Show Me a Sign

[The following is the manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 31st of May, 2015.  Look for the video on our Vimeo channel, http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Listen and follow along as I read passages from two chapters of the Gospel according to Matthew that sound very similar but that actually came from two separate events in Jesus’ ministry.  I’ll be reading from the New Living Translation of our Bible, the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 12 verses 38 through 40 and chapter 16 verses 1 through 4…

12:38 One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.”

39 But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.”

16:1 One day the Pharisees and Sadducees came to test Jesus, demanding that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority. 

2 He replied, “You know the saying, ‘Red sky at night means fair weather tomorrow; 3 red sky in the morning means foul weather all day.’ You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don’t know how to interpret the signs of the times! 4 Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign, but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.” Then Jesus left them and went away.

--Matthew 12:38-40; 16:1-4 (NLT)

Let us pray…  Father God, our Lord Jesus faced all kinds of people during His walk on earth, many of whom just tried to create problems and cause trouble.  They tested Him at every opportunity.  Father, may we never be like those, may we never test Jesus.  Instead, may we learn more about Him as we listen to the message You have for us this morning.  Speak to us Your words, Father, that we might hear and understand Your will.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.


Upon entering a little country store, a stranger noticed a sign saying "DANGER! BEWARE OF DOG!" posted on the glass door. Inside, he noticed a harmless old hound dog asleep on the floor near the cash register. He asked the store’s owner "Is that the dog folks are supposed to beware of?"

"Yep," the proprietor answered, "That’s him."

The stranger couldn’t help being amused. "That certainly doesn’t look like a dangerous dog to me," he chuckled. "Why in the world did you decide to post that sign?"

"Because," the owner replied, "before I put that sign up, people kept tripping over him."


The real meaning behind a sign isn’t always evident.  Some signs can be a bit misleading.  Some don’t give all the info we might need.  Some can have a hidden message.  But all signs are placed where they can be seen and for a reason, even if we don’t always understand what that reason is at first.


I mentioned that those two scripture passages sound very similar but that they actually came from two different times in Jesus’ ministry.  The first, in Matthew’s chapter 12, came after Jesus had healed a blind and mute man by casting a demon out of him.  The Pharisees accused Jesus of being in league with Satan, the ruler of demons, a charge Jesus refuted with a version of His “house divided” sermon.  So then the Pharisees said, “OK, if you’re really sent from God, then show us a sign from heaven.”  And Jesus responded, “The only sign you need has already been given to you, and you should know it well because it comes from the scripture you cherish.”

The second incident occurred some time after Jesus fed the four thousand, which came after He fed the five thousand, which came well after the first incident.  Again, the Pharisees stepped up to the plate to challenge Jesus.  “Show us some miraculous sign that could only come from heaven”, they demanded.  As if feeding so many people with so little food wasn’t a good enough sign.

This time when He replies, Jesus makes a comparison to what the people already accept as a sign “from heaven”: the aftereffects of a “red sky”.  I learned that one long ago as, “Red sky at morning: sailors take warning!  Red sky at night: sailors delight.”  Again Jesus assures them they have already received the only sign they need to see.

In our Bible Study class recently, we’ve discussed how our Bible often provides the same message in multiple places or books, and often times nearly word for word.  This is especially true of incidents in the ministry of Jesus as recorded by the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke – the Synoptic Gospels.  We noted that when this occurs in the Bible, it indicates this is something really important, something that God wants to make sure we understand.  So He tells us twice, or three times, or more.

Folks, what Jesus is saying here is really important.  We’ve already been given all the signs we need, and not just that of Jonah.  We just need to grasp what we’ve seen.


Our Bible is full of signs from God and from heaven.  The first goes all the way back to the beginning of creation.  In Genesis chapter 1 verse 14…

14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years.”

--Genesis 1:14 (NKJV)

Did you ever think of the sun and the moon and the stars as signs?  For centuries, sailors navigated by the stars, using them as signs for which way to go.  And the constellations are used by the world as astrological signs, if you really believe in that sort of thing.

Then there was this great flood, after which God made a promise to the earth and to mankind.  From Genesis chapter 9 verses 12 through 17…

12 And God said: “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 13 I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 14 It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; 15 and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” 17 And God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.”

--Genesis 9:12-17 (NKJV)

The rainbow we see after a shower or storm is God’s sign of the covenant He made with us.

Many of God’s signs serve as a warning to us, such as seen in Jeremiah chapter 44 verse 29…

29 "And this shall be a sign to you," says the Lord, "that I will punish you in this place, that you may know that My words will surely stand against you for adversity."

--Jeremiah 44:29 (NKJV)

That’s one sign we don’t want to miss or ignore!  Jesus Himself put up a warning sign, as seen in Matthew chapter 24 verses 24 and 25…

24 “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand.”

--Matthew 24:24-25 (NKJV)

And another just a few verses later, still in Matthew chapter 24, verses 29 through 31…

29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

--Matthew 24:29-31 (NKJV)

Of course not all of God’s signs are foreboding.  Many are very dear to us, such as seen in Zechariah chapter 3 verse 8…

8 “Hear, O Joshua, the high priest,
You and your companions who sit before you,
For they are a wondrous sign;
For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH.”

--Zechariah 3:8 (NKJV)

The “Servant”, the “Branch” that God speaks of through Zechariah is our Lord and Savior Jesus.  Isaiah also points to Jesus long before His birth in chapter 19 of his book of prophecy, verse 20, among other places…

20 And it will be for a sign and for a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the Lord because of the oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Mighty One, and He will deliver them.

--Isaiah 19:20 (NKJV)

Remember how the Pharisees tried to test Jesus, how they challenged Him at every step?  Isaiah provides us a glimpse into a conversation between God through Isaiah and King Ahaz of Judah, in chapter 7 verses 10 through 14…

10 Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 11 “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.”

12 But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!”

13 Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”

--Isaiah 7:10-14 (NKJV)

Those are only a few examples of signs that God has provided willingly, for our benefit, to point us in the right direction.

