily. The enormous bag of water was impossible to control and began rolling on the hilly terrain. He tried to hold it back, but it headed downhill and landed in a clump of bushes which poked it full of holes.

Disgusted, the man tossed the mattress and threw out the water-bed frame and moved a standard bed into his room. The next morning, he awoke to find a puddle of water in the middle of the new bed. The upstairs bathroom had developed a leak.


Sometimes we tend to think we know the answer before we fully understand the problem.  We jump at the first likely solution when there may be many other possibilities to consider.

In a way, today’s message text is kind of like that.  As do so many in our Bible, this passage can convey more than a few meanings, and all of them correct.  I actually first only looked at verses 6 through 9 for the sermon scripture before the Spirit led me a little higher on the page.

In those last four verses, Jesus tells the parable of a fig tree planted in a vineyard.  That was not as unusual as it may seem, but because a fig tree would really suck the nutrients out of the earth, it was expected to bear fruit quickly or it would be destroyed.  In this case, the tree had produced no fruit for three years, so the vineyard owner ordered that it be cut down.  But the gardener asked for more time.  He promised to till the soil around the roots and lay in some fertilizer so it can be absorbed more directly by the tree.  If it still bore no fruit after another year of this attentive care, then it would be cut down.

So what type of fertilizer do you think the gardener planned to use?  Maybe some lime, or a nitrogen rich blend?  No, the only fertilizer back then was the kind that came out of the back end of whatever animals happened to be kept around.  The gardener planned to dig up around the roots of that tree and fill it in with manure!

Now it should be obvious, but the vineyard owner is also the owner and creator of the entire universe, God.  And the vineyard-keeper, the gardener, is Jesus.  Oh, and we’re the fig tree.  God has grown tired of checking on us every year, waiting on us to bear fruit, and has told Jesus to go ahead and cut us down.  But Jesus pleads for just one more year, one more chance.  He’ll personally take extra special care of us and do everything He can that we might bear fruit.

How did we get in this predicament to begin with, and why would Jesus give us another chance?  He tells us in another of the Gospels.  In the book of John, chapter 15, verse 5, Jesus says…

5 I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

--John 15:5 (NASB)

Jesus is the vine and we are a branch.  If a branch is broken off from the vine, can it possibly bear fruit?  No, it withers and dies.  If we become separated from Jesus, no matter how or why, we can no longer bear the fruit God seeks.

Speaking of fruit, what are these fruits I keep talking about?  If we’re the tree, then the fruits God would hope to see are the fruits of the Holy Spirit.  The Apostle Paul describes these fruits in his letter to the Galatians, chapter 5, verses 22 through the first half of 23…

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control....

--Galatians 5:22-23a (NASB)

Our Father wants to see these fruits, all these fruits, all the time, not just every now and then.

What do you think we’re supposed to do during that extra year Jesus gives us, besides sit around in a pile of manure?  Well, that’s where the first five verses of today’s message text come in, the part the Spirit led me to.

In this passage Jesus is explaining that those who suffer more than others are not receiving a harsher punishment because they sinned more than the others.  In fact, everyone could still be subject to that harsher punishment and greater suffering if they don’t turn from their sinful ways and repent.  My New King James Version of the Bible titles this short passage “Repent or Perish”.  Those are the very words Jesus used:  “unless you repent, you will … perish”.

We’ve been granted a second chance, but we have to repent.  Fortunately, God doesn’t just hold a stick, He also has a carrot to offer (or maybe a fig or a grape).  In 2nd Chronicles chapter 7 verse 14, God comes to King Solomon in a vision and tells him that if…

14 …My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

--2 Chronicles 7:14 (NASB)

If we humble ourselves – get down on our knees - and turn from our sin – repent, God will hear our plea and not only will our Lord forgive us but He’ll also heal our land.  Remember Jesus promises to loosen the soil and enrich it with fertilizer.  That would be a healing process for the land.

