Second Chances

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on the Sunday morning before New Year's Day, the 29th of December, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Traditionally, each new year is seen as giving us an opportunity to make things right in our life.  We get another chance to do something better.  If there was ever a person given a second chance who made the most of it, that person had to be Saul, better known to us as the Apostle Paul.

Saul was a Pharisee, and best known in his day as a great persecutor of the early Christian church, yet he became arguably the greatest evangelist and church planter that ever lived.  How did that miraculous change come about?

Listen and follow along as Paul recounts his conversion to King Agrippa during one of the many times he was under arrest.  This account was recorded by the Apostle Luke in his Book of the Acts of the Apostles, in chapter 26 verses 4 through 18, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

4 “My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. 5 They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 6 And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. 7 To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. 8 Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?

9 “Indeed, I myself thought I must do many things against the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 This I also did in Jerusalem, and many of the saints I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 And I punished them often in every synagogue and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly enraged against them, I persecuted them even to foreign cities.

12 “While thus occupied, as I journeyed to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief priests, 13 at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me. 14 And when we all had fallen to the ground, I heard a voice speaking to me and saying in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17 I will rescue you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’"

--Acts 26:4-18 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, throughout the history of mankind, You have given us chance after chance to do the right thing.  Our Bible records many instances of how Your people would do wrong and You’d punish them, but then You’d forgive them and open Your heart to them once again.  Father, thank You for Your loving kindness, Your mercy, Your forgiveness.  Thank You for all the second chances You give us.  Please help us do what is right in Your eyes.  Help us accomplish the task that You have set us aside to perform.

Speak to us now, Father, through Your Spirit, with the message we need to hear this morning.  Show us how we can better serve You and Jesus.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


A police officer stopped a teen-age girl after calls that a car had been seen going around her neighborhood in reverse for quite some time.  The girl told the officer that her parents had let her use the car, but she had put too much mileage on it.  "I was just trying to unwind some of it," she said.

And then there’s the college football coach who was faced with the possibility that his star player might be declared academically ineligible.  He pleaded with the math professor not to flunk the kid.  "Tell you what, coach," said the professor, "I'll ask him a question in your presence.  If he gets it right, I'll pass him."  The athlete was called in, and the prof asked, "What's two and two?"  "Four," replied the player.  Frantically the coach cried out, "Give him another chance!  Give him another chance!"


Sometimes we have weird ways of trying to get another chance in this life.  The young driver was apparently trying to get another chance to drive the family car again by removing some of the miles she had put on it.  And there may be the rare occasion when we think we need a second chance but we actually don’t.  I feel those times to be few and far between, though.  Jesus died so that our sins might be forgiven and forgotten, but then we just keep on sinning, even making up new sins as we go along.  That’s where God’s mercy comes in, giving us second chances.

During their association together, Peter often said or did something dumb and Jesus would rebuke him.  But then Peter did something many of us cringe to think about.  He denied Jesus when He was arrested, denied walking with Him for the past three years, denied ever even knowing Him.  Yet in the 21st chapter of the Apostle John’s Gospel account, we see where Jesus gives Peter another chance, restores him as a disciples, shows His love and forgiveness.

And here we stand, showered by God’s love and mercy, given yet another chance to do things right, to make things better.  What will we do with this opportunity?


As I mentioned at the start, Paul is a great example of second chances.  He was a Pharisee, strong in his faith, active in his duties, very dedicated to carrying our God’s work.  And that is why he persecuted the early Christians.  That is why he brought them to trial and voted for their death.  That is why he even traveled to distant lands, to bring the converted Jews back to Jerusalem to stand trial for their heresy.

Everything Paul did was done out of devout service to God, as he and the rest of the Pharisees saw it.  But then Jesus showed him just how blind he was, by taking away his sight.  The Lord could have left him blind, or worse, and that would have been fitting.  Instead, Jesus showed Paul the truth, then restored his sight and put him to work.

The great prophet Isaiah foretold how the Messiah would restore sight to the blind, among other things.  Listen to one incident that occurred early in Jesus’ ministry, as recorded by Luke in his Gospel account, chapter 4 verses 16 through 21…

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

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

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

--Luke 4:16-21 (NKJV)

The part Jesus read comes from Isaiah chapter 61, verse 1 and the first part of verse 2.  As I’ve mentioned before, Isaiah lived and died around 700 years before Jesus was even born.  And yet, Jesus noted that what Isaiah foretold so long ago, had come true and stood before them that day in Nazareth.

Jesus brought us the good news that salvation and forgiveness are within our grasp.  He came to heal those whose hearts have been broken by the burden of sin.  He offers freedom to all who are held captive by sin.  He restores our spiritual sight so that we might see the truth.  He sets us free from Satan’s oppression, from eternal death.  By His sacrifice, He gave us all a second chance: a second chance at being forgiven, a second chance at being redeemed in God’s eyes.

Jesus gave Paul a second chance so that he could be a minister and a witness for Jesus, in order to turn the Gentiles from darkness - from blindness - to light, from the power of Satan to God, so that all who believe might receive forgiveness of sins.  And Paul certainly took full advantage of his second chance, serving Jesus even while he himself was severely persecuted, often beaten and imprisoned.  He persevered through hardships and trials we’ll never experience, even as his health failed, even as his own execution neared.  Paul came to us, the Gentiles, to show us the truth and the light that is Jesus, the fulfillment of scripture and prophecy.  He showed us by his own example just what it means to get a second chance.

Family, what have we done with our second chance?  We who believe have been forgiven of our disobedient ways, washed of our sin by the precious blood of Jesus.  Our eyes have been opened to the truth of Jesus as Lord, as God, as our Master and our Savior.  We have been given the chance to be a minister and witness for Jesus, to preach the Gospel to the poor in spirit, to show those who are still captive to sin how they can be freed, to open the eyes of the blind.

A new year is upon us.  Let’s proclaim it to be the acceptable year of our Lord.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, Your servant Isaiah told the world of Your Son’s coming and what that would mean to us.  Yet Your people remained deaf, and would not hear.  They chose to stay blind, and would not see.  Thank You, Father, for giving us a second chance to hear and see the truth.  Thank You for sending Your Son to save us from ourselves.  Please help us honor the chance You have given us to better ourselves, to be more righteous in Your sight.  Please help us better serve You and Jesus.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our disobedient ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…

Lord Jesus, You were the fulfillment of prophesy spoken long before Your birth.  You offer truth and forgiveness, yet so many prefer blindness and death.  Help us, please Lord, to take full advantage of the many chances You and our Father God offer us, chances to serve You, chances to be better, chances to help others.  Restore our sight, Lord Jesus, and use us as You will.  This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Sorrow Turned Into Joy

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on the fourth Sunday morning in Advent, the 22nd of December, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

As the time for Jesus to make the ultimate sacrifice approached, He tried to explain what would soon transpire.  He had talked about this before, using parables and terms His followers might be able to understand.  But they just didn’t get it, and His fate was closing in, so Jesus made it a bit more straight-forward.  He knew how His passing would affect these men who had walked with Him these three years.  So He wanted to comfort them and let them know they would see Him again, and that then they would know true and everlasting joy.