But too often we humans are more like the Pharisees, asking God for some sign, sometimes even demanding He give us a sign.  Just like Gideon did when the “Angel of the Lord” visited him, as recorded in Judges chapter 6 verse 17…

17 Then he said to Him, “If now I have found favor in Your sight, then show me a sign that it is You who talk with me."

--Judges 6:17 (NKJV)

Now before we think that Gideon was making that request of some lowly angel or simple messenger of God, we need to notice that the “A” in “Angel of God” is capitalized, as are the “H” in Him and the “Y” in You.  In the Old Testament, when we read of the “Angel of God” with a capital “A”, we are actually reading of Jesus, before He took on human form – the pre-incarnate Jesus.  So Gideon was asking Jesus to show him a sign that He truly was speaking for God.

We’re like that sometimes, aren’t we?  Don’t we ask for God to show us some sign?  Don’t we want some kind of indication that what we’re about to do is what He wants us to do?  Don’t we at times need assurance that He even exists?  Show me a sign, Lord!  Show me which way to go!  Show me You are really present and active in my life!

Well, Family, what if God is waiting on us to show Him a sign?!?  What if God wants to see some clear indication that we believe in Jesus, that we trust His promises, that we entrust our lives to Him and submit to Him?  What if God wants more of us than a mere recitation of the Apostles’ Creed?

Have we put out signs that clearly show God our faith, our intentions, our love?  We don’t have to guess at what kind of sign or display God might be looking for from us.  Again we can turn to the words of Jesus to find out, as recorded in the Gospel of His beloved disciple John, chapter 13, verses 34 and 35…

34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

--John 13:34-35 (NKJV)

If we truly love one another - just as we love ourselves, just as Jesus loves us – then we will be showing an unmistakable sign to God, one that He will not miss.  If we love each other, our love will be reflected in how we treat them, how we help those in need, how we share the blessings God has poured out over us with all those around us.

If we love one another, God won’t have to ask that we show Him a sign.  He’ll know that we have faith in Him.  He’ll see that we submit ourselves to Jesus and that we do what He commanded us to do.

Our love is one sign that will not escape God’s attention, one sign He will not ignore.  And the neat thing is, other people will see that sign, too.  They’ll know you are a Christian by the love you share.

Please don’t hesitate to put that sign up on the front door of your heart.  You may just keep someone from tripping over the “sleeping dogs” Satan leaves lying around.  And you’ll definitely show God what He so longs to see.

Amen.


Let us pray…  Heavenly Father, everywhere we look we see signs. Some are erected by man to guide us through the world around us.  Some warn us of dangers ahead, some encourage us, some inform us.  For the most part, we tend to follow those signs, for it is usually to our benefit to do so.

But Father, the most important signs are those which You place in our lives.  They also serve to warn, encourage, and inform us.   Sadly, too often we fail to heed them, choosing instead to ignore them, either for the sake of convenience or just because we think they don’t apply to us.  Please help us understand that You place those signs for us to see because You love us and don’t want us to stray from the right path.  Help us to heed the warnings You give, to take heart from Your encouragement, and to enjoy and learn from the information You provide.

Sadder still, our greater failing, Lord, is that too often we ask, even demand, a sign of Your presence without giving You a sign of our faith in You, of our love for one another, of our obedience of Your word, of our submission to Your Son Jesus.  Forgive us, please Father, when we ask so much of You while giving so little of ourselves.

Father God, please listen as we humble ourselves now, bowing silently in Your presence, pleading from our hearts for Your mercy, speaking the words we cannot voice...

Father in heaven, we thank You so much for Your grace and mercy.  We thank You for all the signs You provide to guide us through this life so that we can safely spend eternity with You and Your Son Jesus.  Forgive us, Lord, when we ignore those signs that are so important.  And especially please forgive us when we fail to show You the signs of our obedience, of our faith, of our love.

In the blessed name of Jesus we give You thanks, we ask Your forgiveness, and we pray.  Amen.

Soldiering On

[The following is the manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 24th of May, 2015.  Look for the video on our Vimeo channel, http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

A little while ago the choir sang “Onward Christian Soldiers”, but have you ever considered just what it means to be a Christian soldier?  We’re not really going off to war, not literally.  So what is required of us?

As in all things, our Bible can help clear this up a bit.  Listen and follow along as I read from the Apostle Paul’s letter to his dear friends in the church in Philippi, from chapter 1 verse 27 through chapter 2 verse 11, reading from the New Living Translation of our Bible…

1:27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. 28 Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God Himself. 29 For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for Him. 30 We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.

2:1 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from His love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.  6 Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.  7 Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.  When He appeared in human form, 8 He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

9 Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

--Philippians 1:27-2:11 (NLT)

Let us pray…  Father God, may Your words as preserved by the Apostle Paul resonate within each and every heart this morning.  As we remember all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, may we never forget the One who gave His all for us – Jesus Christ our Lord.  Speak to us now, Father, and give us Your message this day.  In the name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.


A man was working in his backyard one day, when his neighbor began talking to him over the fence. He said, "Yeah, my wife and I went to one of those seminars yesterday, you know, where they teach you ways to improve your memory and such."

His neighbor commented, "Really? What was the name of the speaker?"

The man answered, "Um, ah, what's the name of that flower that smells so good and has thorns?"

"You mean a rose?"

"Yeah, that's it." He turned and called over his shoulder, "Hey Rose, what was the name of that speaker we heard yesterday?"


We humans often have a hard time remembering things. My memory is getting so bad that soon I'll be able to hide my own Easter eggs.  The Lord knows how short our memories are, so throughout the Bible He reminds us of important stuff over and over again - kind of like how a wife reminds her husband of things, over and over and over…


Memorial Day is the US national holiday that has become the traditional start of summer, and especially of summer vacation time.  But much more than that, Memorial Day is for remembering and paying tribute to those people who died while serving in our country’s armed forces, who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.

It had its beginnings shortly after the War Between the States, when General John A. Logan, in his role as Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, proclaimed that “Decoration Day” would be observed throughout the nation on May 30th.  It was a day set aside to place flowers on the graves of war dead, and May 30th was chosen simply because of the usual abundance of flowers in bloom on that date.  There is strong evidence to indicate that General Logan actually copied the annual Confederate Memorial Day custom begun in the South a few years earlier.  Memorial Day, as it soon came to be known, was eventually moved to the last Monday in May as the federal government moved all federal holidays to Mondays.

