tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-328454832024-03-27T13:59:01.368-04:00The Power of His WordIn the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, <br>and the Word was God. -- John 1:1Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.comBlogger807125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-3095920284306683742024-03-27T12:08:00.000-04:002024-03-27T12:08:20.302-04:00Everyone Loves a Parade<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 24th of March, 2024 - Palm Sunday and the sixth and final Sunday in Lent. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Family, today is Palm Sunday and the sixth and final Sunday in our season of Lent, our time to look deep within ourselves to see if we are living as God would have us live. Today we celebrate our Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem for what will be His last trip to the Holy City.</div><div><br /></div><div>The cross is looming ever closer, almost in sight now as our walk through Lent nearly ends. We will mark that end, and our Lord’s arrest, this coming Thursday afternoon. But for today, let us join the crowds and rejoice, for our Savior, God’s Messiah, has come to set us free!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I mentioned in our invocation that Jesus humbled Himself in His service to God and to mankind, and He instructed us to be humble as well. He never exalted Himself or set Himself higher than anyone else, although He did often knock the Pharisees down a notch or two. Could He have exalted Himself, could He have bragged and boasted? Sure, if for no other reason than on the healings and casting out of evil spirits He performed. But there’s much more.</div><div><br /></div><div>One source I read noted that there are 48 prophecies in the Old Testament specific to the Messiah. Mathematician Peter Stoner calculated the probability of one person fulfilling all of just those 48 prophecies to be one in 10 followed by 157 zeros! I can’t even write that number on a piece of paper, it’s so huge – astronomically huge! And yet, Jesus fulfilled not only all those 48 specific Messianic prophecies, but over 324 individual prophesies that related to the Messiah! How great do you think the odds of that would be?!!?</div><div><br /></div><div>Most of these 324 Jesus would have had no control over, such as the one that said the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. There are some, though, that as an adult He could perhaps have arranged. One of these centered on His arrival in Jerusalem. Please listen and follow along to the last time that Jesus came into the Holy City for the Passover celebration, as recorded by the Apostle Matthew in the 21st chapter of his Gospel account, verses 1 through 11, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible this morning…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 Now when they drew near Jerusalem, and came to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, <span style="color: red;">“Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me.</span> 3 <span style="color: red;">And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>4 All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>5 “Tell the daughter of Zion,</i></b></div><div><b><i>‘Behold, your King is coming to you,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,</i></b></div><div><b><i>A colt, the foal of a donkey.’”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. 8 And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>“Hosanna to the Son of David!</i></b></div><div><b><i>‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’</i></b></div><div><b><i>Hosanna in the highest!”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>10 And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>11 So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”</i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>Matthew 21:1-11 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Messiah to set us free from our bondage to sin! Jesus came to offer salvation to all the world because You love us all. And He commands us to go and make disciples of all the world. Sadly, Father, not everyone accepts Your Son Jesus as their Lord. Please help us reach out to the lost of the world, showing Your love. Help us lead them in a triumphal parade to Jesus and salvation. And please forgive us when we hesitate to do Your will and our Lord’s commands.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand Your message today. Thank You for letting us share in the triumph of our Lord Jesus. Help us keep the joy of His resurrection in our heart and our actions even as we feel great sorrow thinking of Him suffering on the cross, taking our punishment. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Parades can bring unexpected, and sometimes pleasant, results. Former St. Louis Cardinals catcher and ABC baseball analyst Tim McCarver related that, “In 1964, after we won the World Series, the pitcher Bob Gibson and I got a call from a team representative who wanted us to be in the Rose Bowl Parade. The representative told us to bring our wives. I said I didn't have one. ‘Well, get married, then,’ he said. I thought ‘good idea’ and called my girlfriend (hometown sweetheart Anne McDaniel), who I'd been seeing for a while, and asked her to marry me. We got married two months later. Twenty-four years later we're still together.”</div><div><br /></div><div>We might not remember Tim McCarver or Bob Gibson or any of the St. Louis Cardinals World Series winning team of that year, but most of us probably remember 1964. By today’s standards, it was a much simpler time. Boys and girls usually dated for quite a long period before becoming engaged and married. Sports stars could make a decent living playing the games they loved, but they certainly weren’t idolized millionaires.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some things haven’t changed, like our love of parades. Or how one simple, off-hand statement can change our life from that moment onward. The team rep told McCarver and Gibson to bring their wives to join them in the parade. That was all well and good for Gibson, but McCarver wasn’t married at the time. The rep had a quick and easy answer to that little glitch – get married! So McCarver did just that, and they enjoyed a life together for many, many years thereafter. It’s happy stories like this that add to our love of parades.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>As I mentioned, our scripture reading opens with Jesus fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah as spoken in the 9th verse of the 9th chapter of the book bearing his name: “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey." God set this particular plan in motion when He whispered the words to Zechariah centuries earlier. And Jesus carried it out, fulfilling one more of the over 300 prophecies that spoke of the Messiah.</div><div><br /></div><div>Matthew doesn’t tell us if the disciples recognized what was happening, but they carried out Jesus’ command, brought the donkey, took off their cloaks to make a clean place for their Master to sit, and helped Him on. And then they all headed into the city, with some going ahead and some following behind, forming a nice little parade with Jesus on His foal in the center of it all.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>For any parade, a good bit of work and preparation goes on beforehand, like McCarver getting married. And there is usually much that happens afterward, including some necessary “clean up” duties.</div><div><br /></div><div>As we read Matthew’s account, our parade into Jerusalem seems to have been spontaneous, without any planning, with the people all coming out just to see what all the commotion was about. Of course, we know that everything was done and came about according to God’s plan, including what occurred prior to this parade into Jerusalem. Hear what the beloved Apostle John reported in chapter 12 of his Gospel account, verses 1 through 11, of an occurrence just before this…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div><b><i>1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>7 But Jesus said, <span style="color: red;">“Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.</span> 8 <span style="color: red;">For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>9 Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.</i></b></div></div><div><br /></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">John 12:1-11 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>Notice how John referred to Judas Iscariot. They had been working together, walking alongside Jesus together for three years, but John did not write his account until many years after Jesus was crucified and resurrected. So by the time of his writing, he knew what Judas had done, he knew the real reason behind the betrayer’s complaint that day when Mary anointed Jesus with expensive, fragrant oil. And right there, Jesus told them that the time was coming when He would no longer be with them.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead earlier in His ministry, was there, too, of course, since it was his house shared with his sisters. This double attraction – both Jesus and the man He brought back to life – drew a crowd. It also drew the ire of the chief priests and Pharisees. They started plotting to have Lazarus killed – again – because some of the people began believing in Jesus for the miracle He performed on Lazarus. It seems there was no end to the plotting being carried out by the religious leadership of the day.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And like I said, after a parade, there’s always a mess to clean up. After our parade into Jerusalem, Pontius Pilate was left with the mess created by the Pharisees. They arrested Jesus, with the help of Judas, and took Him before Caiaphas and the chief priests. From there He was “paraded” before Herod, the titular king of Judea. And finally, on Friday morning, He ended up in the hands of Pilate, because the Jews could not put a man to death for breaking their laws, but the Romans could.</div><div><br /></div><div>After an interrogation, Pilate just could not see any guilt, any fault, with Jesus. He wanted to let Jesus go, but the crowd was getting noisier and more violent in their ravings and he feared unrest in the streets. So he tried to make a deal with the people that would spare Jesus’ life. Hear what the Apostle Mark recorded of this crucial moment in his Gospel account, chapter 15, verses 6 through 15…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>6 Now at the feast Pilate was accustomed to releasing one prisoner to them, whomever they requested. 7 And there was one named Barabbas, who was chained with his fellow rebels; they had committed murder in the rebellion. 8 Then the multitude, crying aloud, began to ask him to do just as he had always done for them. 9 But Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 10 For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd, so that he should rather release Barabbas to them. 12 Pilate answered and said to them again, “What then do you want me to do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>13 So they cried out again, “Crucify Him!”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>14 Then Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>But they cried out all the more, “Crucify Him!”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>15 So Pilate, wanting to gratify the crowd, released Barabbas to them; and he delivered Jesus, after he had scourged Him, to be crucified.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Mark 15:6-15 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>The crowd wanted no deal, no exchange. They cried out for Jesus’ death, and not just any death but execution by the cruelest means known at the time: crucifixion. These were the same people now shouting “Crucify Him!” who had shouted “Hosanna” just a few days ago. The same people, who had cut palm branches from the trees and laid them in the road along with some of their cloaks just so Jesus wouldn’t have to ride in a cloud of dust, now screamed for His execution.</div><div><br /></div><div>What happened?!!? How could they turn on Him so quickly? Were the Pharisees that influential, that convincing? No, God happened. God’s will happened. Everything unfolded as it had to.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Everyone loves a parade. We’re drawn to them. We want to see what’s going on, share in the moment. We watch from the sidelines, clapping and cheering the performances and accomplishments of others. But if the people at the center of those parades don’t live up to our expectations, we can turn on them in a heartbeat.</div><div><br /></div><div>So family, be careful, for we’re all part of that parade now. We’re part of the parade of believers, and Jesus is still at our center. Many are on the sidelines cheering, but not taking part, not walking alongside us, not helping in the mission Jesus gave us. And they could turn on us at any moment.</div><div><br /></div><div>The world hates Jesus, just as much now as when He walked the earth, so the world hates us. The folks watching the parade go by… well… they’re watching us, watching for us to slip up and act like them instead of like a Christian should.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let’s keep marching, keep doing our Lord’s work, keep helping others, seeing to their needs, and trying to bring the lost to Jesus. The parade route is long and the walk tiring, but Jesus is walking with us and will hold us up when we grow weary.</div><div><br /></div><div>March on, family. March on. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who came in the flesh to redeem us, and who is coming again to judge us all. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for giving us the faith to be in the parade rather than just watching it go by. We know that there are certain risks in being under the watchful eye of the world. We also know there will be some cleaning up to do after the parade is over. But this time, Father, Your Son Jesus will be doing the cleaning, picking up His believers for their new home in heaven and sweeping the non-believers off to the lake of fire. Sometimes, Father, we hesitate a bit before stepping out in front of the crowd. Sometimes we are fearful of the unwanted attention our actions might bring as we try to serve You by helping others. Forgive us these times, please Father. Help us be quicker to respond to the needs of others with no concerns for what our good works might cause the world to think of us. Help us serve You by showing Your love to a weary world. Guide us around any pitfalls and strengthen our spirits to do Your will. And please help us do a better job of sharing Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice. </div><div><br /></div><div>Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, on this day so long ago You climbed upon a donkey’s back and rode as Your followers led a grand parade into the Holy City of Jerusalem. The people lined the streets, waving and cheering Your arrival. No one could foresee how quickly those very same people would turn against You, or how Your own disciple Peter would deny even knowing You. No one but You, that is. You knew exactly what was coming, and You went through it anyway, just for us. Please help us remember the sacrifice You made on our behalf. Help us joyfully march in the parade serving others with You in the center, rather than merely watching from the sidelines. Please help us be more understanding, more merciful, more forgiving, remembering that we are all created in our Triune God’s image and that You came to save us all. And Lord, please help us reach out to the non-believing world with the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love. Give us the words to say, show us what to do to help bring the lost to You.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations and all the false teachings. Help us fend off his attacks. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-46523601889723022402024-03-17T16:35:00.000-04:002024-03-17T16:35:10.181-04:00Pharisees<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 17th of March, 2024 - the fifth Sunday in Lent. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Family, today is the fifth Sunday in our season of Lent, our time to look deep within ourselves to see if we are living as God would have us live. Lent is our way to observe the 40 days and 40 nights that Jesus spent in the wilderness fasting and praying, all while being tempted by the devil. The end of that time in the wilderness marked the beginning of Jesus’ three year ministry on earth.</div><div><br /></div><div>Our walk through Lent ends at our Lord’s arrest, right before the cross. That arrest was facilitated by one of His chosen twelve – Judas Iscariot – but it was planned by the religious leaders of the Jewish church. The Pharisees hated Jesus. They saw Him as a threat to their way of life. They and their scribes had been plotting to have Him done away with, but were afraid to act on their own because of how much the people were following Him. So they let Judas do the dirty work, and pay the ultimate price.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Almost from the start of His ministry, the Pharisees challenged Jesus. They accused Him of having demons, of breaking all the laws of Moses, including eating with tax collectors and sinners and performing works on the Sabbath. But when He let it be known that He was the Son of Man, the long awaited Messiah, they became livid and actively plotted against Him. Jesus saw that their hearts were hardened and they would never believe, but many of the people that He had come to save were being led astray by them. So He began to caution the people about who they should and should not listen to.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please listen and follow along to the warning Jesus gave regarding the Pharisees and their scribes as recorded by the Apostle Matthew in the 23rd chapter of his Gospel account, verses 1 through 28, and I’ll be reading from the New American Standard Bible this morning…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, 2 saying: <span style="color: red;">“The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses. </span>3 <span style="color: red;">Therefore, whatever they tell you, do and comply with it all, but do not do as they do; for they say things and do not do them.</span> 4 <span style="color: red;">And they tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as their finger. </span>5 <span style="color: red;">And they do all their deeds to be noticed by other people; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments.</span> 6 <span style="color: red;">And they love the place of honor at banquets, and the seats of honor in the synagogues,</span> 7 <span style="color: red;">and personal greetings in the marketplaces, and being called Rabbi by the people.</span> 8 <span style="color: red;">But as for you, do not be called Rabbi; for only One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers and sisters.</span> 9 <span style="color: red;">And do not call anyone on earth your father; for only One is your Father, He who is in heaven. </span>10 <span style="color: red;">And do not be called leaders; for only One is your Leader, that is, Christ.</span> 11 <span style="color: red;">But the greatest of you shall be your servant. </span>12 <span style="color: red;">Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>13 <span style="color: red;">“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut the kingdom of heaven in front of people; for you do not enter it yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. </span>14 <span style="color: red;">Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses even while for appearances’ sake you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation.</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>15 <span style="color: red;">“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one convert; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>16 <span style="color: red;">“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.’ </span>17 <span style="color: red;">You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the temple that sanctified the gold?</span> 18 <span style="color: red;">And you say, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is nothing; but whoever swears by the offering that is on it is obligated.’ </span>19 <span style="color: red;">You blind men, which is more important, the offering or the altar that sanctifies the offering?</span> 20 <span style="color: red;">Therefore, the one who swears by the altar, swears both by the altar and by everything on it.</span> 21 <span style="color: red;">And the one who swears by the temple, swears both by the temple and by Him who dwells in it.</span> 22 <span style="color: red;">And the one who swears by heaven, swears both by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>23 <span style="color: red;">“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the Law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.</span> 24 <span style="color: red;">You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>25 <span style="color: red;">“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.</span> 26 <span style="color: red;">You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may also become clean.</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>27 <span style="color: red;">“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. </span>28 <span style="color: red;">So you too, outwardly appear righteous to people, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”</span></i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>Matthew 23:1-28 (NASB)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, thank You for preserving Your word in our Holy Bible. It truly is a great tool for our use to help us live this life in a way that is pleasing in Your eyes. It even holds a look into the future for us. Father, please help us understand the intent of Your word, of the impact it has on our lives. Please help us grasp the meaning of the words our Lord Jesus spoke without getting too hung up on the words themselves. And please forgive us when we start to become too self-righteous, thinking we know it all.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand Your message today. Help us heed the warnings You give us. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>It’s been reported that a businessman, well known for his ruthlessness, once announced to writer Mark Twain, “Before I die, I mean to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I will climb Mount Sinai and read the Ten Commandments aloud at the top.” “I have a better idea,” replied Twain. “You could stay in Boston and keep them.”</div><div><br /></div><div>Preacher, theologian, and author Frederick Buechner once noted that, “The trouble oftentimes with religious people is that they try to be more spiritual than God Himself.”</div><div><br /></div><div>There is a growing trend in our society toward a more personal form of spirituality than organized religion offers. I’m sure you’ve heard someone say, at some point in time, something to the effect of, “I don’t need to go to church. I can get close to God anywhere.”</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, that is true – we can be close to God anywhere. And I believe every world religion has at least some element of spirituality to it, whether it worships the one true God or not. But following Christ Jesus is as much physical as spiritual. Yes, Jesus said that God is Spirit so we must worship in spirit and in truth. He also commands us to go into the world spreading the Gospel and making disciples. This is our mission of service and must be done physically, not spiritually, at least as long as our body will let us.</div><div><br /></div><div>As for that term “organized religion”, some people use that as almost a derogatory slur, like there’s something wrong with being organized in our worship. There is a reason we Christians have always come together in groups, small and large, for our worship. Doing so allows us to learn more, from our teachers and from each other. More importantly, it provides us with support, encouragement, and love from our fellow worshipers. And if we’re all worshiping God in spirit and truth, and serving our Lord Jesus by going out and sharing His love through our acts and words, and we are joining together in Christian fellowship, then we won’t have to worry about becoming more spiritual than God.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Our scripture reading opens with a warning - one of many in this particular passage – and this one is to us. There are those who have been placed or even placed themselves in positions of authority over us, both secular and religious. We are to do what they tell us to do and comply with the laws they enforce. But we are not to behave like them. Jesus was instructing us to do as they say but not as they do.</div><div><br /></div><div>Our Lord was telling the gathered crowd not to follow the example of the Pharisees and their scribes, the so-called legal experts. The harsh rules they enforce create a burden on the people, and while they themselves don’t always follow their own rules, they don’t cut common offenders any slack. Everything they do is to serve their personal agenda, performing good deeds only when they can be noticed by the public.</div><div><br /></div><div>Jesus uses a word we’re not familiar with in our age: phylacteries. These were small pouches that contained snippets and passages of scripture, usually worn on the Pharisees’ left sleeves for religious purposes. Jesus said the Pharisees made them larger and increased the length of their prayer tassels so that the people could easily see them.</div><div><br /></div><div>They loved places of honor, whether at a dinner, in the synagogue, or just walking through the marketplace. They wanted to be noticed, and revered. They lorded their authority over the people. Jesus cautions us not to be like this, but instead to be humble and lead a humble life of service.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And then we get into a whole bunch of “woes”, where Jesus rebukes the religious leaders and calls them hypocrites. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees!” They take advantage of the most vulnerable, while trying to make themselves look good in the process. They go to great lengths to make a convert, and then lead the new believer alongside them down the path to condemnation. They are blind guides, leading astray anyone who will try to follow them.</div><div><br /></div><div>They adhere to all the words of the law while ignoring its intent. For instance, they tithe properly, but neglect the more important matters of justice, mercy, and faithfulness that God also wants us to observe. They are more concerned by how they appear to others than how they really are inside. Hypocrites, whitewashed tombs, beautiful on the outside but full of dry bones and uncleanness. Outwardly righteous, inwardly full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.</div><div><br /></div><div>But in my opinion, the greatest rebuke Jesus made is when He accused the Pharisees and scribes of shutting the kingdom of heaven in front of the people. They will not enter heaven themselves, and they try to keep other people from entering, too. Misery loves company, right? It’s bad enough to condemn yourself to everlasting punishment without taking anyone else with you.