Please listen and follow along to what Jesus told His disciples, and through them speaks to us as to what we can expect in this life and in the next.  This comes from the Apostle John’s Gospel account, chapter 16 verses 16 through 24, reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

16 “A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father.”

17 Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “What is this that He says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I go to the Father’?” 18 They said therefore, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is saying.”

19 Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, “Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’? 20 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.

23 “And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."

--John 16:16-24 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You sent Your own Son into this world to offer us salvation.  Through Jesus, all the sorrows we experience in this life will be forgotten and turned into joy when we next see Him, but only if we truly believe in Him and follow His command.  Help us, please Father, to love and to serve others, to show them Your goodness, to tell them of Your Son.  Help us to spread at least some measure of joy across the earth as we serve with gladness and joy in our hearts.

Speak to us now, Father, through Your Spirit, with the message we need to hear this morning.  Show us how we can better serve You and Jesus.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


Let me read to you from a short article that appeared in the May 1993 issue of the magazine, Turning Point:

Men have pursued joy in every avenue imaginable. Some have successfully found it, while others have not.  Perhaps it would be easier to describe where joy cannot be found:

Not in Unbelief - Voltaire was an infidel, an unbeliever, of the most pronounced type.  He wrote: "I wish I had never been born."

Not in Pleasure - Lord Byron lived a life of pleasure if anyone ever did.  He wrote: "The worm, the canker, and grief are mine alone."

Not in Money - American millionaire Jay Gould had plenty of that.  When dying, he said: "I suppose I am the most miserable man on earth."

Not in Position and Fame - Lord Beaconsfield enjoyed more than his share of both.  He wrote: "Youth is a mistake; manhood a struggle; old age a regret."

Not in Military Glory - Alexander the Great conquered the known world in his day.  Having done so, he wept in his tent then said, "There are no more worlds to conquer."

Where then is real joy found?  The answer is simple: in Christ alone.


Real joy is found in Christ alone.  You’ve probably figured out by now that I enjoy words, their meanings and origins.  One dictionary definition of "joy" is the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying.

There are times when we should be filled with joy, yet find ourselves overcome with grief.  When a loved one who was a true believer passes away, we should rejoice that they are free of this life and its turmoil and now safely with Jesus, but the most overwhelming emotion we feel is grief and pain.  And all too often when we do feel joyful, our happiness quickly turns to anguish or sorrow.

Last week we looked at how the peace Jesus offers is not like what the world can provide.  That’s because any peace the world might give quickly deteriorates back into turmoil, while the peace we receive from Jesus is everlasting.  And the same holds true for joy, real joy.  Any joy we might feel from worldly things quickly fades away as life reasserts itself.  But Jesus promises that the joy we believers will receive when we see Him again will not fade, nor can it be taken from us.  Everlasting peace, everlasting joy.


It was around this same time, just before Jesus was arrested, that He tried to explain some of this using parables.  One I’m sure you’re familiar with involved the servants and the talents.  The master was about to leave for an extended trip and entrusted some talents into his servants’ care.  Two invested the money and returned a profit to their master, while the third did nothing with his share.

The Apostle Matthew recorded Jesus as He told what the master said to the two that put to good use the resources entrusted to them.  This comes from Matthew’s Gospel account, chapter 25, verse 21…

21 "His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’" 

--Matthew 25:21 (NKJV)

“Well done, good and faithful servant.”  Isn’t that what we all want to hear when we see Jesus face to face?  Don’t we want to enter into the joy of our Master?

The fullness of joy comes from serving others, from using the talents our Master has entrusted into our care to see to the needs of others.  And our Father God has indeed entrusted much into our care, gifts and talents and resources of all kinds.  We should be good stewards of all these resources, like the two servants who put the talents given them to good use.

Since we receive so much from God, since Jesus sacrificed everything for us, we should be willing to do anything for God.  Not only that, we should do it with joy and gladness in our heart.  Otherwise there may be a penalty.  Moses tried to warn his people, God’s people, of what that penalty might entail, in the Book of Deuteronomy, chapter 28, verses 47 and 48 …

47 “Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything, 48 therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom the Lord will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and He will put a yoke of iron on your neck until He has destroyed you." 

--Deuteronomy 28:47-48 (NKJV)

That’s quite a difference from everlasting joy, isn’t it.  I don’t want to dwell too much on this, only to say that God wants us to be joyful, to be cheerful, and to serve Him with joy and gladness in our hearts.  And especially this time of year, when we should wish for all the world to be filled with joy.  This is the time that the angel proclaimed, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people”.  It’s the time for singing “Joy to the world, the Lord has come!”.

Let’s do all we can to help bring the Good News and great joy of Jesus to all people.  And all the sorrows of this life will turn into great and everlasting joy when we next see our Lord and Master.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You give us so much, and in great abundance.  If for no other reason than that, we should willingly serve You with joy and gladness in our hearts.  Thank You, Father, for all Your many blessings.  Please help us understand that it is our duty and our privilege to share what You have given us, to be good stewards of the resources You have entrusted into our care.  Please help us be joyful, even when our hearts are burdened with sorrow.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our disobedient ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…

Lord Jesus, You promise us everlasting joy and peace – a peace that knows no end, joy that cannot be taken from us.  When we next see You, all our sorrows of this life will be forgotten and will turn into great joy.  Help us, please Lord, to be faithful over the things You have given us.  Help us not only to serve You by serving others, but to do so joyfully so that they too may know and receive the gift of Your joy.  Help us be Your good and faithful servants.  This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

The Prince of Peace

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on the third Sunday morning in Advent, the 15th of December, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Around 700 years before Jesus was born, God revealed the coming of His Messiah, His Son, through the prophet Isaiah.  Isaiah told of what Jesus’ life, and death, would be like, all the mighty things He would do, how He would be despised, beaten, and executed just to offer us forgiveness of our sins and salvation from eternal death and torment.

Listen and follow along to one small part of what God revealed through Isaiah, as recorded in chapter 9 verses 6 and 7 of his prophecy, from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

--Isaiah 9:6-7 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You spoke to Your chosen people through Your prophet Isaiah and told them of the coming Messiah.  Through Isaiah’s writing, You spoke to the world, You speak to us, telling us of Your Son Jesus, of how He would be born and come into this world as one of us, how He would be die at our hands.  Help us, please Father, to yearn for and accept the unending peace Jesus offers.  Let Him truly be our Prince of Peace.

Speak to us now, Father, through Your Spirit, with the message we need to hear this morning.  Show us how we can better express our appreciation for Your many blessings.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


Christian author Berit Kjos, in her book A Wardrobe from the King, told this little story:

Long ago a man sought the perfect picture of peace.  Not finding one that satisfied, he announced a contest to produce this masterpiece.  The challenge stirred the imagination of artists everywhere, and paintings arrived from far and wide.  Finally the great day of revelation arrived.  The judges uncovered one peaceful scene after another, while the viewers clapped and cheered.