But first we need to repent, to turn from our wicked ways and turn to Him.  In the book of the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 3 verse 19, Peter tells us…

19 Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.

--Acts 3:19 (NASB)

We are heading toward that time of refreshing Peter speaks of, when we are again in the presence of our Lord Jesus.  We will stand before Him and before God.  Right now God is saying if there’s no fruit, cut them down.  But Jesus is asking for one more chance, one more year to help His trees bear fruit.  God grants His request, but family: borrowed time is not permanent.  God’s patience has a limit.

Are we pretending?  Do we say we’re Christian but have nothing to show for it, no fruit?  We cannot continue to call ourselves a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ, and go on living the way we want to live rather than the way He wants us to live.  Folks, we’re up to our knees in good old fashioned fertilizer and we’re running out of time.

But the neat thing is, think about who our gardener is and what He has given us.  The fertilizer that Jesus has spread at our very roots is the Holy Spirit.  The digging around our roots might be messy and painful, but it is our rebirth, another chance to be born again in Jesus.

What is our sin?  I don’t think any of us are especially wicked, but sometimes we may do wicked things, even if unintentionally.  Our sin is what keeps us from bearing fruit.  Our sin is whatever separates us from God.  Our sin is what broke us off from the vine.

In a way, we are indeed like that fig tree planted in a vineyard, among grape vines, plants that bear different fruit.  We have been planted in the world, placed among the rest of mankind, that we might bear fruit different from those who do not believe.

And one very precious secret in all this is that its fruit is how the plant recreates itself.  The fruit contains the seed of the plant that produced it.  The fruit is the means of spreading that seed.  If we bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit, then we carry the seed of God within us.  It is through us that He spreads the seed, the Gospel, throughout all the world.  If we do not bear the fruit of God, then we must repent from our sin, from whatever separates us from Him.

We must repent, or perish.  Time is running out.

Amen.


Let us pray…  Heavenly Father, so many times You grant us another opportunity to bear the fruit You desire, the fruit of Your Holy Spirit.  So many times You heed Your Son’s request to give us one more chance.  Father, we want to bear Your fruit, but this ground, this world, is so polluted by Satan that it pulls us from the true vine that is Jesus.  Forgive us, O Lord, when we find it so hard to turn our backs on our worldly ways, when we live life how we want to with no regard to how You would have us live it.  We pray for yet more patience, Father, to allow Your Holy Spirit to work in through our roots into our very heart.

Lord Jesus, we willingly accept Your tender care.  We know when You dig around our roots that it is only to allow the Spirit to get closer to our core.  You nourish us with the gentle rains of Your love.  Thank You, Lord, for loving us this much.  We repent, Jesus, from everything that keeps us from You.  Hear us now, precious Savior, as we speak to You from our hearts and confess our sin that separates us, as we promise to turn from that sin and never to allow it to rule our lives again.  Hear us as we each silently repent…

Father God, we want to bear Your fruit and spread the seed of Christ’s Gospel throughout the world.  Give us the strength to keep our backs turned from our sin, to keep our eyes fixed firmly upon Your Son Jesus.  Lord Jesus, please keep digging at our roots and filling us with the Holy Spirit that we might stay attached to You and bear that wonderful fruit that everyone will want to taste and share.  In the blessed name of Jesus Christ we repent and we pray.  Amen.

Commissioned

[The following is the manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 24th of August, 2014.]

In my daily Bible reading some time back, a single verse attached itself to me and stuck there.  And over time as I pondered that verse, a message began to appear, slowly changing from the obvious to something deeper, something more personal.  It all started with Zacchaeus…

Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector in the region surrounding Jericho.  Now, back then, tax collectors were not fondly looked upon by the people: considered by the devout to be sinners and by most folks to be out and out thieves.  They often charged far and above what the Romans demanded of the people, pocketing the difference for their own use.  Some became quite wealthy exercising this greedy practice.  Zacchaeus himself was very rich.