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So Jesus strongly warns us not to be like the Pharisees. During His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus cautions…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>20 <span style="color: red;">“I say to you that unless your righteousness far surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”</span></i></b></div><div><br /></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Matthew 5:20 (NASB)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div><div>Don’t be like the Pharisees and scribes. Don’t use them as an example of how to live, or how to worship and serve God. For unless we are far more right and pleasing in God’s eyes than they, we too will be shut out of heaven along with them.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Now we need to understand that the Pharisees, for the most part, actually believed they were doing God’s work, that they were serving Him and doing what He wanted them to do. Many were confused by Jesus and the things He said. Some came to believe in Him as the Messiah. But most thought they were living and acting correctly and righteously in God’s eyes.</div><div><br /></div><div>Take the young Pharisee by the name of Saul, who held the cloaks of others as they stoned the Apostle Stephen to his death. There was a time when the Apostle Paul caused a scene in Jerusalem by accompanying into the Temple four Gentiles recently converted to the faith. Some outsider Jews who had come to town shouted out that he was teaching people in ways contrary to Jewish tradition and had even brought four Greeks into this holy place.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Roman commander, fearing a riot, had Paul arrested and escorted back to his headquarters. As they were about to take him into the barracks to be questioned, he asked to speak to the mob. Listen to what Paul told this angry crowd, as recorded by the Apostle Luke in chapter 22 of his Book of the Acts of the Apostles, verses 1 through 6…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 “Brothers and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you.”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect, they became even more quiet; and he said,</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the Law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today. 4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons, 5 as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brothers, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>6 “But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus at about noon, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me."</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Acts 22:1-6 (NASB)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>Then Paul goes on to describe his conversion. But in this passage, Paul assures the Jews that he was indeed a good Jew and a good Pharisee, zealous for God, just as the mob was behaving that day. He was doing the work of God and the Temple in trying to quell this New Way and all the heresy people were being taught and spreading. In fact, he was on his way to arrest some believers and carry them off to Jerusalem to be tried. He persecuted this Way – the church - to death. He was doing the will of God, or so he thought. But then he was blinded so that he could be shown the truth, so that he could see the Light.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The Pharisees as we know them ceased to be an active force after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD. Well, while there may no longer be Pharisees by that name, I believe we all know people just like them today. These are the people who are more interested in making a good show than in truly serving others. They only do good works for photo ops, to look good in the public’s eye. They’re all show and little substance.</div><div><br /></div><div>And then there are those who are most like the Pharisees of Jesus’ day. They think they are doing right, doing what God demands of them. They follow the scriptures to the word, often ignoring the intent of God’s word. They do the things a good Christian is supposed to do, but neglect the weightier message of justice, faithfulness, and especially mercy.</div><div><br /></div><div>They are quick to judge the failings of others, or what they perceive as failings. They see heresies and false teaching in anything they don’t agree with. And sometimes they even keep other people from entering heaven by coming on too strong, driving them away, being too judgmental, blindly leading others along the wrong path.</div><div><br /></div><div>We must heed Jesus’ warning and be wary of the hypocrites, who appear righteous on the outside, but in their heart of hearts don’t really know Jesus. Woe to the scribes and Pharisees of our age. Be wary of their influence. Weigh their words carefully. Be sure to live more humbly, more righteously, following the example Jesus set for us.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who came in the flesh to redeem us, and who is coming again to judge us all. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for Your word in our Bible. By the examples and lessons it provides, we can model our lives in a way that will please You. It can also show us behaviors to avoid, like how most of the Pharisees reacted to Your Son Jesus. Sometimes, Father, we might tend to act like the Pharisees, putting more of our efforts and attention to religion and neglecting service. Sometimes we look for and expect sacrifice from others, rather than seeking justice, mercy, faithfulness, and forgiveness. Forgive us these times, please Father. Please help us remember, though, that our Bible has gone through many translations and versions since it was originally written by the men and women You inspired and filled with Your word. Help us receive and follow the intent of Your word, especially as it pertains to Your commands. Guide us in our reading and study that we not just cherry-pick the passages to support our viewpoint, but that give us the whole picture of Your message. And please help us do a better job of sharing Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice. </div><div><br /></div><div>Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, so many of the religious leaders of the Jewish people of Your days on earth were indeed hypocrites in the truest sense. They acted one way when in the eyes of the public, while harboring hatred in their hearts. They looked clean on the outside, but filthy on the inside, where it matters most. Please help us be more like You, Jesus, and not like the Pharisees. Help us be less judgmental in our dealings with others. Please help us be more understanding, more merciful, more forgiving, remembering that we are all created in our Triune God’s image and that You came to save us all. And Lord, please help us reach out to the non-believing world with the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love. Give us the words to say, show us what to do to help bring the lost to You.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations and all the false teachings. Help us fend off his attacks. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-44987374048263598252024-03-10T15:36:00.000-04:002024-03-10T15:36:53.583-04:00Who Do You Say I Am?<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 10th of March, 2024 - the fourth Sunday in Lent. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Family, today is the fourth Sunday in our season of Lent, our time to look deep within ourselves to see if we are living as God would have us live. Lent is our way to observe the 40 days and 40 nights that Jesus spent in the wilderness fasting and praying, all while being tempted by the devil. Traditional fasting involved not eating anything from sunup to sunset, but still allowed for a hearty breakfast and dinner before sunup and after sunset.</div><div><br /></div><div>We may not fast in our day and age, but we can pray. And when we pray in the name of Jesus, God listens. And just as prayer helped Jesus resist the devil’s temptations, prayer will help us survive Satan’s constant attacks.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We’re in the fourth week of our journey through Lent and getting closer and closer to the cross. For quite some time, Jesus has been hinting at what is to come, but now He is beginning to tell His disciples in plain language what will happen when they reach Jerusalem and the end of His earthly ministry. They’ve had trouble grasping the idea that their Messiah might actually suffer and die. This ran counter to what they had been told all their lives to expect. The Messiah was supposed to conquer Rome and free them from tyranny, not die at Roman hands. And even though they’d walked along side Him for nearly three years, they still couldn’t accept that He was mortal flesh, just like them. Then the day comes when He wonders if anything He’s tried to explain has sunk in or not.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please listen and follow along to a short conversation between Jesus and His disciples as recorded by the Apostle Matthew in the 16th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 13 through 21, and I’ll be reading from the Easy-To-Read version of our Holy Bible this morning…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>13 Jesus went to the area of Caesarea Philippi. He said to His followers, <span style="color: red;">“Who do people say I am?”</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>14 They answered, “Some people say You are John the Baptizer. Others say You are Elijah. And some say You are Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>15 Then Jesus said to His followers, <span style="color: red;">“And who do you say I am?”</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>17 Jesus answered, <span style="color: red;">“You are blessed, Simon son of Jonah. No one taught you that. My Father in heaven showed you who I am. </span>18 <span style="color: red;">So I tell you, you are Peter. And I will build My church on this rock. The power of death will not be able to defeat My church.</span> 19 <span style="color: red;">I will give you the keys to God’s kingdom. When you speak judgment here on earth, that judgment will be God’s judgment. When you promise forgiveness here on earth, that forgiveness will be God’s forgiveness.”</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>20 Then Jesus warned His followers not to tell anyone He was the Messiah.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>21 From that time Jesus began telling His followers that He must go to Jerusalem. He explained that the older Jewish leaders, the leading priests, and the teachers of the law would make Him suffer many things. And He told His followers that He must be killed. Then, on the third day, He would be raised from death.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>Matthew 16:13-21 (ERV)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, thank You for our Testaments to Your word, both Old and New, for they give us greater insight into Jesus. We know He is Your Son, Your Christ, Your Messiah, our Lord, our Redeemer, our Savior. He has so many names, Father, so many titles, because one simply cannot cover all that He is to us. Father, please help us keep our focus on the name of Jesus, for it is a powerful name. Please help us bear that name across our foreheads and in our hearts. And please forgive us when we hesitate to share it with others.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand Your message today. Help us to understand that no matter what we may call Him, Jesus is Your Messiah, sent to offer us salvation, who will come again to judge us all. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Evangelist Billy Sunday, in his sermon titled, “Wonderful”, expressed this thought: “There are two hundred and fifty-six names given in the Bible for the Lord Jesus Christ, and I suppose this was because He was infinitely beyond all that any one name could express.”</div><div><br /></div><div>It’s long been said that the Arctic-dwelling Inuits have over 50 words for “snow”, and that has been shown to be true. But many of the peoples and tribes who live in those far northern regions use hundred’s of different words to describe their local environment and its primary form of precipitation.</div><div><br /></div><div>Languages evolve to focus on the most important aspects of our lives. What could be more important to the world than Jesus? He took away our sin and offered us salvation, and He is coming again to judge us all. Some people don’t believe that, and it’s their loss, because He is coming and will judge them anyway, whether they believe it now or not.</div><div><br /></div><div>So to me the most important word to describe Jesus is “Lord”, for as His followers we should obey His commands, since He holds our future in His hands. But “Savior” may be equally important, because He does offer salvation to all who will believe and follow. “Redeemer” is another good one, because He redeemed us by atoning for our sin with His own blood. And He is definitely the “Christ”, the “Messiah” sent by God.</div><div><br /></div><div>I think we can begin to see why the authors of the various books of our Bible needed 256 names to better describe Jesus and His importance to us and His relationship with us. Of course, the name I like best is “Friend”.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>“Who do you say I am?”</div><div><br /></div><div>It seems like a simple question. If I were to ask it, the answer would probably be “Richard Moore”, or “Rev. Moore”, or “preacher man”, or even “Dad”, depending on who I ask. But this was Jesus who asked that question, and He asked it of His most faithful followers, those He personally chose, His closest friends.</div><div><br /></div><div>“Who do you say I am?”