The tensions grew. Only two pictures remained veiled.  As a judge pulled the cover from one, a hush fell over the crowd.  A mirror-smooth lake reflected lacy, green birches under the soft blush of the evening sky. Along the grassy shore, a flock of sheep grazed undisturbed. Surely this was the winner.

The man who began the search uncovered the second painting himself, and the crowd gasped in surprise.  Could this be peace?  A tumultuous waterfall cascaded down a rocky precipice.  The crowd could almost feel its cold, penetrating spray.  Stormy, gray clouds threatened to explode with lightning, wind and rain.

In the midst of the thundering noises and bitter chill, a spindly tree clung to the rocks at the edge of the falls.  One of its branches reached out in front of the torrential waters as if foolishly seeking to experience its full power.  A little bird had built a nest in the elbow of that branch.  Content and undisturbed in her stormy surroundings, she rested on her eggs.  With her eyes closed and her wings ready to cover her little ones, she manifested peace that transcends all earthly turmoil.


One dictionary definition of "peace" is the state of being free from anxiety or distress.  That would pretty well describe the mother bird.  Even with all the turmoil around her, she was at peace as she covered and protected her eggs.  Someone whose name is lost to time once said, "Peace that Jesus gives is not the absence of trouble, but is rather the confidence that He is there with you always."  During His ministry on earth, Jesus often told those He healed and saved to “go in peace”.  Go, and be free of anxiety and distress; you are saved.

In chapter 2 verse 14 of his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul tells us that Christ Himself is our peace.  Jesus is perfect peace.  He brings us freedom from anxiety and distress.  He is our ever faithful reassurance in times of trouble.  All we have to do is turn to Him, open our hearts to Him, trust in Him.


This is a busy day for the Pilgrim family.  We recognized some of our own for their contributions to the family and the community.  We welcomed new members into our family.  And in a little while, we’ll come back and enjoy sweet fellowship in food and song.  I don’t want to add to the busyness of the day by keeping you too long, but I do want to share God’s message of peace.  So I’ll let Him do most of the talking, though the words He gave us in our Holy Bible.

The greatest peace came to us when Jesus was born, just as Isaiah foretold.  God sent the birth announcement through His angel, as related by the Apostle Luke in his Gospel account, chapter 2, verses 13 through 14…

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

--Luke 2:13-14 (NKJV)

Fast-forward to the adult Jesus in His ministry, right after His last meal on earth with His disciples, just before His arrest.  The Apostle John recorded for us, in chapter 14 verse 27 of his Gospel account, what He told His followers, including us…

27 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

--John 14:27 (NKJV)

Jesus followed that declaration with a promise that John saved for us in chapter 16 verse 33…

33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” 

--John 16:33 (NKJV)

Jesus wants us to have peace, to be at peace, to be free of anxiety and distress.  He knows that this world causes us a great deal of stress and tribulation.  We are constantly bombarded by turmoil.  Our news is all about disasters and accidents and people killing one another.  Wars are everywhere – it’s hard to find a place without conflict of some sort.  The world is the devil’s playground and the last thing he wants is peace on earth.

But in Jesus we have peace, internal peace, unending peace.  A prince is the son of a king.  Jesus is the Son of God, the greatest King.  Jesus is the Prince of Peace.  Open your heart to Him and enjoy His peace.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You sent Your Son into this world, an angel announcing His birth.  Peace on earth, You sent us, but unlike man’s peace or any peace we had ever known.  You offer us freedom from anxiety, from fear, from distress, if we would only open our hearts to Your Son, accepting Him as our Lord and Master, knowing Him as our Savior.  Thank You, Father.  Please help us realize and enjoy Your peace, especially during this busy season.  Because it is now that we celebrate Your Son’s birth, the bringer of peace, the Prince of Peace.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our disobedient ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…

Lord Jesus, You came to us as one of us.  And the Gospel writers tell us that on that night, the earth knew peace.  Your Father’s messenger announced Your birth, blessing us with peace.  You are the Prince of Peace, the Son of God.  You bring peace to those who are Yours.  Not a peace like the world can give, that is fleeting and quickly broken, but a peace that has no end, a peace of tranquility, freedom from distress, anxiety, and fear.  Help us, please Jesus, to slow down enough in the busyness of the season to open our hearts to You and enjoy Your sweet, refreshing peace.  This we pray in Your glorious name, Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus our Lord, our peace and our Savior.  Amen.

Abide In Love

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on the second Sunday morning in Advent, the 8th of December, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

How many of you remember the old Beatles hit song, “All You Need Is Love”?  It repeated over and over, “All you need is love” and “Love is all you need”.  Well, my beloved family, Jesus is love, so I’d say all we need is Jesus.  Jesus is love and He is all about love.

Listen and follow along to what Jesus has to say about love, as recorded by the Apostle John in his Gospel account, in chapter 15, verses 9 through 17, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another."

--John 15:9-17 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You loved Your Son Jesus even while He walked this earth.  He kept Your commandments, doing everything in service to You, and so was able to abide, to live in Your love.  And Jesus loved us just like You loved Him.  He showed His love by giving of His life to save our lives, our eternal lives.  Father, we want to abide in the love of Jesus, to enjoy that love, just as He abided in Your love.  Help us, please Father, to keep Jesus commandment to love one another so that we might fully experience the joy His love brings.

Speak to us now, Father, through Your Spirit, with the message we need to hear this morning.  Show us how we can better express our appreciation for Your many blessings.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


It is said that Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, once captured a prince and his family.  When they came before him, the monarch asked the prisoner, "What will you give me if I release you?"  "The half of my wealth," was his reply.  "And if I release your children?"  "Everything I possess."  "And if I release your wife?"  "Your Majesty, I will give myself."  Cyrus was so moved by his devotion that he freed them all.  As they returned home, the prince said to his wife, "Wasn't Cyrus a handsome man!"  With a look of deep love for her husband, she said to him, "I didn't notice.  I could only keep my eyes on you - the one who was willing to give himself for me."


The prince’s wife was deeply touched that her husband was willing without hesitation to give up his life to save hers.  She said she couldn’t take her eyes off of him.  If we stop and think a minute, I believe we all know at least one person who would be willing to give their own life to save ours.  There are many people who put their lives on the line for us – law enforcement, fire fighters, members of the armed services, and others.

But there is one person who not only was willing, but indeed did give up His life to save ours.  That person was Jesus, who gave of His mortal life so that our eternal lives might be saved from endless torture and pain.  But I’m not sure how many of us are as emotionally touched and affected as the prince’s wife.  How many of us can only keep our eyes, our focus, on Jesus?  How many are too distracted by all the handsome things of this world and fail to place our attention on the one who gave His all for us?


Jesus spoke of abiding in His love by keeping His commandments, just as He abided in His Father God’s love by keeping His commandments.  We usually think of abiding in something as living in it.  We abide in a house, we abide in Davidson County.

But abide also means to remain, to stay, and to continue.  If we are to remain in the love of Jesus and continue experiencing the joy His love brings, then we should do as He commands.  Especially since He commands so little of us.  He commands us to love one another, as He loves us.