But then he heard that this Man from Nazareth named Jesus was coming to town.  Zacchaeus wanted to see for himself if all the talk about Jesus was true, or just exaggerated rumors.  After just a few words from Jesus, Zacchaeus miraculously repented and promised to repay fourfold anything he had taken deceitfully.

I don’t want to make this a Bible study, but it’s the last words Jesus uttered in this brief story that clung to me so fiercely.  Luke recorded those words, in chapter 19 of his Gospel, verse 10…

10 "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

--Luke 19:10 (NASB)

Let us pray...  O God our Father, we come to You this morning in the name of Your Son Jesus.  We come to worship You and to praise You and to grow closer to You.  Thank You, Father, for sending Your Son to seek us out and save us.  Open our hearts now to the message You wish each of us to hear during this time together.  In the glorious name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.


Zacchaeus was short and couldn’t see over or around the crowd gathered along the route Jesus was walking through Jericho.  But he really wanted to see this Man from Galilee, so he climbed up in a tree to get a better view.  Jesus spotted him and said, “Quick, come down!  I must be a guest in your home today.”

And right there is another word that caught my attention: “must”.  Jesus said “I must be a guest in your house today”.  Not “I want to be” or “I should be” or “I’d like to be”, but “I must be”.

Why was it so important that Jesus go with Zacchaeus to his house, to his home?  It certainly didn’t sit too well with the rest of the crowd, who grumbled about Jesus going “to be the guest of a notorious sinner”.

But Jesus knew all about Zacchaeus.  He knew how he had acquired all his wealth.  He knew how the tax collector overcharged his fellow citizens.  He knew Zacchaeus’ heart.  He knew that the man was lost.  So Jesus sought him out, and saved him.

Jesus used that word “must” because He had no choice.  And the reason is right there in our message text: because He came to seek and to save all who are lost.  This is the mission His Father gave Him.  This is precisely why He was sent to earth.  Jesus came to us when we were dead in our sin, when we were lost in the darkness.  He sought us out and by His great sacrifice He saved us.

And that is the obvious message of this one little verse of scripture that still holds me.  But like I said, there is something far more personal that it speaks to me, that it whispers in my ear.  Maybe you’ll hear it too if I dig a little further.


Zacchaeus didn’t really know he was lost.  I’m sure he was quite well content fattening his own purse at the expense of others.  The term “fat and happy” comes to mind.  But he had heard about this Jesus from someone somewhere along the line.  And someone else mentioned that the Galilean was in town.  So he figured he’d go see the Man for himself.  Was he seeking out Jesus as anything other than to see a curiosity?  Not that the scripture indicates.  But things other people said brought him to the place where Jesus would be.  Jesus planted those seeds, spread by those people around Zacchaeus.

As a Man walking this earth, Jesus enlisted the aid of other people to help Him carry out His mission, such as when He sent His disciples into the towns and villages to heal and to preach in His name.  And He expects us, His current disciples and followers, to continue that work.  In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 28, verses 18 through 20, Jesus had risen from the grave but not yet ascended into heaven when He told his disciples and us…

18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

--Matthew 28:18-20 (NASB)

We are to go and make disciples of every man, woman and child over all the earth.  That’s a pretty tall order, isn’t it.  It’s a good thing that He promises to be with us always, all the way up to the very end of this age.  And fortunately we don’t have to get in touch with the 7 billion plus people on this earth all by ourselves – we have the help of all Christians, or we’re supposed to.

But we know that not all Christians are comfortable or willing to go out and talk to other people about Jesus.  Some are worried about what others will think of them.  Some are fearful they’ll be ridiculed or insulted or worse.  Some just don’t feel adequate enough to represent our Lord and Savior.  For whatever reason, many Christians don’t share their personal testimony.

Of course, we know there are other ways to witness to Christ.  The easiest is to show Jesus in our lives, by how we live, by how we love.  But before we settle for that silent witness, I’d like us to remember what was said at Jesus’ birth.  Back to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 2 verse 10…

10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people.