But did you know that the first Memorial Day actually occurred many thousands of years before America was born, and is recorded in our Holy Bible?  Let me read to you from the book of Exodus, chapter 12 verse 14, as the Lord commands Moses…

14 “This day is to be a memorial for you, and you must celebrate it as a festival to the Lord. You are to celebrate it throughout your generations as a permanent statute.

--Exodus 12:14 (HCSB)

That first “day to be a memorial” was in memory of the Passover and the deliverance of the children of Israel.  OK, so General Logan probably didn’t mean for our Memorial Day to be a celebration, although it seems many in our society treat it as one - a celebration of the beginning of summer.  But stay with me for a bit more Biblical evidence of how important a memorial is to God.

From Joshua chapter 4, verses 4 through 7…

4 So Joshua called together the twelve men he had chosen—one from each of the tribes of Israel. 5 He told them, “Go into the middle of the Jordan, in front of the Ark of the Lord your God. Each of you must pick up one stone and carry it out on your shoulder—twelve stones in all, one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel. 6 We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ 7 Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.”

--Joshua 4:4-7 (NLT)

A memorial serves the purpose of prodding our memory, lest we forget something important.  When children ask what does Memorial Day mean, do you tell them it’s the start of summer vacations, or that it pays homage to all those who gave their lives for the cause of freedom?  That’s what Memorial Day is for: to remind us of the sacrifice of others.

Jesus certainly understood this sacrifice, and He reminds us of it every time we take Holy Communion.  In 1 Corinthians chapter 11 verses 23 through 25, the Apostle Paul relates what Jesus did and said at His last meal with His followers…

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

--1 Corinthians 11:23-25 (NKJV)

Remember Me, Jesus says, and the sacrifice I made for you, for each and every one of you.  Why did He die for us?  Why did all those men and women give their lives for freedom and their country?

According to Jesus, it was for love, as He tells us in the Gospel of John, chapter 15, verse 13…

13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

--John 15:13 (NKJV)

Now I don’t think Jesus really wants us to lay down our life for someone else, just that we be willing to do so.  I think Jesus wants us to live, and to live for Him, to give our lives fully to Him.  And I think that because Paul says it, in his letter to the church in Rome, chapter 12 verse 1…

12 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him.

--Romans 12:1 (NLT)

In the very next verse, Paul warns us not to let ourselves be shaped by the world, by worldly values, but to keep our sights on Jesus.  The same advice applies to the Christian soldier.  Listen to what Paul writes to his protégé Timothy, in his second letter to his young friend, chapter 2 verses 3 and 4…

3 Endure hard times as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No soldier on active duty entangles himself with civilian affairs, that he may please the enlisting officer.

--2 Timothy 2:3-4 (MEV)

It’s almost a guarantee that if you are a true follower of Jesus, if you sincerely try to heed His voice and accept Him as your Lord and Master, Satan will make sure you will face hard times, and that may be putting it mildly.  Paul encourages us to endure those trials and tribulations.

Be a good trooper and stand our ground no matter what Satan throws at us.  But don’t take on the ways of the world to do it!  Don’t lower ourselves to the level of those who would try to tear us down instead of lifting us up.  Don’t get all tangled up with worldly affairs.  And in that way we will please Jesus, our “enlisting officer”.

One of the hardships Paul himself had to endure was a long stint under house arrest in Rome.  He was under constant guard by armed Roman soldiers, which gave him ample opportunity to observe military personnel and armaments.  Much of this crept into his letters, and especially in those he wrote from Rome, such as the one he sent to the church in Ephesus.  In closing the letter, Paul provides excellent advice for us all, even if it is a bit scary.  Listen to Paul’s instructions to the Christian soldier as found in Ephesians chapter 6 verses 10 through 12…

10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

--Ephesians 6:10-12 (NLT)

Christian soldiers, be strong in the Lord, because He is mighty, He is powerful.  We do not have to stand on our own strength, we can stand on God’s!  We can put on His armor which is truth and includes the breastplate of righteousness, the Gospel of peace on our feet to protect us from the obstacles and traps Satan lays, the shield of faith in our Lord Jesus, and the helmet of His salvation.  All of this armor is for our defense.  The only offensive armament we are given is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God as contained in our Holy Bible.

Notice that all of these armaments are spiritual, not physical.  That’s because we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies that physical weapons could harm.  Our enemy is spiritual, those evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world.  Our fight is against evil spirits in the heavenly places.  Our battle is with Satan and his minions and demons.  Physical weapons are worthless in this fight.  We can only stand with God’s strength and His protection, as offered by His full armor.


So, Christian troops. are you ready to soldier on?  Just briefly looking back at Paul’s description from our message text, chapter 1 verse 27 says we must stand together.  Verse 28 instructs that we not let our enemy intimidate us, even if our enemy is the very devil himself!  And verse 29 again offers that promise of having to endure struggles ahead.

Into chapter 2, verse 2 repeats the call to work together with one mind and one purpose.  Verses 3 and 4 caution us not to be selfish or try to impress others, but to be humble and take a genuine interest in them.  And verse 5 sums it all up: have the same attitude as Jesus had while He walked this earth.  None of that is especially tough to accomplish, but the rewards will be great.


In closing, it is right and proper that we take time tomorrow to remember all the men and women who died while serving our country, while serving us.  I would ask that you also pause to remember and honor the millions of Christians who were martyred because of their faith and belief in Jesus.  And let’s never forget Jesus and His sacrifice on our behalf.

For in remembering all these sacrifices and the love behind them and paying honor to them, we also honor our God.  By our faith, by our love, by our acknowledgment of Jesus as our Lord and Master, we will share in God’s glory as members of Christ’s army.

Be blessed.  Soldier on.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Heavenly Father, throughout our Bible Your word encourages us to remember those who gave their all for us.  The grandest example is the great sacrifice Your own Son made on our behalf.  Lord God, You encourage us to press forward, to keep fighting the good fight, to be good soldiers for Christ.  Father we pray that we will never be called on to give our lives for Christ, but if that time should come, please give us the strength to carry out Your will.