OK, so that’s not always so easy is it?  There are a lot of people in this world that are just unlovable, especially those who would do us harm.  Sometimes it’s even hard to love certain members of our own family.  But we’re not commanded to necessarily like them, or approve or condone what they’re doing, just to show them the love of Jesus through our love.


Love.  One indication of loving someone is being willing to forgive them, to give them another chance.  No relationship can stay intact for very long without this aspect of love.

Peter denied Jesus, just as Jesus said he would.  But the Lord gave him another chance, just as He gives us all another chance.  After His resurrection but before He returned to heaven, Jesus had a little one-on-one with Peter.  Listen to the conversation John recorded for us in chapter 21 of his Gospel account, verses 15 through 17…

15 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”
16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?”
He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.”
He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?”
And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”
Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep."

--John 21:15-17 (NKJV)

“Feed My lambs, tend My sheep, feed My sheep.”  Jesus showed Peter His love by giving him another chance.  And He told His disciple how he could show his love: by seeing to the needs of others.

Feeding them and tending to their needs are physical aspects of serving them, of showing our love.  But there is a spiritual side as well.  Even believers need to be spiritually fed and tended to from time to time.  Even we still have questions, sometimes have doubts.  Especially when all the turmoil of life beats us down enough, our spirit can suffer, our faith can weaken.  Even we need to be fed God’s word.

How much more so those who have not yet accepted Jesus as Lord?  Their spiritual need is great, for their eternal lives are in jeopardy.  We need to feed them the milk of God’s word, tend to their spiritual needs.  We can best reach them, maybe only get access to them, if we tend to their physical needs first, or at least at the same time.  But we must be willing to try, to make of ourselves a living sacrifice in service to God.  By showing our love, we show the love of Jesus.  And since Jesus is love, we show them Jesus.

Jesus chose us to be His and to enjoy His love.  Let’s share that joy and love with the world.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You have shown Your love for us in so many ways, even though we’ve done nothing to deserve Your love.  You give us all we have, all we need.  You give us Your word to help us as we struggle through this life.  You gave us Your only Son so that we might enjoy eternity with You if we only accept Him as our Lord.  And even though we rejected Him and forced Him to die for us, You still love us and shower us with Your love daily.  Thank You, Father, for loving us unconditionally. Please forgive us when we are unwilling to share Your love by sacrificing our time and resources in service to others.  Please help us be more obedient to Your Son that we might abide in Your love forever.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our disobedient ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…

Lord Jesus, You told us that the greatest love one could show is to lay down their life for another.  And then You showed us all that love, by giving of Your own life for our sake, that we might enjoy eternal joy and life with You and our Father God.  All we have to do is accept You as our Lord and Master and follow Your commandment.  And Your command is that we love one another, just as You love us.  You love us enough to give Your life for us, so we should be willing to give of our lives to others, in service to their needs both physical and spiritual.  Help us, please Jesus, to obey Your command, even for those who are unlovable.  Help us make of ourselves a living sacrifice in our service to others, and in doing so, showing them You through our love.  This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Giving Him Thanks

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 24th of November, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Today is the Sunday before Thanksgiving.  Preparing for this morning’s service, I realized that I used the same scripture passage last year that I was led to this year.  But the message I received from the passage this time is much different than before.  It centers once again on Jesus showing His great compassion and mercy for suffering people.  And what did He receive in return?

Listen and follow along to how the Apostle Luke recorded an incident between Jesus and ten men who suffered from one of the most dreaded diseases of the time, saved for us in chapter 17 of his Gospel account, verses 11 through 19, and I’ll be reading from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible…

11 As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, He reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12 As He entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, 13 crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

14 He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.

15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” 16 He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking Him for what He had done. This man was a Samaritan.

17 Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.”

--Luke 17:11-19 (NLT)

Let us pray…  Father God, because He was Your Son, Jesus showed the same great mercy and compassion as You do while He walked this earth.  He healed people of all manner of illness, disease, and infirmity.  And while He did none of this for the appreciation He might receive from mankind, He nonetheless must have been surprised at the lack of gratitude He too often received.  Father, even today, so many are ungrateful for all the blessings You pour out upon us.  May we who follow Your Son never be counted among the ungrateful.  May our words of thanks be reflected in our deeds of service to You and to Jesus.

Speak to us now, Father, through Your Spirit, with the message we need to hear this morning.  Show us how we can better express our appreciation for Your many blessings.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


A mother wanted to teach her daughter a moral lesson.  She gave the little girl a quarter and a dollar bill for church.  "Put whichever one you want in the collection plate and you may keep the other for yourself,"  she told the girl.  When they were coming out of church, the mother asked her daughter which amount she had given.  "Well," said the little girl, "I was going to give the dollar, but just before the collection the man in the pulpit said that we should all be cheerful givers.  I knew I'd be a lot more cheerful if I gave the quarter, so I did."


Last week I told of Edward Spencer whose health was severely compromised when he rescued 17 people from the frigid waters of Lake Michigan, yet not one of them stopped to thank him.  I thought this week’s story should be a little cheerier.  But I’m not sure the young girl quite understood the point the preacher tried to make.  She might have been happier to keep the dollar and give the quarter, but only as the world might measure happiness.  We can be the happiest and most cheerful when we honor our Father in heaven, the God of all Creation.  Our cheerful giving is one way we can say, “Thank You, God!”, just as is our service to His Son Jesus.

There are many times we can see in our Bible where Jesus said, “Be of good cheer”.  The instance that should be of greatest significance to us is when He added, “for I have overcome the world”.  We should always be cheerful and generous in our giving, for it is one way we can show God our gratitude for His generous giving to us.  And it is one way we can loosen the world’s grip on us.


It could easily be said that our scripture reading this morning is a study of human nature.  As He entered a small town, ten lepers stood off a ways crying out for Jesus to have mercy on them.  By that, of course, they meant for Him to cleanse them of their disease.

Leprosy was a horrible, dreaded disease in that time and culture.  By Hebrew law, a leper could no longer live with their family or associate with the “clean” members of the community.  They were outcasts, shunned by all others.

Jesus did indeed have mercy on them.  He told them to go and show themselves to the priests.  This refers back to Leviticus and the law that describes the ceremony of purification from a skin disease.  As they went, they were healed, but only one came back to thank Jesus, and he was a Samaritan - not a “pure” Jew.

In verse 19 Jesus told this man that his faith had healed him.  But think for a moment…  Verse 14 says the ten were cleansed of their leprosy as they headed off to see the priests.  The Samaritan who gave thanks had already been healed of his disease, hadn’t he?

In the 1599 Geneva Bible, verse 19 is translated as “Your faith has saved you.”  By giving thanks, the Samaritan’s soul was also healed.  By giving thanks, he was saved.


Now, our Bible doesn’t specify that giving thanks is necessary for salvation.  But our assurance of salvation through Christ Jesus surely ought to make us want to give thanks.  And how can we show our thanks?

The Samaritan returned to Jesus, came back into His presence, fell to his knees praising God and thanking Jesus for what He had done.  Could we not do that every now and then, get down on our knees before Jesus, praising God and thanking Him for offering us forgiveness of our sins?  The author of the letter to the Hebrews says this, in chapter 13, verses 15 and 16…

15 Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to His name. 16 And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.