</div><div><br /></div><div>Jesus seemed only mildly interested in what the people in general might think. He wanted to know what His disciples thought, if they had managed to grasp what He’d been trying to tell them and show them. And Simon Peter got it right. “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Long before Jesus was even born as flesh, the great prophet Isaiah gave us many names Jesus will be called by, many titles He will carry. Please listen to what Isaiah wrote in the 9th chapter and 6th verse of his book of prophesy…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>6 For unto us a Child is born,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Unto us a Son is given;</i></b></div><div><b><i>And the government will be upon His shoulder.</i></b></div><div><b><i>And His name will be called</i></b></div><div><b><i>Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div><div>“Wonderful” was the title of Billy Sunday’s sermon I mentioned earlier. The name of Jesus is indeed wonderful. And powerful, I might add. Just invoking that name – Jesus – can bring about mighty results. God listens for that name to be spoken, and responds.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We’ve only scratched the surface of the 256 names Billy Sunday told us about. One of my personal favorite descriptions of Jesus, and another of the many names, comes from the opening verses of the Apostle John’s Gospel account, when he proclaims…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 Before the world began, the Word was there. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was there with God in the beginning. 3 Everything was made through Him, and nothing was made without Him. 4 In Him there was life, and that life was a light for the people of the world. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not defeated it.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>6 There was a man named John, who was sent by God. 7 He came to tell people about the Light. Through him all people could hear about the Light and believe. 8 John was not the Light. But he came to tell people about the Light. 9 The true Light was coming into the world. This is the true Light that gives light to all people.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">John 1:1-9 (ERV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div>The Word, the Word of God, who was with God forever and who was made flesh to bring light into our world darkened by sin. The Light, the true Light, given to all people that we might find our way out of the darkness and be reconciled with God. Jesus is the Word of God and the Light from God. Without Him we could not truly know God, and we would be stumbling around in darkness, doomed by our sin. But the Word came to tell us the truth. And the Light came to redeem us of our sin.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Family, we are blessed to belong to Jesus. We are blessed to be counted among His followers. But there will come tribulations for our acknowledging Jesus as our Lord. Jesus cautioned us that we would still encounter trials and tribulations in this life – maybe even more so because the world hates the Truth, the Word, and the Light.</div><div><br /></div><div>He also warned us that the non-believing world will not take kindly to our faith and belief. Hear the words our Lord spoke as recorded by the Apostle Luke in verses 22 and 23 of the 6th chapter of his Gospel account…</div></div></div></div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>22 <span style="color: red;">"People will hate you because you belong to the Son of Man. They will make you leave their group. They will insult you. They will think it is wrong even to say your name. When these things happen, know that great blessings belong to you.</span> 23 <span style="color: red;">You can be happy then and jump for joy, because you have a great reward in heaven. The ancestors of those people did the same things to the prophets."</span></i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Luke 6:22-23 (ERV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>You may remember this as part of the Beatitudes. It comes from what Luke called Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain, which may or may not be the same as what Matthew called the Sermon on the Mount.</div><div><br /></div><div>We are blessed when the people of this world hate us and revile us and say all kinds of nasty things about us simply because we believe in Jesus as the Son of God and our Lord. After all, Jesus experienced this kind of treatment when He walked this earth. Should we expect better if we are walking alongside Him, carrying His name as our own?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And that leads to the question Jesus asked His chosen twelve. Who do we say Jesus is? More to the point, who is He to us? It is very appropriate to ask ourselves this during the Lenten season as we examine our hearts and motives. Who is Jesus to us?</div><div><br /></div><div>He is our Redeemer, our Intercessor, our Brother who reconciles us with our Father God. He should be our Lord, our Master, our best Friend. He brings the message of salvation to a weary world. Let’s help our Friend share His message. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who came in the flesh to redeem us, and who is coming again to judge us all. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for giving us Your word in our Bible. This allows us to learn more about You and Your Son, our Lord Jesus. Here we can read the many descriptive names that mankind has tried to apply to Jesus, names that speak of His marvelous works, His loving kindness, His past and future missions on this earth. Please help us take all of this to heart as we look within ourselves to see who Jesus is to us. Sometimes, Father, we just think of Jesus in terms of the past, thanking Him for His sacrifice, but not considering all He does for us right now, and will do in the future. Sometimes we don’t dig deep enough in Your word to see all that Jesus truly is. Forgive us these times, please Father. Help us build a better, closer relationship with Your Son. And please help us do a better job of sharing Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice. </div><div><br /></div><div>Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, You are infinite. Your power, Your strength, and Your love are all unending. It’s no wonder that mankind is unable to come up with just a few names to describe all You do. Please help us be more like You, Jesus. Help us grow in our faith and in our walk with You. Please help us see through Your eyes so that we will be more righteous in our words and acts, and more pleasing in God’s eyes. And Lord, please help us reach out to the non-believing world with the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love. Give us the words to say, show us what to do to help bring the lost to You.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations and all the false teachings. Help us fend off his attacks. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-10812569274815834622024-03-03T15:19:00.000-05:002024-03-03T15:19:12.013-05:00Remain In the Love of God<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 3rd of March, 2024 - the third Sunday in Lent. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Family, today is the third Sunday in the season of Lent, our time to look deep inside ourselves to see if we are living as God would have us live. Lent reminds us of the 40 days and 40 nights that Jesus spent in the wilderness fasting and praying, all the while being tempted by the devil.</div><div><br /></div><div>Fasting may not be at the top of our list of things to do, but we can easily spend more time in prayer. And like Jesus, we are constantly bombarded by Satan’s temptations and traps. Just as prayer helped Jesus resist them all, prayer will help us survive the devil’s attacks, too.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Last week we opened the Apostle Jude’s letter to the early church. This morning we’ll finish this short epistle and, along with it, we’ll finish look at the apostolic letters.</div><div><br /></div><div>Remember that Jude was a brother of James and a half-brother of Jesus. And while Jude had initially intended to write about salvation through God’s grace and Jesus’ sacrifice, he ended up being rather forced to deal with the more pressing issue of false teachers worming their way into the churches with their incorrect teachings and bad influence. Jude wrote this letter to defend the apostolic faith against these false teachings. He reminds his readers of what our Lord’s apostles had already told them. We would do well to pay attention to his words, too.</div><div><br /></div><div>So please listen and follow along to the closing nine verses – 17 through 25 - of the Apostle Jude’s letter to an early Christian church, and I’ll be reading this from the Living Bible version of our Holy Bible…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>17 Dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ told you, 18 that in the last times there would come these scoffers whose whole purpose in life is to enjoy themselves in every evil way imaginable. 19 They stir up arguments; they love the evil things of the world; they do not have the Holy Spirit living in them.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>20 But you, dear friends, must build up your lives ever more strongly upon the foundation of our holy faith, learning to pray in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>21 Stay always within the boundaries where God’s love can reach and bless you. Wait patiently for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in His mercy is going to give you. 22 Try to help those who argue against you. Be merciful to those who doubt. 23 Save some by snatching them as from the very flames of hell itself. And as for others, help them to find the Lord by being kind to them, but be careful that you yourselves aren’t pulled along into their sins. Hate every trace of their sin while being merciful to them as sinners.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>24-25 And now — all glory to him who alone is God, Who saves us through Jesus Christ our Lord; yes, splendor and majesty, all power and authority are His from the beginning; His they are and His they evermore shall be. And He is able to keep you from slipping and falling away, and to bring you, sinless and perfect, into His glorious presence with mighty shouts of everlasting joy. Amen.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>Jude</i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>Jude 1:17-25 (TLB)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, thank You for ensuring that we would be warned about those who would come bearing false witness against Your word. There have always been people who only care about themselves, about enjoying themselves even if at the expense of others. And then there are those who are working against Your Christ, trying to convince us that evil is good and that wrong is right. Father, please help us recognize these false teachers who are carrying out Satan’s deeds. Please help us see the truth even as they hide it with their smoke and mirrors. And please forgive us when we allow ourselves to be drawn in my their lies.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand Your message today. Help us always stay within the boundaries of Your love and blessings. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>A certain medieval monk announced he would be preaching next Sunday evening on, "The Love of God". As the shadows fell and the light ceased to come in through the cathedral windows, the congregation gathered. In the darkness of the altar, the monk lighted a candle and carried it to the crucifix. First of all, he illumined the crown of thorns, next, the two wounded hands, then the marks of the spear wound. In the hush that fell, he blew out the candle and left the chancel. There was nothing else to say.</div><div><br /></div><div>Jesus said, "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." He then showed that love by taking our punishment upon Himself. He who was without sin, the Spotless Lamb, washed us clean of our sin and redeemed us with His own blood. This is the epitome of love. This is God’s love.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Our reading this morning opens right where we left off last week, as Jude wraps up his defense against the false teachers invading the church. We’ve been warned, by Jesus Himself in our Gospel accounts and by His apostles in their letters, about the devil’s little helpers, “scoffers” as Jude calls them. Their only purpose in life is to enjoy themselves, primarily by doing any imaginable evil. They relish making trouble and causing difficulties for others.</div><div><br /></div><div>You know the kind – they think practical jokes are all in good fun, especially if someone else gets hurt. And making fun of other people is the height of humor. They love starting fights and arguments among others, and then stepping back to watch. Sex and lust are just for fun, and for the enjoyment of all people, especially them.</div><div><br /></div><div>And then Jude gets to the root of the problem: they do not have the Holy Spirit living in them. They have not accepted Jesus as Lord so they have not been baptized by the Spirit, nor do they have the guidance He provides.</div><div><br /></div><div>The trouble is, these people can be very convincing. Their lies make it all sound too good. Why can’t we enjoy ourselves a little? After all, we’re saved, right? Jesus came to wash us clean of our sin, so aren’t we now sinless? If we should do something wrong, won’t we immediately be forgiven again?</div><div><br /></div><div>Their arguments can even make sense, in a way. God loves us all and doesn’t want anyone to have to suffer endlessly. And besides, there’s so many different ways we can get to heaven, all we need to do is give a little to charity and maybe do a good deed once in a while. Then we can do whatever else we want and enjoy this life to the fullest.