Father, the Apostle Paul also encourages that we make of ourselves a living sacrifice, to You and to Jesus.  While we live, Lord, please help us always give of ourselves to Jesus, letting Him use our hands, our tongues, our resources, to carry out His great work upon this land.  So many have given their lives because of their belief in Your Son since Jesus gave His.  May their sacrifices have not been in vain.  May we live on in their memory and continue their work and witnessing with the same strong belief and faith, ever seeking to serve Jesus.

Father God, please listen as we speak to You silently now from our hearts…

Father God, thank You for all the many blessing You shower upon us.  Thank You for all the millions of believers who gave of their lives for Jesus.  Thank You for the great sacrifice Jesus made just for us.  While we breathe, may we dedicate our very lives to Jesus Christ our Lord.  We pray in the glorious name of Jesus and on behalf of all who gave their lives for Him.  Amen.

Lead Us Not Into Temptation

[The following is the manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 17th of May, 2015.]

Before he became Christ’s Apostle Paul, the Pharisee Saul rigorously studied and practiced Mosaic Law and was well versed in the Old Testament scriptures.  Throughout his ministry, Paul made good use of that earlier education and experience, often quoting those old texts and making comparisons from them to his current time.  Today’s scripture reading is an excellent example of this.

Listen and follow along as I read from the Apostle’s first letter to the church in Corinth, chapter 10, verses 1 through 13, using the Contemporary English Version of our Bible…

1 Friends, I want to remind you that all of our ancestors walked under the cloud and went through the sea. 2 This was like being baptized and becoming followers of Moses. 3 All of them also ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink, which flowed from the spiritual rock that followed them. That rock was Christ. 5 But most of them did not please God. So they died, and their bodies were scattered all over the desert. 

6 What happened to them is a warning to keep us from wanting to do the same evil things. 7 They worshiped idols, just as the Scriptures say, “The people sat down to eat and drink. Then they got up to dance around.” So don’t worship idols. 8 Some of those people did shameful things, and in a single day about twenty-three thousand of them died. Don’t do shameful things as they did. 9 And don’t try to test Christ, as some of them did and were later bitten by poisonous snakes. 10 Don’t even grumble, as some of them did and were killed by the destroying angel. 11 These things happened to them as a warning to us. All this was written in the Scriptures to teach us who live in these last days. 

12 Even if you think you can stand up to temptation, be careful not to fall. 13 You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted. But God can be trusted not to let you be tempted too much, and he will show you how to escape from your temptations.

--1 Corinthians 10:1-13 (CEV)

Let us pray…  Father in heaven, give us this day the daily bread of Your word.  May Your servant bring only Your message and may Your children hear only Your voice.  In the blessed name of Your Son Jesus we pray.  Amen.


A man went to his church one day feeling quite burdened with life’s woes and asked his pastor to pray with him.  They walked into the sanctuary and the man knelt at the altar with his pastor by his side.  As he prayed, he uttered a familiar request, one the pastor had heard many times: “Lord, please take the cobwebs out of my life.”  Just at that point the pastor added, “And Lord, please kill the spider.”


Who’s afraid of spiders?  That’s kind of one of those irrational fears, like my fear of all snakes, so strong a fear I don’t even like to see them on TV, where I know they can’t hurt me.  But maybe we’ll see where fearing the spiders in that little story is not at all irrational.


As I mentioned before reading today’s scripture, Paul often used occurrences from the Old Testament days to draw comparisons to his contemporary times.  In this section of his first letter to the members of the church in Corinth, the Apostle is trying to show those modern day Corinthians just how closely they parallel the people of Israel during the days of Moses and their journey through the wilderness.

One rather interesting point I’d like to note comes right in the first verse.  Paul is addressing the folks in Corinth, who are mostly Greek by birth and heritage.  Yet he uses the phrase “our ancestors” when referring to those who walked with Moses.  This would not have been Paul’s audience, or not the majority of it.

We have to look back to chapter 1 verses 1 and 2 of this letter, in Paul’s opening salutation, when he mentions his friend and fellow Christian Sosthenes as being a co-author…

1 From Paul, chosen by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from Sosthenes, who is also a follower. 

2 To God’s church in Corinth. Christ Jesus chose you to be his very own people, and you worship in his name, as we and all others do who call him Lord.

--1 Corinthians 1:1-2 (CEV)

I only bring this up so we can avoid confusion, because it is important to understand that Paul is not trying to say that the people in Corinth have historical roots in Moses and the ancient Hebrews, but that the Corinthians may share some of the same fates as the Israelites.

I believe the most emphatic point of this comparison is when Paul equates the deliverance from sin of believers in Jesus and by their baptism in His name, with the deliverance of the children of Israel from their ordeal as identified by and with Moses in verse 2 of our reading today.  The Corinthians have enjoyed a taste of God’s deliverance, and through Holy Communion they’ve also eaten of the same spiritual food and drank of the same spiritual drink as Moses and his followers, which Paul proclaims all came from Jesus, both in his time and in Moses’ age.

But as seen in what happened to some of the Israelites in verses 5 through 10, just because the Corinthian believers acknowledge Jesus as Christ and take Communion in His name, they cannot assume that God will be pleased with each one of them without exception.  And of course, since this is God’s word for us, we should take note that we cannot make that assumption either.  I believe we are still plagued by one of the major concerns that Paul tried to address in the church at Corinth, one aspect of life then and now that could easily cause us not to act in a manner pleasing to God: falling prey to temptation.


Corinth was a metropolitan city, a major hub of trade and commerce, just like many of our major cities today.  And just like today, Corinth played host to all manner of tempting vices and choices people could make in how they lived.

Temptation is something mankind has struggled with since man and woman were first created, when they still dwelt in a beautiful garden called Eden.  The serpent tempted Eve and she did not resist.  Eve tempted Adam and he did not resist.  They sinned against God and we’re all still paying the price to this day.  In effect, Adam and Eve tried to test God and the command He had given them.  Paul warned the Corinthians not to do that, in verse 9 of our scripture reading, or they might suffer a fate like the Israelites did when they tested God in the dessert.  Paul didn’t want the Corinthians, or us, to get all smug thinking we might be able to get away with tempting God, even as we allow ourselves to be tempted in so many ways.