--Hebrews 13:15-16 (NLT)

Do you consider praising God to be a sacrifice?  If we do it as the author suggests, continuously praising God, it becomes a sacrifice of time.  And he adds for us to do good and to share with those in need.  Giving of our precious time to praise God, doing good in the community, sharing with others what God has given us…  these are the sacrifices that please God.

The Apostle Paul echoes this instruction in his 1st letter to the Thessalonians, chapter 5, verses 16 through 18, when we says…

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 

--1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV)

In everything give thanks.  Not for everything, but in everything.  We wouldn’t thank God for a fire that destroyed our home, but we could certainly thank Him that no one was injured in the fire.  In all situations, we can find something to give thanks to God for if we only take the time to look.

Paul carries this idea a little further, giving more meaning to how our giving thanks can enrich our lives.  Listen to what he wrote to the Colossians, in chapter 3 of that letter, verses 16 and 17…

16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

--Colossians 3:16-17 (NLT)

Let the Gospel fill our lives.  Help each other in our Christian walk.  Sing praises to God straight from our hearts that are bursting with gratitude!  And in all things, in everything we do or say, especially when out in public, we must remember that we are representing Christ Jesus.  We just might be the only Jesus someone will see.  So we need to represent Him well, giving thanks through Him to God our Father.

Let’s give thanks with more than words.  Let’s put our gratitude into action.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for everything!  If it were not for You and Your boundless generosity and mercy, we would have nothing.  Thank You especially for our salvation through Your Son Jesus.  Forgive us, please Father, when we are afraid to put our gratitude into action.  Please help us be great representatives of Jesus.  Help us show Jesus to others and teach them all about the Good News He brings.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our disobedient ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…

Lord Jesus, You commissioned us to spread Your Gospel to all the earth, telling them all about You, representing You to an unbelieving people that they might come to know You as their personal Lord and Savior.  May we never get so busy or so jaded by life that we don’t pause long enough to just say, “Thanks”.  And may our actions speak far louder than our mere words.  Help us, please Jesus, to properly represent You to an ungrateful world.  Help us be ever thankful in our service to You.  This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

The Gift Is Ours

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 17th of November, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Last week we looked at how God’s Holy Spirit is freely given to all who believe in and accept Jesus as Lord.  We learned that the Spirit will do many things for us, even give us the right words to say if we find ourselves speechless when called upon to testify for Jesus.  The Spirit is given to us, the words are given to us, and we need to give of ourselves in service to Jesus to honor what we have been given.  We need to honor the gift by putting it to good use, because in doing so, we honor the giver.

The Apostle Peter understood just how precious a gift had been given him when he received God’s Holy Spirit at Pentecost.  He also understood the purpose of that gift, and how it should be shared with others.  Listen to what Peter told the people who had just witnessed the Spirit descending upon those who believed and followed Jesus, that day of Pentecost.  Listen and follow along to part of the sermon he delivered, as recorded by the Apostle Luke in his Book of the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2 verses 22 through 24, and verses 36 through 42, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know — 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.

36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

--Acts 2:22-24, 36-42 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, while Jesus walked this earth as a man, You witnessed to His authority by the very miracles, wonders, and signs He was able to do.  He came to offer us the greatest gift of all: salvation from eternal death and torment.  Rather than thankfully receive Him, we took Him by lawless hands, crucified Him, and put Him to death.  Thank You, Father, for giving us another chance.  Thank You for allowing us to see Jesus for who He really is.  Thank You for Your loving mercy.  Please forgive us when begin to take Your many gifts for granted.  Help us to be more thankful.  Help us to grow closer to You and Your Son through Your Spirit within us.

Speak to us now, Father, through Your Spirit, with the message we need to hear this morning.  Show us how we can be better honor You for Your many blessings.  This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


Thomas Kempis, a 15th century Roman Catholic monk, once commented that, “A wise lover values not so much the gift of the lover as the love of the giver.”

But wisdom is so uncommon, so rare among mankind.  Thankfulness itself seems to have become a lost art.  Pastor Warren Wiersby illustrated this when he told of a young ministerial student who was part of a 19th-century life-saving squad in Illinois.  In 1860, a ship went aground on the shore of Lake Michigan near Evanston, and Edward Spencer waded again and again into the frigid waters to rescue 17 passengers.  In the process, his health was permanently damaged.  Some years later at his funeral, it was noted that not one of the people he rescued ever thanked him.


The love Edward Spencer held for his fellow man was not valued by those he saved.  Jesus tells us that, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”  But how much greater must that love be for a man who lays down his life for complete strangers?

This young man put his own life in great jeopardy while saving people he would never know.  In return, they showed no gratitude, gave him no thanks, placed no value on his love.  He gave of his own health and well-being in service to God to honor the great gifts he had been given.  That was his way of saying, “Thank You, God.”

May we never be ungrateful for the many gifts we are given.  May we never take our gifts for granted, especially our gifts of salvation and God’s Spirit dwelling within us.  Stop every now and then and thank God.  Honor Him by serving His Son.


The truth of Peter’s words cut straight to the hearts of those who witnessed that glorious event at Pentecost.  And they were ashamed and filled with regret.  As we all know, you can’t un-ring the bell, you can’t squeeze the toothpaste back into the tube, you can’t go back and undo something you already did.  So in their despair they asked, “What can we do?  How can we make up for this horrible mistake?  Is there any hope for us now?”

Can’t you just feel their anguish?  Haven’t we all felt like that at some point or another?  How can I possibly make up for the stupid mistake I just made?  Well, we can’t – not really.  We can only atone for what we’ve done, seek forgiveness if it were done against another person.

And that’s what Peter told these folks.  Repent, turn from your sinful, disobedient ways and repeat them no more.  Be baptized in the name of Jesus so that your sins might be forgiven.  And I say “might be”, because someone can’t just go through the act, they must truly be changed.  Their heart must be changed.  They must accept Jesus as God, as Lord of all.

And then Peter makes them a promise.  If they follow his instructions, then they will receive the gift of God’s Holy Spirit just like the disciples that day.  And not only they who were present and hearing his voice, but this promise is given to their children as well, and to all who are called by the Lord.  That last includes us, afar off both in time and in space, called by Jesus to serve Him.


Now Peter is simply repeating what the resurrected Jesus told His disciples before returning to heaven.  At this point, the Spirit had not yet been sent to dwell in the hearts of believers, for Jesus had not yet ascended.  In his Gospel account, chapter 24, the second part of verse 46 through verse 49, Luke records Jesus saying…

46b “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

--Luke 24:46b-49 (NKJV)

A couple of weeks ago we talked about how it was necessary for Jesus to die and return to heaven so that the Spirit could come to dwell within us.  Now it is up to us, aided by God’s Spirit, to carry on His work, to let others know that they must repent and turn from their wickedness to be forgiven.  And we are to preach this, spread this, to all nations, to all people!