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now family, we know this is not true. We know that Jesus said to repent, to turn away from our sin, to go and sin no more. And when we do sin, we know we are to seek God’s forgiveness anew, promising to be better. Yes, we’re saved, but we’ve also been set aside from the rest of the world for God’s purpose, so we must not act like the rest of the world. Instead, Jude urges us to reinforce our faith, to build up our lives ever more strongly on the foundation of our faith, praying in the power and in the strength of God’s Holy Spirit within us. We must stay within the boundaries where God’s love can reach and bless us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now this is not a physical perimeter, not like staying within Davidson County, or even some vast globe. Jude is talking about spiritual boundaries. I think the Apostle Paul can give us a good example of this concept. In the first six verses of the 5th chapter of his letter to the Romans, he says we can know and feel God's love even as we face adversities…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 So now, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith in his promises, we can have real peace with him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 For because of our faith, he has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to actually becoming all that God has had in mind for us to be.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us — they help us learn to be patient. 4 And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady. 5 Then, when that happens, we are able to hold our heads high no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>6 When we were utterly helpless, with no way of escape, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners who had no use for him.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Romans 5:1-6 (TLB)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>Do you see how this is completely opposite of the mindset of the false teachers Jude warns us about, how this opposes the world viewpoint that says we shouldn’t have to suffer, we should only enjoy life? In these verses, Paul reminds me of the saying, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. Problems and trials allow us to exercise our faith, and we know that good exercise indeed makes us stronger.</div><div><br /></div><div>And no matter what befalls us, we know that God dearly loves us, for His Holy Spirit fills our hearts with His love. But Jude cautions us to remain in God’s love, to stay where His love can reach us and bless us.</div><div><br /></div><div>So how do we know for sure if we are in God’s love? The Apostle John, in the first five verses of the 2nd chapter of his 1st letter to the early church, tells us we can be sure of God’s love by obeying His Son’s commandments…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 My dear children, I am writing this to you so you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, there is One Who will go between him and the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the One Who is right with God. 2 He paid for our sins with His own blood. He did not pay for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>3 We can be sure that we know Him if we obey His teaching. 4 Anyone who says, “I know Him,” but does not obey His teaching is a liar. There is no truth in him. 5 But whoever obeys His Word has the love of God made perfect in him. This is the way to know if you belong to Christ.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">1 John 2:1-5 (NLV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Right off the bat, John gives us the truth that we quite likely will sin again, even after being forgiven, even though he strongly encourages us not to. But if… when we do sin, Jesus is still there to intercede on our behalf with our Father God. We just need to obey Him, obey what He taught us, obey His word, and God’s love will be made perfect in us.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Jude gives us some great ways to remain in God’s love and obey His brother’s commandments. And we can start by being patient as we wait for the eternal life that has been promised us. As we wait, we should try to help others, even those who argue against us – pray for them. Be merciful to those who have doubts, lovingly trying to tell them the truth of Christ Jesus.</div><div><br /></div><div>And while we do as Jesus commands, trying to save others from the flames of eternal hell, we must be very careful to not let ourselves be tempted by the lures of the world and pulled back into its sins. Hate the sin, but love the sinner, being merciful to them. For this is how Jesus treated us, coming to us when we were hopelessly lost in our sin, loving us, giving of Himself for us, hating our sin, but being merciful to us sinners. Let us be ever diligent and faithful to follow His example so we can remain in the love of God.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who came in the flesh to redeem us, and who is coming again to judge us all. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You showing us your love by sending Your own Son to take our punishment, to take our sin upon Himself so that we might be forgiven. He came to us in our darkest time, shining His light that we might see our way. And His light shines brightest in Your love. Please help us always remain in Your love, where Your love can reach us and bless us. Sometimes, Father, the lures of the world tempt us. Sometimes the lies of the false teachers start to make sense. Forgive us these times, please Father. Help us see through the false teachings, focusing on the truth Your Son and His apostles shared with us. Please help us be more faithful and true in reading and sharing Your word. And please help us do a better job of sharing our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice. </div><div><br /></div><div>Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, we know we must obey You to always remain in reach of God’s love, but Lord, sometimes it’s just hard to love some people. We’re supposed to love the sinner while hating their sin, but too often we hate the sinner, too. Please help us be more like You, Jesus. Help us be more loving, more merciful, even to those who would do us wrong. Please help us see through Your eyes so that we will be more righteous in our words and acts, and more pleasing in God’s eyes. And Lord, please help us reach out to the non-believing world with the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love. Give us the words to say, show us what to do to help bring the lost to You.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations and all the false teachings. Help us fend off his attacks. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-79448551033498662572024-02-25T16:19:00.000-05:002024-02-25T16:19:05.689-05:00Defend the Truth<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 25th of February, 2024 - the second Sunday in Lent. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Family, today is the second Sunday in the season of Lent, our time to look deep inside ourselves to see if we are living as God would have us live. Lent reminds us of the 40 days and 40 nights that Jesus spent in the wilderness fasting and praying, all the while being tempted by the devil.</div><div><br /></div><div>While fasting isn’t observed too much these days, we are certainly encouraged to spend more time in prayer. And we are definitely facing constant temptations from Satan and the world, including those that directly assault our faith. Just as prayer helped Jesus, prayer will help us survive the devil’s attacks, too.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Last week we finished looking at the Apostle James’ letter to the early church. This morning we’re going to move on to the last of the Apostolic letter – the one written by Jude. Jude was a brother of James, which also makes him a half-brother of Jesus, too. Where James wrote about how we should live and act as Christians, Jude realized the need to see to a more pressing issue.</div><div><br /></div><div>Jude’s letter is short, and our canon provides it all in one chapter, but we’ll be breaking that into two pieces for our examination. So please listen and follow along to the first 16 verses of the Apostle Jude’s letter to an early Christian church, and I’ll be reading from the Living Bible version of our Holy Bible this morning…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 From: Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and a brother of James.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>To: Christians everywhere — beloved of God and chosen by Him. 2 May you be given more and more of God’s kindness, peace, and love.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>3 Dearly loved friends, I had been planning to write you some thoughts about the salvation God has given us, but now I find I must write of something else instead, urging you to stoutly defend the truth that God gave once for all to His people to keep without change through the years. 4 I say this because some godless teachers have wormed their way in among you, saying that after we become Christians we can do just as we like without fear of God’s punishment. The fate of such people was written long ago, for they have turned against our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>5 My answer to them is: Remember this fact — which you know already — that the Lord saved a whole nation of people out of the land of Egypt and then killed every one of them who did not trust and obey Him. 6 And I remind you of those angels who were once pure and holy but turned to a life of sin. Now God has them chained up in prisons of darkness, waiting for the judgment day. 7 And don’t forget the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, all full of lust of every kind, including lust of men for other men. Those cities were destroyed by fire and continue to be a warning to us that there is a hell in which sinners are punished.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>8 Yet these false teachers carelessly go right on living their evil, immoral lives, degrading their bodies and laughing at those in authority over them, even scoffing at the Glorious Ones. 9 Yet Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, when he was arguing with Satan about Moses’ body, did not dare to accuse even Satan, or jeer at him, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you.” 10 But these men mock and curse at anything they do not understand, and like animals, they do whatever they feel like, thereby ruining their souls.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>11 Woe upon them! For they follow the example of Cain who killed his brother; and like Balaam, they will do anything for money; and like Korah, they have disobeyed God and will die under His curse.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>12 When these men join you at the love feasts of the church, they are evil smears among you, laughing and carrying on, gorging and stuffing themselves without a thought for others. They are like clouds blowing over dry land without giving rain, promising much, but producing nothing. They are like fruit trees without any fruit at picking time. They are not only dead, but doubly dead, for they have been pulled out, roots and all, to be burned.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>13 All they leave behind them is shame and disgrace like the dirty foam left along the beach by the wild waves. They wander around looking as bright as stars, but ahead of them is the everlasting gloom and darkness that God has prepared for them.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>14 Enoch, who lived seven generations after Adam, knew about these men and said this about them: “See, the Lord is coming with millions of His holy ones. 15 He will bring the people of the world before Him in judgment, to receive just punishment and to prove the terrible things they have done in rebellion against God, revealing all they have said against Him.” 16 These men are constant gripers, never satisfied, doing whatever evil they feel like; they are loudmouthed “show-offs", and when they show respect for others, it is only to get something from them in return.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>Jude 1:1-16 (TLB)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, thank You for giving those people You chose to follow Your Son the insightful advice and warnings of Jesus’ brothers and His apostles. When our Lord’s church was still young and new, it faced trials and temptations from all directions, even from within itself, from those who claimed to be followers and teachers of the faith. Father, we still face many of these issues today, so we need these words now, just as did those worshipers long ago. Please help us be alert to those who would try to spread a message that runs counter to the life Jesus lived, the examples He set, the words He spoke, and the deeds He performed. Please forgive us when we let some self-proclaimed authority lead us astray. Help us be more diligent in this regard, as the Apostle John advised, especially during this Lenten season.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand Your message today. Help us better understand our need to listen to and heed the voice of Your Holy Spirit within us, who will help us discern the truth. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>John of the Cross was a 16th century Spanish priest, a Carmelite friar. He once encouraged us to, "Live in faith and hope, though it be in darkness, for in this darkness God protects the soul. Cast your care upon God for you are His and He will not forget you. Do not think that He is leaving you alone, for that would be to wrong Him."</div><div><br /></div><div>If we live in faith and put all our trust in God, we know that we are never alone, that He is always with us. Even during the darkest times, our heavenly Father stands at our side, and protects our soul. We are His and He will never forget us.