God warns us not to test Him or His patience, and not only from the pen of Paul but also in the words He gave His prophet Malachi, in chapter 3 of his book, verses 14 through 15…

14 Here is what you have said: “It’s foolish to serve the Lord God All-Powerful. What do we get for obeying him and from going around looking sad? 15 See how happy those arrogant people are. Everyone who does wrong is successful, and when they put God to the test, they always get away with it.”

--Malachi 3:14-15 (CEV)

Jesus knew we would face great temptation in our lives.  He Himself was tempted, over and over again by Satan.  Jesus resisted that temptation, but He knew we would struggle.  So He wants us to pray to God for help to resist.  We often repeat Jesus’ words recorded in Matthew chapter 6 verses 12 through 14…

12 “And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”

--Matthew 6:12-14 (NKJV)

I included the first part of that because I have to ask, would we consider not forgiving someone to be a form of succumbing to temptation?  For a moment let’s put aside that Jesus warns us that we will be forgiven by God in the same way that we forgive others.  If we don’t want to forgive someone because what they did was so hurtful, so horrible, aren’t we allowing ourselves to be tempted by Satan to carry a grudge, to let our anger fester, to wish harm on someone that God created and loves?  This is just what we are asking God to deliver us from when we pray as our Lord taught us.  We are asking for deliverance from temptation and from the evil one, Satan.


So what tempts us?  What are some of our hot buttons?  What most easily causes us to act in a way that displeases God?  Is it holding a grudge, like I mentioned?  Or maybe we just can’t resist spreading some juicy piece of gossip, or passing along some snide comment, or even just believing something bad we hear about other folks.

Do we eat too much, drink too much, want too much?  Do we cheat on our taxes, or in our relationships?  Do we get caught up in watching internet porn or living a lifestyle that our Bible warns is immoral?  What about pride - do we love ourselves far more than we love all others, even more than we love Jesus?

What temptation do we fall prey to?  What are our spiders?


Maybe you were wondering how the little story I started out with relates to this message of resisting temptation.  The man asked God to clean out the cobwebs in his life; the pastor asked that God kill the spider.  Too often we try to clean up the mess we make in our lives without fully dealing with the source of the mess.  We’re like doctors who treat the symptoms their patients experience without looking for the underlying cause of the disease.

Why clean out the cobwebs if we leave the spider to create more?  Why seek forgiveness of our sin if we don’t stop committing the sin?  Why ask for forgiveness if we leave the source of temptation to create more sin?

Lead us not into temptation.  We must remove the source of our temptation from our life, or remove ourselves from the source of our temptation when it pops its head up.  Kill the spider and you won’t have to keep cleaning up the cobwebs time after time after time.


When we truly examine ourselves and look at those snares the devil places in our path, we may encounter temptations we find humanly impossible to resist.  Addictions are forms of temptations that are especially tough to break, whether they addict us in body or spirit, or both.  But addictions can be broken, and even the strongest temptations can be resisted.

Jesus told us how, in the prayer He taught us.  Paul told us how, in the last verse of today’s scripture reading, verse 13.  God gave us the means, the strength to resist Satan’s temptations.  All we have to do is pray for His help.  But more than that, He will not allow Satan to tempt us more than we can handle!  He will show us how to escape temptation if we just ask Him.  Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one!

Paul includes a warning, in verse 12, that we not get too confident in our own strength to resist, or we just might fall into that or some other temptation trap.  But I believe there is a deeper concern in his words, a hidden rebuke to us all.  If God will shield us from temptations greater than we can withstand, then we can no longer use our temptations as an excuse for sinning!  If we can ask God for help in resisting whatever tempts us the most, then we no longer have grounds for saying the devil and his enticements cause us to sin.  We have to face the full responsibility of our actions.  It’s easier and ultimately more rewarding to ask for God’s help, and to accept it when given.

So go ahead and clean out the cobwebs.  But don’t forget to kill the spider as well.

Amen.


Let us pray…  Heavenly Father, no matter what our need might be, You graciously provide a means for that need to be filled.  Just as You saw to the needs of the children of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, You provide for us throughout our lives.  You even give us a way to avoid Satan’s snares if we simply ask.

But Father there are just so many of those traps laid all around us.  We are bombarded daily, and from all angles, with every manner and type of temptation.  Even Paul and those in the city of Corinth could not possibly have dreamed of just how easy it is to find and acquire whatever might delight us, and especially in those actions and behavior that would displease You so much.  The internet, the entertainment industry, the people we meet and know and associate with all present us with temptations that are very difficult to avoid.  Some, in our own strength, we find impossible to resist.  But Father You give us the means to resist if we only ask for Your help.  Help us, please Father.  Lead us not into temptation.  Deliver us from Satan and his demons.  Help us walk away from anything and everything that would cause us to lose Your favor.

Father, we know now that when we ask for that help and when You give it, we can no longer make excuses.  Jesus gives us the authority and Your Holy Spirit gives us the power to resist temptation and to behave only in ways that please You.  Forgive us, Father.  We know our sin, and we understand that we must repent of our sin.

Hear us now, Lord, as we seek Your help, as we offer our repentance from our hearts…

And now, Father, please hear us as we pray in the name of Jesus and as He 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 debts, as we forgive our debtors.  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.

Worth More Than Rubies

[The following is the manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 10th of May, 2015.]

10 Who can find a virtuous woman?
For her worth is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband safely trusts in her,
so that he will have no lack of gain.
12 She will do him good and not evil
all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
and works willingly with her hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
she brings her food from afar.
15 She also rises while it is yet night,
and gives food to her household,
and a portion to her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She clothes herself with strength,
and strengthens her arms.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is good;
her candle does not go out by night.
19 She lays her hands to the spindle,
and her hands hold the distaff.
20 She stretches out her hand to the poor;
yes, she reaches forth her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed with scarlet.
22 She makes herself coverings of tapestry;
her clothing is silk and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates,
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes fine linen and sells it,
and delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 Strength and honor are her clothing,
and she will rejoice in time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and in her tongue is the teaching of kindness.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household,
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many daughters have done virtuously,
but you excel them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her own works praise her in the gates.