We who believe have been endued with power from on high, the power of God’s own Holy Spirit, the power our Lord wielded as He walked this earth, the power that raised Jesus from the dead!  This is our gift from God, freely given to us.  The gift is ours for the taking.  And like any gift, we can refuse to accept it, we can accept it and not use it, letting it collect dust, or we can accept the gift and put it to use.  It's up to us what to do with it.  We should be thankful for so great a gift.  We should put this gift to use so that the Giver can see our thankfulness by our actions!  Listen to what James, the brother of Jesus, told the early Jewish Christians in his letter, chapter 2, verses 14 through 18…

14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well” — but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?

17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

--James 2:14-18 (NLT)

If we see someone in need, and we have the means to help them, is it enough to say, “Take care of yourself.  I hope everything goes well for you.  I’ll be praying for you.”?

Sometimes prayer is all we can do – we have to put it into God’s hands because we are unable to do more.  But if we do not put our faith, our belief, into action, how can anyone else see our faith?  If we do not use this great and wonderful and powerful gift from God to help others, then what good does it do for them?

James says our faith is dead if it is not put to use.  We’ve allowed the Spirit to lie dormant within the dark corners of our hearts, rather than setting Him free to work His miracles in others.


Let’s show our faith by our actions.  Let’s put the Holy Spirit to work as we serve our Lord.  Let’s value the gift of the Spirit, the gift of God’s love.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for so wonderful and so powerful a gift!  The gift of Your Spirit is ours for the taking, and once taken may we put Him to work advancing Your kingdom.  Forgive us, please Father, when we are too timid or shy, or just too tired to put our faith into action.  Please help us, Father, to make better use of this gift You have given us.  Help us teach others about Jesus so that they too might receive this beautiful gift.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our disobedient ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…

Lord Jesus, You commissioned us to spread the Good News You bring with all the earth, and You saw to it that we would not be alone or unaided in that effort.  God’s Holy Spirit is our gift, a gift that is meant to be shared.  Lord Jesus, please help us remember just how powerful a gift this is.  And Lord, help us be brave in our service to You.  This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Given to Us

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 10th of November, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

When Jesus had chosen and called His twelve disciples, He gave them the power to cast out unclean spirits and to cure sicknesses and heal infirmities.  And then He sent them out into the cities, to preach to the lost sheep of Israel; not to the Gentiles or Samaritans but specifically to the Jews.

Now this was a pretty serious and quite dangerous business at that time.  Jesus knew they would face severe opposition and would very likely be hauled up before the Jewish religious leadership.  So He admonished them to be wise as serpents yet as harmless as doves – thinking before acting and causing no harm.  And He warned them of what could happen and how they should respond.

Please listen and follow along to the words Jesus spoke as recorded by the Apostle Matthew in his Gospel account, chapter 10 verses 16 through 20, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. 18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you."

--Matthew 10:16-20 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, Your Holy Spirit plays so many vital roles in our lives.  He is our constant Companion, our Helper, our Guide, our Counselor.  And, Father, He will even give us the right words to say when it’s our time to testify for Jesus.  Thank You for this wonderful gist, Father.  Please help us to surrender ourselves to Your Spirit and to pay attention as He leads us.  Help us to remember to stop and let Him speak when we don’t know what to say.

Speak to us now, Father, through Your Spirit, with the message we need to hear this morning.  Show us how we can be better witnesses to Your glory and to Jesus.  This we pray in the blessed name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


Let me list for you a few things you should never say once without thinking twice:

• It's no trouble at all.
• I love dogs.
• We have plenty of room.
• Call me any time.
• Is there anything I can do?
• My spouse is a doctor/lawyer/accountant.
• I'll try anything once.
• Of course, bring the kids.
• Why don't you stay for dinner?
• If worst comes to worst, you can use mine.
• Over my dead body, you will!

I think those are all pretty self-explanatory, especially the last.

Sometimes we get carried away in the moment and say things without thinking, things that we later regret.  A lot of times it’s because we’re angry and we don’t pause a breath to consider our words.  We say the first thing that comes to mind, rather than thinking twice.  The consequences can often be quite painful.

One way we can look at what Jesus tells us in our scripture reading is to think twice before speaking.  Rather than just blurting out the first thing that comes to mind, stop and let the Spirit give us the right words to say.  We may not know the best response for every situation, but He does, and He will give us the words if we allow Him to.


You may have noticed that our scripture reading was very much like our responsive reading.  One came from Matthew, the other from Mark’s Gospel account.  And indeed, they both retell the warning Jesus gave to His disciples.  In Mark’s account, though, He is speaking of the things to come at the end of the age, as the time of His return nears.

In both of these, He is speaking to us as well as to His followers that day.  Like His chosen twelve, we are also His disciples.  And He sends us out as lambs among wolves, too.

And really, there would be no point to send us out to be among other lambs, would there?  If we simply associate with other believers all the time, we can’t make new disciples.  We must go out into the world, among the wolves, sharing the Good News about Jesus, showing Him to people who may never have seen His impact before.


Of course, being thrust into what can easily become a dangerous situation, we might be unable to effectively testify, to witness how much Jesus has done for us.  We may suddenly find ourselves speechless.  That’s OK – we needn’t worry.  Jesus anticipated this might happen, so He made sure we have God’s Holy Spirit in us who will speak for us when the words just won’t come.

Is the Holy Spirit important?  Jesus certainly thinks so.  Listen to what He told the Pharisee Nicodemus, who later became a believer, as recorded by the Apostle John in his Gospel account, chapter 3 verses 5 and 6…

5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."

--John 3:5-6 (NKJV)

God is spiritual.  His kingdom – heaven – is spiritual.  We are born in the physical plane, of the flesh.  So to be able to enter into the spiritual world, we must be re-born of the Spirit, of God’s Spirit.  And that happens when we recognize Jesus as God’s Son and accept Him as our Lord and Master as well as our Savior.

Now the Spirit’s indwelling is not just for special people, but for anyone and everyone who believes.  John also recorded Jesus when He promised that the Spirit would indeed come to all believers, in chapter 7 and verses 37 through 39 of his Gospel account…

37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

--John 7:37-39 (NKJV)

Have you ever thought about the Spirit working like that?  Can rivers of living water flow out of our hearts?  Jesus said He was the living water!  By the Spirit working within us, Jesus will flow out of our hearts, touching all those around us!