</div><div><br /></div><div>The question is, will we always remember Him? Will we always stand up for Him, and specifically for our Lord Jesus? Or will there come a time when the world is pressing in and we fear for our own safety, that we will deny His name, will deny even knowing Him?</div><div><br /></div><div>That’s what Peter did. After watching as they carried Jesus off for trial, he feared they’d do the same thing to him. So when someone mentioned that he had come to town with Jesus and they’d seen him with Him, he denied it all, three times, just as Jesus said he would. And when he realized what he’d done, Peter regretted it deeply. We do not want to live with that kind of regret, so let’s be sure we stand up for Jesus and never deny Him.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Getting back to Jude’s letter, we’re not sure which church in particular nor the exact audience he was writing to. But we do know they were struggling with false teachers among them who were immoral, covetous, proud, and divisive. Their teachings strayed from what the church had been told by the apostles. Some of the people believed them, while some held to the old ways, and this was tearing the church apart.</div><div><br /></div><div>Jude had originally planned to write to the church about salvation, but now these pressing, urgent circumstances forced him to deal with the growing threat posed by these false teachers instead. So he wrote this letter to defend the apostolic faith against the false teachings.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>At this time, there was a rapidly growing trend in the Christian belief and practice of a form of Gnosticism that held that everything material is evil while everything spiritual is good. So the adherents of this belief cultivated their "spiritual" lives while letting their material "flesh" do anything "it" wanted to do. This led to all manner of lewd and immoral behavior.</div><div><br /></div><div>Jude condemned this practice in no uncertain terms and exhorted the readers of this letter to strongly oppose it and maintain the true faith. He tells the church that just because we’re saved doesn’t mean we can do anything we want. He reminds them of the fate of the children of Israel who did not trust in and obey God, even after He had led them out of captivity in Egypt. They thought they could do whatever they wanted, in effect denying God’s law, and they were wrong. God demands our obedience, and especially when it comes to our obeying His Son, Jesus.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, Jude is not the only one to warn us of false teachers, and probably not the first, either. Hear what the Apostle Peter tells us in the 2nd chapter of his 2nd letter, verses 1 through 9…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 But there were false prophets, too, in those days, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly tell their lies about God, turning against even their Master who bought them; but theirs will be a swift and terrible end. 2 Many will follow their evil teaching that there is nothing wrong with sexual sin. And because of them Christ and His way will be scoffed at.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>3 These teachers in their greed will tell you anything to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago and their destruction is on the way. 4 For God did not spare even the angels who sinned, but threw them into hell, chained in gloomy caves and darkness until the judgment day. 5 And He did not spare any of the people who lived in ancient times before the flood except Noah, the one man who spoke up for God, and his family of seven. At that time God completely destroyed the whole world of ungodly men with the vast flood. 6 Later, He turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into heaps of ashes and blotted them off the face of the earth, making them an example for all the ungodly in the future to look back upon and fear.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>7-8 But at the same time the Lord rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a good man, sick of the terrible wickedness he saw everywhere around him day after day. 9 So also the Lord can rescue you and me from the temptations that surround us, and continue to punish the ungodly until the day of final judgment comes.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">2 Peter 2:1-9 (TLB)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>Peter and Jude share the same message, that false teachers will say that there is nothing wrong or immoral with sexual sin. They are clever and will tell us lies that go against God, tell us anything to pull us away from our heavenly Father and turn us against Him. This is the work of Satan and God will not let it go unpunished, just as He did not spare even the angels who sinned against Him.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Apostle Paul also warns us against the teachings of those who are working against our Christ, but he also encourages us to spread the true word of God. Please hear what Paul wrote in his 2nd letter to his young protégé Timothy, from chapter 4, verses 1 through 4…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 And so I solemnly urge you before God and before Christ Jesus — who will someday judge the living and the dead when He appears to set up His Kingdom — 2 to preach the Word of God urgently at all times, whenever you get the chance, in season and out, when it is convenient and when it is not. Correct and rebuke your people when they need it, encourage them to do right, and all the time be feeding them patiently with God’s Word.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>3 For there is going to come a time when people won’t listen to the truth but will go around looking for teachers who will tell them just what they want to hear. 4 They won’t listen to what the Bible says but will blithely follow their own misguided ideas.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">2 Timothy 4:1-4 (TLB)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div><div>We are urged to share the word of God every chance we get, whether it is convenient to do so or not. And Paul says we should make this a matter of urgency, for the Lord Jesus will return someday to judge us all, the living and the dead. We should encourage each other to do what is right, correcting and rebuking wrong behavior as needed, all the while patiently spreading the word of God. For there is going to come a time when people just will not listen to the truth, but instead will choose teachers who will tell them what they want to hear.</div><div><br /></div><div>And family, that time has come! People blithely follow their own misguided ideas and beliefs, thinking like those Gnostics of old that they can do anything with their bodies because their souls are saved. This is not true to our belief system, to our faith. And this is why Jude strongly urges us to steadfastly defend the truth that God gave, once for all, to His people, to keep without change throughout the ages.</div><div><br /></div><div>So let’s be ready to stand up for Jesus and defend our faith whenever and wherever necessary. Let’s be faithful and true in spreading the Gospel message as we walk this earth. Let’s defend the truth. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who came in the flesh to redeem us, and who is coming again to judge us all. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You inspiring Your Son’s brothers and apostles to record Your truth in their words of advice, encouragement, and warning. And thank You for seeing that we would have these words to study even today. No matter what we are facing, Father, no matter who may say they are speaking for You, please help us discern the truth of their words by listening to Your Spirit within us. Please help us pay closer heed to the urgings of Your Spirit. Sometimes we think we know what we’re doing and don’t need Your help. Sometimes we ignore Your Spirit as He tries to guide us in the righteous way. Forgive us these times, please Father. Please help us remember that Your gave us Your Holy Spirit to help us, not to hinder us. Please help us be more faithful and true in sharing Your word. And please help us do a better job of sharing our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice. </div><div><br /></div><div>Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, Your brothers followed You and served as Your apostles as You ministered to us during Your walk on earth as a man. We can only imagine what it would have been like to grow up with You as children. Please help us be as true and faithful to You as were James and Jude. Help us share Your Good News of salvation with the world. Please help us stand up for You and defend the Christian faith whenever needed. And Lord, please help us reach out to the non-believing world with the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love. Give us the words to say, show us what to do to help bring the lost to You.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations and all the false teachings. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-12080948902232682722024-02-23T14:02:00.000-05:002024-02-23T14:02:02.124-05:00The Power of Prayer<p><br /></p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 18th of February, 2024 - the first Sunday in Lent. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Family, the Lenten season began this past Wednesday and today is the first Sunday in Lent. This is our time for intentional introspection, to make it our purpose to look deep inside ourselves to see if we are living our daily lives as God would have us live. It commemorates the 40 days and 40 nights that Jesus spent in the wilderness shortly after His baptism in the River Jordan. During these days He fasted and prayed, and resisted all the temptations of the devil. So what better way to begin our journey through Lent than with a confession of our sin and an emphasis on prayer?</div><div><br /></div><div>We’ll be finishing up the Apostle James’ letter to the early church this morning, where he tells us to confess and pray, reminding us of the power of prayer. Throughout this letter, James has given us good, solid advice, along with some warnings, on how we should live, how we should behave during our daily walk through this life in preparation for the next. And he continues that trend as he closes this letter.</div><div><br /></div><div>The early church needed these instructions and words of encouragement, for everything was still very new to them. They were getting mixed messages from the different people who came through their churches - some preaching the true Gospel, some spreading false teachings. The letters from James and the other Apostles were an important resource for them, and for us today.</div><div><br /></div><div>So please listen and follow along to verses 12 through 20 of the 5th and closing chapter of James’ letter, and I’ll be reading this from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>12 But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>13 Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. 14 Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. 17 Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! 18 Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>19 My dear brothers and sisters, if someone among you wanders away from the truth and is brought back, 20 you can be sure that whoever brings the sinner back from wandering will save that person from death and bring about the forgiveness of many sins.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>James 5:12-20 (NLT)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, thank You for letting us know how important a good prayer life is in our daily walk. We know that we should spend more time with You, in Your word and in personal conversation. Father, please help us be more earnest and faithful in our prayer life. Please forgive us when we don’t set aside enough time each day just to talk with You. Help us be more diligent in this regard, especially during the Lenten season.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand Your message today. Help us realize the great power we hold within us, the power of Your Holy Spirit, and how He can work through us when we pray to You. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>While researching for this morning's service, I found some interesting information about prayer. Did you know that there are 650 prayers listed in the Bible, and that of those, about 450 have recorded answers? The first time prayer is mentioned in the Bible comes in Genesis 4:26, where we read in the NASB that, "To Seth also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then people began to call upon the name of the Lord." Before this, conversations were initiated directly by God.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Bible records Jesus praying 25 different times during his three year earthly ministry. And the Apostle Paul mentions prayer 41 times. In Jesus' model prayer, He gives us five areas to focus on: (1) to focus on God's everlasting glory, that His name be hallowed and honored; (2) to focus on God's eternal will, that His Kingdom come; (3) to focus on our present, that God's provision - our daily bread - continue to be given; (4) to focus on our past, that God has forgiven our sins; and (5) to focus on our future, that God's deliverance will be provided.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Bible lists at least nine main types of prayer: prayer of faith, of agreement, of request, of thanksgiving, of worship, of consecration or dedication, of intercession, of imprecation, and praying in the Spirit. And lastly, the word "Amen", which means "let it be" or "so be it", makes its first appearance in the Book of Numbers, chapter 5 verse 22. In that passage, God commands it to be said by a person who is yielding to His examination.