--Luke 2:10 (NASB)

Good news of great joy!

If you find out there is an absolutely tremendous sale going on, what do you do?  Don’t you let others know about it?  If it’s a good enough deal, don’t you call and tell friends so they can take advantage of it too?  Or say your favorite sports team wins.  Maybe State beats Carolina, as unlikely as that is to happen.  Don’t you get hold of other fans and share the celebration?  Or maybe even tease some of your friends that happen to support the losing side?  And FaceBook is chunk full of good news posts.  We like to share really good news, don’t we?

Well, would you consider it good news that a way has been offered to you to get out of being punished for all of eternity, but instead to be able to live forever in a place more beautiful than words could ever describe, where there will be no more pain or sorrow, no more crying, where every single need will be more than met?  Oh, and as a bonus, you don’t even have to pay for any of this – the arrangements have already been made.  All you have to do is believe and promise to live a lifestyle that has been proven to provide great happiness and well-being to folks even here in this life.

Isn’t that really good news?  Then why are we hesitant to share it?!?  We shouldn’t be afraid, the angel even told us not to be, but too often we are.


Are you hearing that personal message I spoke of yet?

Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost.  And then He handed the job over to us.  Go and make disciples, He instructs us.  He commissioned us to carry out this job after He ascended into heaven to be with our Father.

Zacchaeus didn’t know he was lost until Jesus gave him the good news that “Salvation has come to this home today”.  Many of the people we come into contact with on a daily basis don’t know that they’re lost.  Some may have doubts about God and Jesus and all this heaven and hell business.  Some may even consider themselves Christians.

Don’t be afraid to tell them the good news.  Don’t worry about letting them see how you live your life as a follower of Jesus.  Don’t even think about whether they’ll ridicule you for serving One who you can’t even see.

Jesus came to seek and to save.  And then He gave us the job to seek and to share.  Zacchaeus would never have gone to see Jesus for himself if others had not shared some news with him, and he would not have been saved.  If we don’t share this wonderful news with others, they won’t go to where Jesus is walking and He will not be able to save them and they will remain lost.

And that is the personal message this verse today shouts so loudly through my being.  We need to seek and to share, so that Jesus can save.

We’re commissioned – let’s get on with the job.

Amen.


Let us pray…  Heavenly Father, You sent Your beloved Son into this world to seek out the lost and offer them salvation.  He took a beating for us, He bled for us, He died and went to hell for us, and then You raised Him from the grave and He rose to heaven just to show what is in store for us.  Father, this is the best possible news there ever could be!

Why then are we so hesitant to share it?  It’s not that we don’t want other people to be able to take advantage of this wonderful gift.  Yet still we feel uncomfortable approaching others to tell them of Your mercy and grace.  Each of us has our reasons, Lord, and You know what they are.  Speak to Your Spirit within us to strengthen our resolve, to embolden our hearts, to encourage us to carry out the mission that Jesus left us with just before He came home to You.

Jesus came to seek out the lost and to save them.  We who once were counted among the lost and now are saved have a job to do so that others might be found and spared eternal damnation.  Help us, loving Father, as we strive to carry out our commission.  In the blessed name of Jesus Christ we pray.  Amen.

Rock the Boat

[The following is the manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 17th of August, 2014.]

Jesus just learned that His cousin, John the Baptist, had been beheaded by Herod.  Like many of us would when suffering great grief, He tried to get away by Himself for a little while.  But the ever constant crowds soon found Him and began pressing Him for healing and teaching.  There in a desolate place near the Sea of Galilee, He taught and healed and then had his disciples feed 5000 men, not counting women and children, with nothing more than 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread.

Let’s pick up from there with today’s scripture reading of Matthew chapter 14, verses 22 through 33…

22 Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. 23 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. 24 But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid. 

28 Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!”