This great gift that was given to us is meant to be shared with the world!  The Holy Spirit was given to us.  The words we will need to say in witness of Jesus will be given to us.  And it’s all so we can share Jesus and the Good News He brings with the rest of the world!  So don’t be afraid to go out amongst the wolves!  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, thank You so much for this wonderful gift of Your own Holy Spirit that You so freely give to all who know Jesus as Lord!  Through Your Spirit You are always with us, You guide us, You even speak for us.  And by Your Spirit, we can share Jesus with the non-believing world.  Help us, please Father, to listen to Your Spirit, to follow Him, to surrender ourselves to His guidance in all things so that the living water may pour out from our hearts, softening the hearts of others that they too might receive Jesus as Lord.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our disobedient ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…

Lord Jesus, You commissioned us to continue Your work on earth, to teach others about You and make more followers for You.  In doing this, we show Your love to the world, we share Your offer of salvation, we help others find redemption and avoid eternal torment.  You send us out among wolves, but You don’t send us alone.  God’s Holy Spirit goes with us, leads us.  And when the words won’t come, He even speaks for us, always glorifying You.  Lord Jesus, please steel us for this task.  Strengthen and encourage us as we walk among wolves.  And Lord, help us give ourselves to the Spirit just as He was given to us.  This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Insight Revealed

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 3rd of November, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

In our series on the Holy Spirit, we’ve looked at how we received the Spirit, how He resides within us, and what He does for us, among other things.  We know His indwelling is a gift from God, given to us at the request of Jesus when He returned to heaven.  We’ve seen He is our constant Companion, so we’re never alone.  He is our Helper, giving us strength when we feel we can go no further, speaking for us when the words won’t come.  He is our Guide through this life, nudging us along the path God wants us to follow.

All we have to do is believe in Jesus as God’s Son and accept Him as our Lord and Master, and the Spirit comes to us, to live in us.  Then it’s up to us whether we allow Him to do His job.

But there is another aspect of the Spirit’s purpose in our lives, one that involves sharing secrets with us.  The Apostle Paul gives us a little more insight into this vital task the Spirit carries out. Please listen and follow along to what Paul wrote in chapter 2 verses 7 through 12 of his 1st letter to the church in Corinth, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

9 But as it is written:

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

--1 Corinthians 2:7-12 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, too often we fail to recognize the crucial role Your Spirit plays in our lives.  He is our constant Companion, Helper, Guide, and Counsel.  And, Father, He also tells us about You and some of what You have in store for us.  He is Your gift to us, yet we too often take Him for granted.  Thank You for this wonderful gist, Father.  Please help us better understand what Your Spirit means to us, so that we might more closely follow as He leads.

Speak to us now, Father, through Your Spirit, with the message we need to hear this morning.  Reveal to us a little more of Your will for our lives.  Show us how we can better serve You.  This we pray in the blessed name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


The class of noisy boys in a German primary school was being punished by their teacher. They were assigned the problem of adding together all the numbers from 1 to 100.

The boys settled down, scribbling busily on their slates -- all but one. This boy looked off into space for a few moments, then wrote something on his slate and turned it in. His was the only right answer.

When the amazed teacher asked how he did it, the boy replied, "I thought there might be some short cut, and I found one: 100 plus 1 is 101; 99 plus 2 is 101; 98 plus 3 is 101, and, if I continued the series all the way to 51 plus 50, I have 101 50 times, which is 5,050."

After this episode, the young scholar received special tutoring from his teacher. The boy was Karl Friedrich Gauss, the great mathematician of the 19th century.


If you doubt the result, you can add it up yourself.  Young Karl had a sudden flash of insight.  Some of our greatest inventions came about that way, and many scientists will attest to having been stumped by a problem until suddenly struck by insight.

Insight – sight given by a light shed from within.  We often characterize that by a lightbulb being turned on over a person’s head.  But where does that light come from, if not from God?  How is that intuitive leap accomplished if not given in a vision from the Almighty?  How is a bridge crossed where none existed except that the span is erected by the Great Creator, our glorious Father in heaven?


This passage from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians isn’t the only place in our Bible where we are told that the Spirit will explain some of God’s mysteries to us.  Just a little further on in his letter, in chapter 3 verses 1 and 2, Paul says we are still spiritual infants, able only to take sustenance from milk rather than meat.  But with the Spirit’s help we can grow.

And in the Apostle John’s Gospel account, chapter 16 verses 12 and 13, Jesus says the Spirit will guide us into the truth, speaking through the authority of God, telling us of things to come.  God’s Spirit will give us insight into God’s complete plan for mankind, but only slowly, as we are able to take it in.


Insight – a bolt out of the blue that suddenly allows us to see what was once hidden.  That instantaneous flash of understanding.  The ability to now grasp what eluded us before.  To know something that we have no reason to know.

Paul himself received great insight straight from Jesus during his three days of blindness after that incident on the road to Damascus.  Even Saul, the great persecutor of the early church, received the Holy Spirit and believed.  Listen to how the Apostle Luke recorded the moment, in chapter 9 of his Book of Acts, verses 17 and 18…

17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.

--Acts 9:17-18 (NKJV)

Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit and his eyes were opened.  While Luke may have been referring to the return of Paul’s physical sight, this also speaks of Paul receiving clearer spiritual sight.  For now he was able to see the truth of Jesus.  When he returned to Jerusalem with Barnabas, after getting over their initial fear of him, the disciples were amazed at how much he knew about Jesus even though he had never walked with the Lord during His ministry.


Insight, special understanding, mysteries revealed.  All of this and so much more come to us as a gift from God with the indwelling of His Holy Spirit.  Like any gift, we have to accept it before it can be any good to us.  And in this case, we need only to ask to receive what the Spirit offers.  Hear the words of Jesus as recorded by Luke in his Gospel account, chapter 11 and verses 13…

13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

--Luke 11:13 (NKJV)

Yes, we are evil, when compared to God -- we are sinners.  But still, don’t we give good gifts to our children and loved ones?  Don’t we do our best to take care of them and see to their needs?  Then how much more will our Father in heaven give us, His children?  How much more will His Spirit reveal of all the mysteries of creation if we just allow Him to work within us, transforming us, guiding us, feeding us milk as we learn and grow spiritually?


Once we’ve accepted Jesus as Lord, God’s Holy Spirit joins with our spirit.  We can ignore Him and go on with life.  Or we can listen to Him, learn from Him, allow Him to guide our steps along the path that Jesus blazed for us.

The more we follow the Spirit, the more He will reveal to us.  The more we understand, the less we need question.  And the greater our assurance of the unimaginable wonders of paradise will be.

In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, when we accept Jesus as Your Son, You send Your Holy Spirit to live within us and always be with us, to guide us, to transform us into the image of Your Son Jesus.  And through Your Spirit, You reveal Yourself and Your mysteries to us as we are able to grasp them.  There are some things we will not know until we stand before You in heaven.  Until then, Your Spirit strives to give us clearer insight into what You will for our lives.  Help us, please Father, to heed Your Spirit and to surrender ourselves to His direction.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our disobedient ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…

Lord Jesus, those who believe in You have God’s Spirit within us.  The Spirit bears witness to You, glorifies You, points the way to You, and so should we.  And He reveals the mysteries of God’s kingdom little by little.  We are infants spiritually, unable to take but small portions at a time.  Lord Jesus, please help us grasp what the Spirit shows us.  Help us better understand the secrets of heaven.  And Lord, help us surrender to the Spirit and follow His guidance.  This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Reformation

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Reformation Sunday morning, the 27th of October, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

502 years ago, this coming Thursday, a German monk by the name of Martin Luther was fed up with the Roman Catholic Church, its actions and it leaders.  He strongly felt that this was a time for reformation.  So he walked up to the front of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg, Germany and nailed his list of protests against the church on the front door, what we call his Ninety-five Theses.  Most folks consider this as the start of the Reformation Movement, which eventually led to the founding of this church family known as Pilgrim Reformed.