</div><div><br /></div><div>If prayer isn’t important, do you think our bible would place so much emphasis on it? 650 prayers listed, with 25 of them being raised by our Lord Jesus during His short, three-year ministry. And those 25 are just the ones listed by the Gospel writers – I bet He lifted a whole lot more than that. While in the wilderness for 40 days and nights, He did little more than pray the whole time!</div><div><br /></div><div>And that part about saying “Amen” when we conclude a prayer… I think most of us know that “Amen” means “so be it”, but did we understand the full meaning of “so be it”? By saying “Amen”, we are in effect saying, “OK, God, look deep within me and see if I am truly being faithful in my prayer.” And if we are being faithful in our prayer, we should willingly be open to His examination, for we will be doing what is right in His eyes.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So, James is ready to close out his letter and send it off to the young Christian churches scattered throughout the known world. But first he has a little more advice and a few more warnings. And he starts off with a warning about taking an oath. In this, James echoes something Jesus said during His sermon on the Mount. The Apostle Matthew recorded Jesus’ words in the 5th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 33 through 37, when Jesus said…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><i><b>33 <span style="color: red;">“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ </span>34 <span style="color: red;">But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne;</span> 35 <span style="color: red;">nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.</span> 36 <span style="color: red;">Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.</span> 37 <span style="color: red;">But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’, and your ‘No’, ‘No’. For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.”</span></b></i></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Matthew 5:33-37 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and other passages in our bible warn that if we swear by God’s name and fail to do what we are swearing to, then there will be condemnation upon us. To swear by heaven or earth is a spiritual-sounding way to get around using God’s name, in that it gives us an escape clause in case we don’t carry out what we are pledging to do. Jesus said to let our “Yes” be “Yes” and our “No” be “No” so that there would be complete honesty and integrity about our word and the commitments we make.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And then James moves right into the subject of prayer. Is life causing hardships and troubles? Pray. Not feeling very well lately? Pray, and call the elders for more prayer. Oh, and if everything is going well, then sing praises to the Lord for He is good. Prayer offered in faith can heal the sick and bring forgiveness to the sinner. James says we should confess our sins to each other and pray for each other. Confessing our sins to someone else may be very tough to do, but it can bring peace to our heart, and support and encouragement from another.</div><div><br /></div><div>And the earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and can bring wonderful results. The Apostle Paul defines earnest, fervent prayer for us, in chapter 4 verse 2 of his letter to the Colossians, when he instructs us to…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><i><b>2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.</b></i></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Colossians 4:2 (NLT)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>There’s three keys words in this verse. “Devote” – make the time to pray, set aside some time, be purposeful to make this part of our daily activity or routine. “Alert” – be completely aware and conscious of what we are praying for, don’t just recite some memorized mantra, be thoughtful in our prayer. “Thankful” – each prayer should begin and end with giving thanks to God, for He is a good Father, He provides everything we have, and by His mercy we are forgiven of our sin and granted eternal life.</div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, and don’t hesitate to be a name-dropper. Jesus assures us that anything we ask in His name will be granted if we ask in faith and it is for a righteous reason.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Paul also encourages us to pray without ceasing, and in any and all circumstances. In his 1st letter to the Thessalonians, chapter 5 verses 16 through 18, Paul writes…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div><b><i>16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.</i></b></div></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div></div></div><div><div>Now Paul isn’t suggesting we do nothing but pray. I mean we have to eat and sleep sometimes. But we must not allow ourselves to get to the point where we just give up and stop praying altogether. Life gets tough and can beat us down to where we don’t want to get up again, to where we don’t even try to pray anymore. Instead, we should stop and take stock of all the things we have to be thankful for. When we see God’s hand at work in us and around us, we will be joyful. And this joy will further fuel our thankfulness.</div><div><br /></div><div>Jesus told us that in this world we will face tribulations, but we can be joyful in this because He has conquered the world. These trials and troubles can be a joy to us for they help us mature in our faith. So we can be thankful, no matter what we face, for this is God’s will for all who belong to His Son Jesus. Besides, when we face troubles, we often turn to prayer, and this is God’s will for us, too. He likes to spend time with us.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Family, the Lenten season is a great time for us to stop, look deep within, and open ourselves up more to God’s will. Let’s try to make time in our busy day to spend solely with our Father God, reading His word, talking with Him in prayer and introspection, listening for His reply. Let us be earnest and faithful in our moments with God, striving to be ever more righteous in His eyes. For there is great power in prayer.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who came to us to redeem us, and who is coming again to judge us all. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for always being with us, through good times and bad. No matter what we are facing, Father, we know that you are watching over us. Thank You, Father, for seeing to all our needs and giving us even more so that we can share with others. Sometimes, though, we take Your gifts for granted. We forget to thank You for Your generosity, for Your help. Sometimes we get so weary and worn from life’s trials that we don’t even come to You in prayer. Forgive us these times, please Father. Please help us remember the power of our prayer. Help us make time to pray in any and all circumstances. Help us be more faithful, earnest, and fervent in our prayer life. And please help us do a better job of sharing our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice. </div><div><br /></div><div>Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, You gave us a great example in how to pray to our heavenly Father, in what we have come to call our Lord’s Prayer. In it we see that we should glorify and honor God and recognize His sovereignty and will, that we should thank Him for our daily provision, for seeing to our needs both now and in the future, to thank Him for His forgiveness and mercy. Please help us pray from our hearts, in our own words, using the pattern You gave us. Help us pray through God’s Holy Spirit within us when the words just won’t come. And Lord, please help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love. Give us the words to say, show us what to do to help bring the lost to You.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-10111931133914320402024-02-15T08:23:00.000-05:002024-02-15T08:23:39.331-05:00With the Cross In Sight<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Ash Wednesday evening, the 14th of February, 2024, at Pilgrim Reformed Church. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Today we enter into the Lenten Season, which commemorates the 40 days and 40 nights that Jesus spent in the wilderness fasting, praying, and being tempted by Satan. We are challenged to use this time for self-examination and introspection, to see if we are living as God would have us live.</div><div><br /></div><div>It’s a great time to dig deeper into our Bibles, studying the Gospels, listening to Jesus, witnessing what He did while He walked among us. And we can read the letters His closest friends and followers wrote to help the early church. For by watching Jesus and studying the letters, through the eyes and the words of those who walked alongside Him, we can see how we, too, should live and act. And while we may think we can’t do miracles like He did, and perhaps some are beyond our reach, what to us may seem a simple act of kindness may, to the recipient, be a miracle indeed.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>By reading the accounts of the Gospel writers – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – we can see that Jesus was well aware of how His ministry, His life on earth, would end. And He knew when. So He spent a good bit of time trying to prepare His disciples for that day in their future, a day that will change mankind’s fate forever.</div><div><br /></div><div>Through most of this, Jesus was a little circumspect in how He tried to get this message across, just giving out little pieces of info at a time, knowing His followers would not be able to grasp the full impact of what would all too soon occur. And then came what would be His final trip into Jerusalem, and the last meal that He would share with His friends. The cross was now clearly in His sight.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let’s take a brief look at that night, just after the meal is finished. Please listen and follow along to what the beloved Apostle John recorded for us in chapter 13 of his Gospel account, verses 1 through 3 and verses 31 through 38, and I’ll be reading from the Living Bible version of our Holy Bible this afternoon…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1-3 Jesus knew on the evening of Passover Day that it would be His last night on earth before returning to His Father. During supper the devil had already suggested to Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, that this was the night to carry out his plan to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given Him everything and that He had come from God and would return to God. And how He loved His disciples!</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>31 As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, <span style="color: red;">“My time has come; the glory of God will soon surround Me — and God shall receive great praise because of all that happens to Me.</span> 32 <span style="color: red;">And God shall give Me His own glory, and this so very soon.</span> 33 <span style="color: red;">Dear, dear children, how brief are these moments before I must go away and leave you! Then, though you search for Me, you cannot come to Me — just as I told the Jewish leaders.</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>34 <span style="color: red;">“And so I am giving a new commandment to you now — love each other just as much as I love you.</span> 35 <span style="color: red;">Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are My disciples.”</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>36 Simon Peter said, “Master, where are You going?”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>And Jesus replied, <span style="color: red;">“You can’t go with Me now; but you will follow Me later.”</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>37 “But why can’t I come now?” he asked, “for I am ready to die for You.”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>38 Jesus answered, <span style="color: red;">“Die for Me? No — three times before the cock crows tomorrow morning, you will deny that you even know Me!”</span></i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>John 13:1-3, 31-38 (TLB)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Father God, one of the most useful features of our Bible is that it provides us with a wealth of examples of what to do and what not to do. If we carefully follow these examples, we can be seen as righteous in Your eyes. This is especially true if we try our best to do as Jesus did. Father, please help us follow the examples Your Son set for us. Help us remember all that He told us, including the warnings, so that we don’t die in our sins. Help us follow His example of how to interact with others. Forgive us when we deny knowing Him by our actions and reactions that mimic the world rather than show us as separate from the world. This we pray in the name of Your Son Jesus. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Each year, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent and is always 46 days before Easter Sunday. Lent is a 40-day season (not counting Sundays) marked by repentance, fasting, reflection, and ultimately celebration. The 40-day period represents Christ’s time of temptation in the wilderness, where he fasted and where Satan tempted him.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lent asks believers to set aside a time each year for similar fasting, marking an intentional season of focus on Christ’s life, His ministry, His sacrifice, and His resurrection. And, of course, the best way to focus on Jesus’ life and ministry is to read and study our Bible. So let’s look a little closer at our scripture reading.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We open up on the evening of the Passover day. Knowing that Jesus was arrested that evening and crucified the next day, which we celebrate as Good Friday, we can say that this would be Thursday evening. Jesus and His first twelve disciples, His closest friends, were gathered together in the upper room of a home. He knew this would be His last meal, His last night as a man on this earth. He also knew that one of the twelve, Judas Iscariot, would betray Him this night.