--Matthew 14:22-33 (NASB)

Let us pray...  All glorious Father, we come before Your throne this morning in the name of Your Son Jesus the Christ to worship You and lift our praises to our Lord.  We thank You for the opportunity and the freedom to do so.  Move Your Holy Spirit through and among us this morning, Father God, and make us more receptive to the message You wish each of us to hear today.  In the beautiful name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.


“It was a fog-shrouded morning, July 4, 1952, when a young woman named Florence Chadwick waded into the water off Catalina Island. She intended to be the first woman to swim the 21 miles from the island to the California coast. Long-distance swimming was not new to her; she had been the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions. The water was numbing cold that day. The fog was so thick she could hardly see the boats in her party. Several times sharks had to be driven away with rifle fire. She swam more than 15 hours before she asked to be taken out of the water. Her trainer tried to encourage her to swim on since they were so close to land, but when Florence looked, all she saw was fog. So she quit… less than one-mile from her goal. Later she said, ‘I’m not excusing myself, but if I could have seen the land I might have made it.’ It wasn’t the cold or fear or exhaustion that caused Florence Chadwick to fail. It was the fog. Many times we too fail, not because we’re afraid or because of the peer pressure or because of anything other than the fact that we lose sight of the goal. Two months after her failure, Florence Chadwick walked off the same beach into the same channel and swam the distance, setting a new speed record, because she could see the land.”  [Cochrane, John. "Florence Chadwick III." Date unknown.  www.bible.org.]


Peter was a professional fisherman.  He put food on the table and sold enough to provide for his needs by plying the waters of the Galilean Sea.  He knew boats.  He knew the water.  And I’m sure he was all too familiar with the effects contrary winds could have on his boat and his efforts.  What he and his friends still didn’t quite understand was the divine power of their Master, Jesus of Nazareth.

Jesus was heartbroken.  He only wanted to get away from everyone for a while, probably to mourn John’s passing.  But the crowds wouldn’t let Him, so He saw to their needs, both spiritual and physical, and then sent them on their way.  Then He ordered His disciples to head on out to the other side of the sea, telling them He would join them later.  Finally alone, He went into the mountains to pray.  By evening, the boat carrying His followers had sailed far from land.

Close your eyes and put yourself on that boat with the disciples for just a moment…  The wind has picked up, as it so often does on these waters.  It batters the boat making navigation more difficult.  Peter and those others of the disciples who are fishermen by trade struggle to maintain control over the craft, fighting the wind.  The waves crash over the sides soaking us all.  Confusion reigns, with the rush of the wind and the roar of the sea nearly drowning out the shouting of the men.

What happens next is so absolutely amazing, yet Matthew describes it so simply: “And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea.”

Look, off to the side!  What is that?!?  It’s a ghost!  It has to be a ghost!  What else could it be way out here?  We’re doomed!!!

Ok, you can open your eyes.  It’s not a ghost.

Jesus reassured them.  He immediately spoke to them, encouraging them, assuring them it was Him coming to them.

We don’t know exactly how far Jesus was from the boat when He spoke.  Some paintings depicting the moment that I’ve seen show Him still quite a ways off.  But even if He’d been right beside them, from what you just experienced on that boat, could His disciples have heard Him if He didn’t shout?  Yet Matthew said only that “Jesus spoke to them” – spoke; in a normal tone of voice; not shouted but spoke.  That alone, with all the noise and turmoil and confusion, would be enough of a miracle in itself.

But Jesus decides to rock their boat even more than the wind and the waves.  There He is, the Son of Man, walking across the sea toward them.  Of course they were terrified at first! – Who wouldn’t be?  So He calmed their fears with the reassuring sound of His voice.

Wow!  Walking on water!

Peter had been working the sea all his life, very likely since he was a mere lad, but this he had never seen!  Everyone knew you couldn’t walk on water!  It simply couldn’t be done!  Yet there was Jesus, doing just that.