Reform was indeed needed in Luther’s day, but it has been needed for far longer than 502 years.  Oh, and there is one great reformation yet to come.  Please listen and follow along to what the author of the Book of Hebrews wrote in the first 10 verses of chapter 9 of his letter to those converted Jews who believed in Jesus, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; 3 and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, 4 which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; 5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

6 Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. 7 But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; 8 the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to conscience — 10 concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

--Galatians 5:16-25 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, the first covenant You made with mankind contained ordinances of divine service and an earthly sanctuary that was to mirror Your heavenly tabernacle.  But we were unable to keep our end of that covenant, and even corrupted it to our own benefit, perverting the law into schemes to enrich our coffers.  So You, Father, in Your infinite goodness and grace, sent Your Son to offer us a second, better covenant.  In Him we see the true, heavenly sanctuary.  You want us to be conformed to His image, to be like Him.  You gave Your own Spirit to those who accept Jesus as Lord that we might be transformed by the Spirit more closely into the likeness of Jesus.  Father, please help us to not be conformed to this world but to be reformed by the Spirit that we might better serve You and fulfill Your will.

Speak to us now, Father, with the message we need to hear this morning.  May Your Spirit move throughout every fiber of our being, transforming us into brethren of the Firstborn, Your Son Jesus.  This we pray in the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


Robert Schmidgall, founder and pastor of Calvary Church in Illinois, once said:

Living without Christ is like driving a car with its front end out of line.  You can stay on the road if you grip the steering wheel with both hands and hang on tightly.  Any lapse of attention, however, and you head straight for the ditch.  Society in general - educators, political leaders, parents - exhorts us to drive straight and curb our destructive tendencies.  But it is a ceaseless struggle.

Coming to Christ is a little like getting a front-end alignment.  The pull toward the ditch is corrected from the inside.  Not to say there won't be bumps and potholes ahead that will still try to jar us off the road.  Temptations and challenges will always test our alertness to steer a straight course.  We can hardly afford to fall asleep at the wheel.  But the basic skew in the moral mechanism has been repaired.


I think that’s a pretty good analogy, for those of us who’ve driven vehicles in bad need of a front-end alignment.  The pull is constant, requiring our constant attention and efforts to correct it and drive straight.  But once we go ahead and get the front-end aligned, it becomes much easier to control the vehicle.

That’s what God’s Holy Spirit does for us.  When we come to Christ Jesus, we are given God’s Spirit to be our guide and helper.  He is our front-end alignment, allowing us to drive straight in this life if we follow His directions.  We just need to be sure that one of those huge potholes in life don’t knock us out of alignment again.


According to one of his reform-minded colleagues, Martin Luther marched up the steps of All Saints’ Church and nailed his Ninety-five Theses to the front door on October 31st, 1517.  That date, October 31st, might ring a bell  to you - it’s Halloween.  Some people believe Luther may have chosen All Hallows’ Eve to begin his formal protest to get people’s attention, but we don’t know for sure.

Luther’s concern at that time was over the church’s practice of allowing someone to pay in this life so that the punishment for their sins in the next life will be lessened.  This reminds me of how the Pharisees had so perverted the Law, primarily to benefit themselves.

Yes, reformation was definitely needed.  As I mentioned at the start, though, our need for reformation began much earlier than 1517.  God sent His Son Jesus to us, that we might be re-formed in His image.  We spoke this in our responsive reading earlier, from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans: that we are to be conformed to the image of God’s Son Jesus, that He might be the firstborn among many.  To be conformed in Christ’s image we must be reformed from how the world shapes us.  In chapter 12 of that letter to the Romans, verses 1 and 2, Paul tells us…

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

--Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV)

We are to be reformed into the image of Jesus, and not conformed to this world, but transformed by God’s Holy Spirit working within us.  And family, just like driving a car badly out of alignment can lead to serious consequences, not allowing ourselves to be reformed by the Spirit can be even worse.  Listen to what God Himself tells us in a few excerpts from chapter 26 of the Book of Leviticus…

"If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.  I will give peace in the land, and none will make you afraid.

"But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments, and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant, I will appoint terror over you, I will set My face against you.

"And after all this, if you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.  I will break the pride of your power.

"Then, if you walk contrary to Me, and are not willing to obey Me, I will bring on you seven times more plagues, according to your sins.

"And if by these things you are not reformed by Me, but walk contrary to Me, then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will punish you yet seven times for your sins."

--selected verses from Leviticus 26 (NKJV)

If we walk a godly path and are obedient to God’s word, our life will be blessed and we will have peace.  But woe upon us if we refuse the Spirit’s guiding hand and continue to walk our own path, contrary to God.  Being completely obedient to God’s laws and commandments is impossible for mankind, otherwise we wouldn’t have needed Jesus.  But we can allow the Spirit to lead us along that path, not trying to fight against God the whole time.


I spoke earlier of a great reformation to come.  The author of the letter to the Hebrews included this in the last verse of our scripture reading.  Some beautiful day, Jesus will return and realign all of creation, transforming even the earth itself.  Listen to what the Apostle John described in his Book Of Revelation, chapter 21, verses 1 through 5…

1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

--Revelation 21:1-5 (NKJV)

“Behold, I make all things new!”  The greatest and final reformation!  But for too many, by this point, it will be too late.  They’ll cry out, “Lord, Lord!”, but Jesus will respond, “Get away from Me – I never knew you.”

We do not want to hear those words.  Nor do we want any of our loved ones included in that lost crowd.  And frankly, if we truly follow Jesus as He commands us, loving our neighbors as ourselves, then we should not want for anyone to suffer eternal damnation!


Paul says that the sufferings of this present age are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  I would add that the sufferings of this present age in no way compare to the sufferings that are to come for those who reject Jesus in this life.

To be saved from eternal torment, one must be reformed.  We must be transformed from creatures focused on the world and its lusts and desires to more righteous beings centered on the light that is Christ Jesus.  We must allow ourselves to be led, by God’s Holy Spirit, out into the world, witnessing for Jesus.  For this is what our Lord commands, that we tell all the world about Him and what He has done for us.  Let’s rekindle the reformation movement, starting right here in Davidson County.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, when we accept Jesus as Your Son, You send Your Holy Spirit to live within us and always be with us, to guide us and transform us into the person You want us to be.  If we just give ourselves over to the Spirit and allow Him to do His work within us, we could break the binds this world has on us and no longer be conformed to it.  We could be transformed into a being more focused on the spiritual than on the physical.  Help us, please Father, to give free rein to Your Spirit and follow as He directs us.  Help us to be reformed closer into the image of Jesus.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our disobedient ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…

Lord Jesus, those who believe in You have God’s Spirit within us.  The Spirit bears witness to You, glorifies You, points the way to You, and so should we.  We are nowhere near perfect, and never will be in this life, but God’s Spirit will transform us into a more perfect being, a closer reflection of You, if we allow Him to, if we follow His directions.  Lord Jesus, please help us surrender to God’s Spirit and His guidance.  Help us to more closely reflect You in our daily walk.  This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.