--Proverbs 31:10-31 (MEV)

Let us pray…  Father God, we come before You this morning to worship You and to celebrate our Mothers.  Mothers set shining examples of Your love and the love Jesus would have us show the world.  Speak to us this morning, Lord, that we might hear the deeper message You have for us.  Speak to us, that we might better know Your will.  In the beautiful and blessed name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.


Ok, husbands, I may be a little late with this, but the most difficult shopping decisions you'll ever make are those over what to buy your wife, whether for Mother's Day or Christmas or her birthday or your anniversary.  Many a man has faced great, enduring silence and felt extremely frigid temperatures for very long periods simply because they made a poor decision regarding just such a gift.  So allow me to offer you some hints on what not to give your wife:

Don't buy anything that plugs in.  If it requires electricity, it will be seen as utilitarian.

Don't buy clothing that involves sizes. The chances are one in seven thousand that you will get her size right, and your wife will be offended the other 6999 times. "Do I look like a size 16?" she'll say. Too small a size doesn't cut it either: "I haven't worn a size 6 in 20 years!"

Avoid all things useful. The new silver polish advertised to save hundreds of hours in the kitchen is not going to win you any brownie points.

Don't buy anything that involves weight loss or self-improvement. She'll perceive a six-month membership to a gym or diet center as a suggestion that's she's overweight.

Don't buy jewelry. The jewelry your wife wants, you can't afford. And the jewelry you can afford, she doesn't want.

Do not fall into the traditional trap of buying her frilly underwear. Your idea of the kind your wife should wear and what she actually wears are light years apart.

Finally, don't spend too much. "How do you think we're going to afford that?", she'll ask.  But don't spend too little, either. She won't say anything, but she'll think, "Is that all I'm worth?"

There.  Does that help?


Mother’s Day is a relatively modern observance of the time-honored institution of motherhood.  And let’s face it – none of us would even be here if not for that institution.  Motherhood was given to us by God, as part of His grand scheme for His creation, who gave us written instructions on just how important this is to Him, and to us.  The institution of motherhood is so greatly significant to our Creator that He etched it in stone and handed it down to Moses as part of the Ten Commandments, clearly evident in Deuteronomy chapter 5, verse 16…

16 ‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.’

--Deuteronomy 5:16 (NKJV)

The Apostle Paul found it necessary to reiterate this crucial importance, perhaps because we are so thick-headed, we humans, and forgetful.  In the 6th chapter of his letter to the church in Ephesus, verses 1 through 3, Paul wrote…

6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: 3 “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”

--Ephesians 6:1-3 (NKJV)

Paul himself makes a very important distinction here in his letter to the Ephesians.  The first four commandments deal with our relationship with God while the remaining six are about our relationships with each other.  In the Reformed tradition, we generally consider “Honor thy father and thy mother” to be the fifth commandment, or the first of the human relations commandments.  Paul notes that of the ten, this is the first commandment that also comes with a promise.  “Honor your father and mother, that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth”.

Need a little more?  In the 6th chapter of his Proverbs, verses 20 and 21, Solomon instructs us…

20 My son, keep your father’s command,
And do not forsake the law of your mother.
21 Bind them continually upon your heart;
Tie them around your neck.

--Proverbs 6:20-21 (NKJV)

But today isn’t Father’s Day – that will come soon enough.  This day is for mothers, and not just in the traditional sense.

For some women, motherhood is an accident, and not necessarily a welcome one.  For some, biological motherhood simply isn’t possible.  For some, motherhood under the very best of circumstances is still less than a bed of roses.  And sadly, some mothers just aren’t all that nice.  But these are all still mothers, and someone somewhere loves them – Jesus loves them, God loves them.

Could some mothers have been better?  Could any mother be better?  According to King Solomon, Yes, as can any woman if they follow his counsel in Proverbs 31.

A virtuous woman serves God with all of her heart, mind, and soul, seeking His will for her life and following His ways.  If married, she respects her husband and is a true and trustworthy helper to him.  If a mother, she teaches her children the ways of God, nurtures them with the love of Christ, disciplines them with care and wisdom, and trains them in the path they should follow.  She takes care her body and prepares healthy food for her family.

She serves her husband, her family, her friends, and her neighbors with a gentle, loving, and charitable spirit.  She spends money wisely, being careful to purchase quality items that her family needs.  She works diligently, praising God rather than grumbling as she completes her tasks.  She is a homemaker, creating a loving, inviting and warm environment for her family and guests.

She uses her time wisely, being diligent to complete her daily tasks while not wasting time on activities that do not please the Lord.  And lastly, she is a woman of worth and beauty, worth more than rubies, and with an inner beauty that only comes from Christ.

Doesn’t all of that apply to a mother?  Doesn’t most of this fit your mother?

Not all mothers can fully live up to all of those virtuous behaviors in their entirety.  But all of us should strive to do so, to live these virtues every day of our lives – men and women.  OK, so men aren’t going to be mothers, but they may find themselves being both father and mother at some point – I did.  And nurturing, disciplining, and training are all part of being a father too.

As long as we’re looking at these virtues and applying them to everyone, at least to some level, what can we do to grow these characteristics within ourselves?

First and foremost, we must seek Jesus – reject the world’s lie that anything or anyone else can fully satisfy us, can completely fill that hole within us that seems to cry out for more… only Jesus can.  We can love God, love others, and not be afraid to show our love, always exercising gentleness and kindness in our dealings.

We should let our inner beauty show through, investing only in that reflection of Christ within us, that continues to shine long after our outward beauty fades.  We must stay humble, being always alert that our enemy “pride” not sneak into our conversations and actions, keeping watch that our motives not be selfish.

And we must serve our Lord, fully surrendering to Jesus, giving Him our all and serving no other master, such as fame or fortune or power.  Man or woman, father or mother - all of us can become more virtuous in the eyes of God if we strive to follow these few directions.


This is Mother’s Day and I don’t want to take away all our focus on this time of remembering and honoring those who gave us life.  Nor do I want us to overlook the many forms of mothers we might see today, as we noted in our Congregational Reading earlier.

We have mothers still with us, and mothers who have passed on.  We have single mothers, and those soon to become mothers.  We have those who willingly accepted another’s child and mothered them as her own, and those who had to give up their child, for whatever reason.  We have those who lost a child, and those who desperately want a child but can never have one.  We have those who serve as a mother figure to many, and we even have some fathers trying valiantly to fill the role of mother in some child’s life.