Now at this point the disciples had not completely accepted the idea that Jesus was indeed God, so He could still surprise them, to put it mildly.  Peter must have thought, if Jesus can do it, then so can I.

Did Peter have his doubts?  He must have, because rather than just hop out and start walking, he asked Jesus to command him to do it.  If it really is You, Lord, then command me to come to You, because if You command it I have no choice but to do it.  Jesus simply replied, “Come.”

Let me say it again: Peter was a professional fisherman.  He was comfortable on his boat, even on rough seas.  This is where he was supposed to be – on his boat on the sea.  Standing on the boat along the shore would be nice and safe, but he wouldn’t catch many fish that way.  So he was reconciled to the fact that he had to face certain risks in order to maintain his livelihood.

But this, stepping out of his boat into the wind and the waves with nothing but deep water beneath his feet…  This was way outside Peter’s comfort zone!  He needed Jesus to order him to do it.

Sometimes we’re like Peter in that we get too comfortable where we are.  Maybe we feel an urge to do something different, but the old and familiar is just too safe and secure.  Why take chances if we don’t have to?  We get into our comfort zone and just don’t want to budge.

The Israelis tended to get that way too, at times, as they wandered around for forty years.  At least twice, God had to prod them to keep moving.  In the 1st chapter of the book of Deuteronomy, Moses tells the people in verses 6 through 8…

6 “The Lord our God spoke to us at Horeb, saying, ‘You have stayed long enough at this mountain. 7 Turn and set your journey, and go to the hill country of the Amorites, and to all their neighbors in the Arabah, in the hill country and in the lowland and in the Negev and by the seacoast, the land of the Canaanites, and Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates. 8 See, I have placed the land before you; go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to them and their descendants after them.’"

--Deuteronomy 1:6-8 (NASB)

And once more in Deuteronomy, chapter 2 verses 2 through 4, Moses instructs the people yet again…

2 "And the Lord spoke to me, saying, 3 'You have circled this mountain long enough. Now turn north, 4 and command the people, saying, "You will pass through the territory of your brothers the sons of Esau who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. So be very careful."'"

--Deuteronomy 2:2-4 (NASB)

“People,” God says, “you’ve been here in this spot long enough.  It’s time to move on.  I have a better place for you just ahead.”  But He also told them to be careful as they went, in effect to keep their eyes on Him alone as they traveled.

Are we too comfortable?  Have we been in one place too long, doing the same things we’ve always done?  Are we afraid to try something new, to set off in a new direction?  Are we waiting to hear Jesus’ voice commanding us to do it, or for God to tell us to move along?  Is Jesus about to rock our boat?

John Ortberg wrote a wonderful book he titled, “If You Want To Walk On Water, You’ve Got To Get Out Of The Boat”.  Peter really wanted to walk on the water, just like Jesus was doing, or he wouldn’t have asked the Lord to tell Him to do it.  But he was afraid to give it a try, or he wouldn’t have had to ask the Lord to tell him to do it.  He wanted to give it a try, but was just too afraid to climb out of the familiar boat into a new, unfamiliar experience.

Family, we can’t walk on water if we don’t get out of the boat.  We won’t know if we can do it or not if we’re too cautious to get our feet wet.

When Joshua was ready to lead the Israelis across the Jordan River and into the Promised Land as God directed, they were about to leave what had become a familiar life wandering around in the wilderness, and head off into something new, something God had promised their fathers long ago.  I bet they were afraid too, especially standing there facing a river swollen wide and deep by the annual rains.

Listen to what happened as recorded in the book of Joshua, chapter 3 verses 13 through 17, starting with Joshua preparing the people to cross…

13 "It shall come about when the soles of the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off, and the waters which are flowing down from above will stand in one heap.” 

14 So when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and when those who carried the ark came into the Jordan, and the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the days of harvest), 16 the waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap, a great distance away at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those which were flowing down toward the sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. So the people crossed opposite Jericho. 17 And the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until all the nation had finished crossing the Jordan.