Jesus cared about all mothers, not just His own, when He gave His beloved disciple a command as He hung from the cross.  John recorded the scene for us in his Gospel account, chapter 19, verses 25 through 27…

25 But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, here is your son.” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time, this disciple took her to his own home.

--John 19:25-27 (MEV)

We are charged by Jesus to take care of all mothers, not just our own.  We are to help see to the needs of the single mother, the mother in prison, the mother who is a stranger in our land, the mother who abused her child.

Jesus commands us to love, unconditionally – it’s His job to judge, not ours.  Our job is to love, to help others when they truly need help, no matter how they got into the situation they are in.  We are to love each other as He loves us, as we love ourselves, as we love our own mother.

So this Mother’s Day, honor your mother.  If she’s still with us, then visit with her, in person or at least on the phone, give her a little treat, just make that special effort to show her how much you love her and thank her for all she’s done for you.  If she has already passed on, then show her your love by extending that love to others, to other mothers.

Make a difference in the life of someone else by volunteering with an agency that deals specifically with the needs of mothers, whether with those that are single or unwed or homeless or imprisoned or divorced or financially strapped.  By doing this, you will not only be helping the mother, but her children as well.

This Mother’s Day, as we honor our mothers, let’s honor God as well.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Amen.


Let us pray…  Heavenly Father, wise King Solomon provides us with a good description of a virtuous woman.  But Lord, if we ourselves are wise, we can see characteristics of virtue that we should all exhibit in our daily lives so that we might be virtuous in Your eyes.

Father in Your grand scheme for life, You created mothers so that we would have someone to hold us, to nurture us, to love us unconditionally, to protect us when we are at our most vulnerable.  In short, Father, You created Mothers to be almost like Jesus to us.  We love our Mothers, Lord, and we love You.

Lord Jesus, we know that it is not just our own mothers we should love, but all mothers and each other as well.  When You spoke to John saying, “This is your mother”, you spoke to us too, telling us to look out after those who may no longer have someone to see to their needs.  You tell us to love all others, and to show that love in tangible ways.

Father God, hear us in this quiet moment as we pause to cry out to You from our hearts.  Whisper Your will in our ear.  Speak to us that we might better follow Your voice…

Father God, thank You for our mothers.  Lord Jesus, thank You for showing us that we have more mothers than just those who gave birth to us.  May we show You our honor and our love by showing all mothers and all people our honor and our love.  In the name of our Savior and Master Jesus we pray.  Amen.

Spring Planting

[The following is the manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 3rd of May, 2015.]

The book of Ecclesiastes tells us that “to everything there is a season”, “a time to plant and a time to harvest”.  Spring is our season, our time, to plant.  So I’d like us to take inventory of our seed stores.

Listen and follow along as I read to you from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the churches in Galatia, chapter 6, verses 1 through 10, using the Contemporary English Version of our Bible…

1 My friends, you are spiritual. So if someone is trapped in sin, you should gently lead that person back to the right path. But watch out, and don’t be tempted yourself. 2 You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand.

3 If you think you are better than others, when you really aren’t, you are wrong. 4 Do your own work well, and then you will have something to be proud of. But don’t compare yourself with others. 5 We each must carry our own load.

6 Share every good thing you have with anyone who teaches you what God has said.

7 You cannot fool God, so don’t make a fool of yourself! You will harvest what you plant. 8 If you follow your selfish desires, you will harvest destruction, but if you follow the Spirit, you will harvest eternal life. 9 Don’t get tired of helping others. You will be rewarded when the time is right, if you don’t give up. 10 We should help people whenever we can, especially if they are followers of the Lord.

--Galatians 6:1-10 (CEV)

Let us pray…  Father God, of the four season You gave us, Spring is so refreshing and beautiful.  The renewal of Your garden reminds us of the resurrection of Your Son and our Lord Jesus.  Renew our spirits this morning, Father, as we gather here to receive Your message.  Touch our hearts with Your Holy Spirit that we might be changed.  In the beautiful name of Jesus we pray.  Amen.


A man brand new to farming called up the NC State University department of agricultural sciences and asked for help.  The university sent a professor out to assist the newbie farmer.

“What is it you want to produce on your farm?”, asked the professor after introducing himself to the farmer.

“Chickens”, the farmer replied.

“Well,” responded the professor, “there are a lot of successful chicken farms in this area.  What seems to be the problem you’re experiencing?”

With exasperation evident in his voice, the farmer replied, “I just can’t get any chickens to grow.  I’ve tried and tried, but none grow.”

Puzzled, the professor asked, “Why not?  What process are you using?”

The farmer waved his hand across the newly plowed field they happened to be standing in and lamented, “I’ve planted chicken seed time after time,  and at varying depths in the soil.  I’ve watered it and weeded around it and loved on it.  But no chickens comes up!”

Absolutely astonished, the professor looked at the farmer and replied, “Chicken seed?  Do you mean chicken feed?!?  You silly man.  You can’t plant chicken feed in the dirt and expect chickens to spring up!  You have to plant these!”, he said, handing the farmer an egg.


I’d say both the farmer and the professor were a little confused about growing chickens.  But they at least had the right idea as far as what Paul tells us.  You will grow what you sow.  Maybe not chickens, but certainly corn, like I was telling the kids a moment ago.  You can’t plant tomato seeds and expect to harvest corn.

And that’s what Paul tells us: you will harvest what you plant.  So I’d like for us to look at what we sow during our walk through this life.  What seeds are we planting?  Or perhaps more to the point, what kind of seeds are we planting?


If we look at the book of Job, chapter 4 verse 8, his “friend” Eliphaz warns Job…

8 Even as I have seen,
Those who plow iniquity
And sow trouble reap the same.

--Job 4:8 (NKJV)

If we plow sin and sow trouble, we can expect to receive sin and trouble in return.  If we spread gossip or lies about others, we can expect someone else to gossip or lie about us.  If we purpose to bring grief to someone, to cause them problems, then somewhere along the line grief will befall us, problems will come back to haunt us.  The wheel of life - what goes around comes around.

And really, what kind of person would we be if we fell into that trap, if we sowed sin and trouble?  The wise King Solomon tells us exactly what kind of person we’d be, in Proverbs 6, verses 12 through 19…

12 A worthless person, a wicked man,
Walks with a perverse mouth;
13 He winks with his eyes,
He shuffles his feet,
He points with his fingers;
14 Perversity is in his heart,
He devises evil continually,
He sows discord.
15 Therefore his calamity shall come suddenly;
Suddenly he shall be broken without remedy.
16 These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
17 A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
19 A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren.

--Proverbs 6:12-19 (NKJV)

We’re not worthless or wicked, are we?  We don’t talk ill of others, or point fingers at them.  We don’t try to cause discord or shatter harmony anywhere.  We don’t let our pride make us do things we might regret later on.  We don’t think bad things on others, that maybe someone who wronged us might suffer some harm themselves.  And we never would tell a lie about someone else, or spread gossip about them.  Right?

If any of those bring a twinge of guilt, if we can see ourselves doing any of these or anything like them, then we have been sowing seeds of discord.  We’ve planted some bad seeds.  And somewhere, sometime, we will reap a harvest we will not want.  Bad will come to us, just as we delivered bad to others.

How bad?  That depends.  If we believe in Jesus and follow His voice, then our salvation is assured but we’ll still have to stand in judgment and answer to Jesus for the bad we’ve done, and accept whatever response He might make.  But if we don’t truly believe in Jesus, if we haven’t followed His commandments, if we have not surrendered ourselves to Him or don’t really accept Him as our Master, if we haven’t repented of our sin, then He may just say “depart from Me for I never knew you”.  So spreading bad seeds can have really bad results.


What are some of the types of seeds?  If we’re going to take inventory, we need to know what kind of seeds there are to see which ones we have on hand.  Paul tells us we will reap what we sow, so the crop we harvest will tell us what seed was planted.  That’s kind of a round-about way of answering the question, but let’s look at chapter 5 of Paul’s same letter to the Galatians, in verses 19 through 23…

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

--Galatians 5:19-23 (NKJV)

Bad seeds show up as fruits of the flesh, or the desires of the flesh: adultery, sexual relations outside the bonds of marriage, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, drunkenness, revelries, and so much more.  If we’re honest with ourselves, I believe each of us can see some of those fruits in our lives.

But then Paul goes on to say that the fruits that result from seeds planted by the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Again, I think we can all see those in our lives as well.

But which fruits do we see the most of?  If we take a good, cold, hard look at ourselves and see more of the rotten fruit than the good, then we must go into our storehouse, destroy all the bad seed we can find, and start planting only good seed!  Paul lays it out quite clearly in 2 Corinthians, chapter 9, verse 6, when he declares…

6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

--2 Corinthians 9:6 (NKJV)

Yes, that is the exact verse I mentioned to the kids a few minutes ago.  Not only will we reap what we sow, but we will reap how we sow.  The more bad seed we spread, the more bad things we can expect to come our way.  But if we repent of our sinful ways, of planting those bad seeds, and turn our back on them and start planting only good seed, then we will be rewarded with a good and bountiful harvest, if not in this life then when we face our Lord Jesus and He shows us our treasure stored up in heaven.

In verse 7 of today’s scripture reading, Paul tells us we can’t fool God – to try doing so only makes fools of ourselves.  In verse 1 he tells us to help others that may be struggling with sin, but to watch out because we can easily be tempted to sin ourselves.  Verse 2 instructs us to offer each other a helping hand, because, as verse 3 says, we really aren’t better than anyone else.  Verse 6: share every good thing you have.

Share smiles, not frowns.  If you hear a juicy tidbit of gossip, don’t spread it – let it stop with you.  Speak kindly of others, or don’t speak of them at all.  Help defuse tense situations, don’t add fuel to the fire.  Keep your little snide remarks to yourself and instead express happiness to others in having the Holy Spirit alive and well within you.  Keep your pride in check, but be quick to praise others for doing good.  Let joy be seen on your face and let the peace of God be evident in your every act.  Don’t complain about any little thing, but smile and help share the sufferings of others.

Be kind, be good, be gentle, be faithful – to yourself, to others, and to Jesus.  And most of all, spread love with every step you take.  Plant seeds of love, and sow them bountifully.  Let your love for all others show in everything you do, everything you say, every move you take and every decision you make.

Love is what our Lord Jesus is all about.  Love is what He gives us.  Love is what He asks of us - love for Him, love for God our Father, and love for each other.  Cast the good seed of love all around you, and you will harvest the fruits of love in tremendous measure.

Amen.


Let us pray…  Lord Jesus, when You walked this earth You sowed the most beautiful of seeds, the word of our Father God and His offer of everlasting life through You.  And all He asks is that we believe in You as His Son.  Lord, we know that when we truly believe, we want to do so much more.  We want to turn from our sins and return to God.  We want to love each other the way that You, Christ Jesus, love us.  We want to help those in need.  We want to provide for the advancement of Your kingdom.  We want to go out into the world making disciples for You, Lord, until that day when every knee shall bow at the mere mention of Your name and every tongue shall proclaim Your sovereign lordship.

But Lord, too often we find it easier to sow seeds that only bear rotten fruit.  We delight in gossip, both hearing it and sharing it.  We tell small lies, even if just to spare someone’s feelings.  We call our neighbor a fool.  We accuse, we point fingers, we judge.  We do things we shouldn’t do and don’t do things we should.  We want to plant the seeds that bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit in our lives, but we end up with weeds throughout our garden, strangling those good plants we manage to get to grow.

Dearest Jesus, our heads are bowed and our hearts are humbled.  We offer our silent pleas for Your help, Your intervention over our lives.  Hear us in this quiet moment, and speak to us that we might better follow Your voice…

Lord Jesus, we know we cannot fool our Father in heaven, we know we will harvest what we sow.  Please help us be better sowers, Lord.  Show us the fruits our actions will produce before we make mistakes.  We don’t want to be seen as wicked in our Father’s eyes.  Help us plant only good seed, and remind us to sow bountifully so that we can receive a bountiful harvest in return.  In Your most blessed name, Christ Jesus we pray.  Amen.