--Joshua 3:13-17 (NASB)

The people could not cross the river until the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant first stepped into it.  Once they walked into the river, once they showed their faith in God, the Lord went to work.  The waters were cut off and the people crossed on dry land!  But first they had to get their feet wet.  They had to leave their comfort zone.  They had to get out of the boat.

But there’s a little more to our story.  Peter climbed out of the boat at his Lord’s command.  And he started walking to Jesus!  Peter was walking on water!

But he lost focus.  The fury of the storm, the chop of the sea, the turmoil surrounding him all distracted his attention and he started to sink!  “Lord, save me!” he cried out!

The moment Peter took his eyes off Jesus, he began to go under, to be overwhelmed by the waves.  And this is all too true for us as well.

As long as we keep our focus on our Master Jesus, we will be all right.  Yes, there will be storms raging all around us.  Yes, there will be times when life threatens to drag us under.  But as long as we keep our eyes on Jesus we will be OK.

Not only that, but we can walk on water too.  Maybe not literally, but we will nonetheless be able to do some amazing things, through Him.  But only if we stay focused on Him.

Once Peter started going under and he cried out for help, Jesus immediately reached out His hand and took hold of him and saved him.  He’ll do the same for us.  If we do lose focus - and we will, because we’re human – before we are completely swamped, all we need to do is cry out to Jesus, to fix our eyes on Him yet again, and He will rescue us.

The words of our special hymn today tell us that there’s no space that His love can’t reach.  There’s no end to amazing grace.  If we cry out to Him He’ll take us in with His arms spread wide.  He’ll never let go, He’ll never leave our side.  And all we have to do is hold on to Him.  In the middle of the storm, we just need to hold on.

No matter what is going on around us, we need to keep our eyes fixed upon Jesus.  Jesus questioned Peter’s faith, but I believe he simply lost focus on what is really important.

Remember the illustration I gave at the start, of the swimmer who stopped within a mile of her goal?  She gave up not because she lacked strength or courage.  She simply lost sight of her goal, she lost focus.

Peter sank not because of the storm or the less than solid path under his feet.  Peter sank because he lost sight of Jesus, he took his eyes off his Lord and Master.  But Jesus saved him and when they reached the boat together, the wind stopped blowing and the sea calmed.  And some sweet day, when Jesus takes us home with Him, the storms of this life will simply fade away.

But until that day we still need to stand up to the wind, face our fears, and step out into the unknown world of tomorrow.  We can do it.  We can do anything if we stay focused on the Lord and follow Him out of our comfort zone.  We can walk on water if we get out of the boat and keep our eyes on Jesus.

Just step out, reach out, and hold on.  Let’s rock the boat.

Amen.

Let us pray…  Lord Jesus, in the middle of the storm You are there for us.  All we have to do is reach out to You, to hold on to You.  O Master, please give us the strength and courage to step out of our boats and walk toward You.  Save us when we falter and begin to sink under the weight of the world.  Forgive us when we lose focus and dwell on the worries of this life rather than on You.  Help us keep our gaze fixed firmly on You and the path You intend for us to follow.

Be patient with us, Lord, as we take baby steps, a little frightened by not knowing just what might lie ahead.  Please keep Satan at bay.  Place a hedge around us that he can’t get through.  The things we try to do for You are often hard enough without him constantly prodding us, humiliating us, and telling us we can’t do what You tell us we can.  We know You are God and can do anything.  But we are human and weak and sometimes feel like there is nothing we can do.  Reach out to us in those times, dear Savior, and save us from drowning in our own dismay.

Thank You, Jesus, for hearing our prayer.  Thank You for Your saving grace and for giving us something to hold on to.  Help us, please Father God, to keep our eyes fixed firmly upon the One who set us free, who reaches out to us even when we turn our back on Him.  May we have the faith and the focus to walk on water when Jesus says, “Come.”  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus we pray.  Amen.