</div><div><br /></div><div>We skip ahead a little to just after Judas leaves to carry out his plan, when Jesus says, “My time has come.” Now this phrase actually carries a couple of meanings. The cross is now clearly in sight, and Jesus knows the time to give up His earthly life has come. But it is also the time to complete the mission God sent Him to earth for. He must be sacrificed for our sake, for only the blood of the Spotless Lamb can atone for our sin.</div><div><br /></div><div>He tells His friends that His time is short, the remaining moments they have together grow few. Soon they will no longer be with Him, and they will not be able to come to Him where He goes - not yet. And here Jesus says, “just as I told the Jewish leaders”.</div><div><br /></div><div>This comes from a time earlier in His ministry when Jesus had been teaching in the Temple. On that particular day, the Jewish leaders and Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery asking Jesus if she shouldn't be stoned for her sin. This was the "let he who is without sin cast the first stone" incident.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Pharisees accused Jesus of witnessing to Himself, which He defended by replying that God also witnesses for Him. And then the following, as again recorded by the Apostle John in the 8th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 20 through 27...</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>20 Jesus made these statements while in the section of the Temple known as the Treasury. But He was not arrested, for His time had not yet run out.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>21 Later He said to them again, <span style="color: red;">“I am going away; and you will search for Me, and die in your sins. And you cannot come where I am going.”</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>22 The Jews asked, “Is He planning suicide? What does He mean, ‘You cannot come where I am going’?”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>23 Then He said to them, <span style="color: red;">“You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not.</span> 24 <span style="color: red;">That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am the Messiah, the Son of God, you will die in your sins.”</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>25 “Tell us who You are,” they demanded.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>He replied, <span style="color: red;">“I am the one I have always claimed to be.</span> 26 <span style="color: red;">I could condemn you for much and teach you much, but I won’t, for I say only what I am told to by the One who sent Me; and He is Truth.”</span> 27 But they still didn’t understand that he was talking to them about the Father.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">John 8:20-27 (TLB)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div><div>Jesus told the Pharisees and Jewish leaders that they would die in their sin because He knew they would never change their ways. They were of the world and refused to let go of it. He could have condemned them but He didn’t – there was no need, for they condemned themselves by their refusal to believe that the Messiah, the Christ, had come and stood before them.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So getting back to that Passover evening, with the cross in sight, Jesus gives a new command to all His followers, us included. We are to love each other just as much as He loves us. By this the world will know that we are His disciples.</div><div><br /></div><div>Jesus loves us enough to accept our punishment, to endure a horrible, painful death on the cross so that we can avoid dying in our sin like the Pharisees. Does He ask us to give up our loves for each other? No, not in the literal sense, but, as Paul puts it, to give of ourselves to others as a living sacrifice, giving of our time and resources, putting others’ needs ahead of our own.</div><div><br /></div><div>We are to love as Jesus loves. And we are not to deny Him and His effect in our lives. Peter swore he was ready to die for Jesus if necessary. But Jesus knew better, and we know that this highly emotional disciple did indeed deny even knowing Jesus, three times before morning. Rather than deny knowing Him, we should be filled with joy and excitement to tell anyone and everyone all about what He has done for us, how He has given us new life, new hope. Jesus can and does still work miracles in a person’s life.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>As we begin our walk through this Lenten season, let us be sure to keep the cross in sight. Let’s keep our eyes on Jesus and our focus on all He did and taught. And let us love one another, just as Jesus loves us. In the glorious name of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Father God, You sent Your Son Jesus to redeem us of our sin, to save us from ourselves. He gave everything for us, asking only that we follow Him and love one another. Thank You, Father, for loving us this much. Please help us keep the cross of our Lord in sight, through this Lenten season and all the days ahead. May we never forget or take for granted the sacrifice He made on our behalf. Please help us share the message of the cross and the empty grave with non-believers so that they too might be saved. In the beautiful name of Jesus we pray. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-27074015988822256642024-02-11T14:57:00.000-05:002024-02-11T14:57:28.766-05:00Be Patient<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 11th of February, 2024, at Pilgrim Reformed Church. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Family, is money bad? Is it bad to be financially wealthy? Doesn’t the bible say that money is the root of all evil?</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, no, no, and no. The Apostle Paul, in his 1st letter to his young protégé Timothy says that the love of money is the root of all evil – not money itself, but the love of money. When we begin to lust for money and the power it can bring, we start doing anything to get more and more. Money becomes our idol, our object of devotion and desire. We put its acquisition ahead of everything else, including our fellow man and even God. But no matter how rich we get, nothing we can buy will last. Nothing made by man will survive the test of time.</div><div><br /></div><div>So what good is money? It can be used for doing good, for helping others, for spreading the love of God. And many people do just that, whether they have vast resources, or just a few dollars left over after paying the bills each month. But those who lust for wealth need to slow down their pursuit and maybe read a little in our bible.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>This morning we will open the 5th and final chapter of the letter the Apostle James wrote and sent to the early Christian church. He has offered us a lot of practical advice so far, along with some well timed warnings about what not to do in our daily walk. As he closes his letter, James continues providing a warning and advice, and though this time they may seem a bit unconnected, they do piece together nicely. So please listen and follow along to the first 11 verses of the 5th chapter of James’ letter, and I’ll be reading this from the Easy-to-Read Version of our Holy Bible this morning…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 You rich people, listen! Cry and be very sad because much trouble will come to you. 2 Your riches will rot and be worth nothing. Your clothes will be eaten by moths. 3 Your gold and silver will rust, and that rust will be a proof that you were wrong. That rust will eat your bodies like fire. You saved your treasure in the last days. 4 People worked in your fields, but you did not pay them. They are crying out against you. They harvested your crops. Now the Lord All-Powerful has heard their cries.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>5 Your life on earth was full of rich living. You pleased yourselves with everything you wanted. You made yourselves fat, like an animal ready for the day of slaughter. 6 You showed no mercy to good people. They were not against you, but you killed them.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>7 Brothers and sisters, be patient; the Lord will come. So be patient until that time. Look at the farmers. They have to be patient. They have to wait for their valuable crop to grow and produce a harvest. They wait patiently for the first rain and the last rain. 8 You must be patient too. Never stop hoping. The Lord is coming soon. 9 Brothers and sisters, don’t complain against each other. If you don’t stop complaining, you will be judged guilty. And the Judge is ready to come!</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>10 Brothers and sisters, follow the example of the prophets who spoke for the Lord. They suffered many bad things, but they were patient. 11 And we say that those who accepted their troubles with patience now have God’s blessing. You have heard about Job’s patience. You know that after all his troubles, the Lord helped him. This shows that the Lord is full of mercy and is kind.</i></b> </div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>James 5:1-11 (ERV)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, thank You for inspiring Your Son’s earthly brother to write this letter of advice and warnings, and thank You for making sure we would still have his words even today, nearly 2000 later. We know that nothing made by man will last, but Your word, O Father, endures forever. Father, please help us take the advice James offers to heart, following his counsel, heeding the warnings he gives. Please forgive us when we don’t spend as much time in Your word as we should. Help us set aside more time in our daily routine to read and study Your word.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand Your message today. Help us grasp the full meaning of James’ words and how they apply to us as individuals and followers of Your Son Jesus. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The following appeared in an issue of the magazine Our Daily Bread, but I don’t know the author or the date:</div></div><blockquote><div>Hebrews 12:1 tells us to "run with endurance" the race set before us. George Matheson wrote, "We commonly associate patience with lying down. We think of it as the angel that guards the couch of the invalid. Yet there is a patience that I believe to be harder -- the patience that can run. To lie down in the time of grief, to be quiet under the stroke of adverse fortune, implies a great strength; but I know of something that implies a strength greater still: it is the power to work under stress; to have a great weight at your heart and still run; to have a deep anguish in your spirit and still perform the daily tasks. It is a Christ-like thing! The hardest thing is that most of us are called to exercise our patience, not in the sickbed but in the street." To wait is hard, to do it with "good courage" is harder!</div></blockquote><div></div><div><div>You know, it is a lot easier to be patient when you can’t do anything else than it is when you have a ton of options or other stuff to do. You have the worst cold in the world, and other than take some over-the-counter stuff to help relieve the symptoms, the only thing you can do is wait it out. On the flip side of the coin, you just sent someone a text and you want the answer now, so you text back again, “Why haven’t you answered me yet?!? Come on! I’ve got things to do!”</div><div><br /></div><div>Patience is a virtue, we’re told. Have you ever seen the movie, “Evan Almighty”? It’s the sequel to “Bruce Almighty” and I think the better of the two films. Evan is a Congressman told by God to build an ark. Yes, an ark, later to include all the animals two by two. As things evolve in the movie, Evan has no choice but to comply. His wife thinks he has gone nuts and finally packs up herself and the kids and leaves him. They stop at this little restaurant to eat. When the kids go off to do something, God, played wonderfully by Morgan Freeman, comes up to the wife and strikes up a conversation. And she starts pouring out all her troubles, without knowing just Who it is she’s talking to.</div><div><br /></div><div>And this is my favorite part. God says to the distraught wife, “Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does He give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does He give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does He give them opportunities to love each other?” The message sinks in and the wife returns home with the kids.</div><div><br /></div><div>Patience does not come naturally to us. It is a virtue, yes, but it is one we have to foster and nourish, practicing it at every opportunity. I guess fortunately for us, God gives us plenty of opportunities.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>James opens up chapter 5 of his letter by lambasting the rich. But as I said earlier, it isn’t the money, or even the people, that James is warning about – it’s the love of money, the lust for wealth. In fact, he’s telling the rich to be sad, because their riches will not last. Their money will rot, their fine clothes will be eaten by moths, their gold and silver will rust. It’s how they got their riches, and how they keep amassing their fortune, that shows their unhealthy lust for more. They took advantage of good people to their own benefit, when they could have been helping others with their wealth.</div><div><br /></div><div>And then James turns his attention to the rest of us, and especially to those who likely suffered at the hands of the greedy rich. Be patient, he says. Be patient, for the Lord will come and He will set things straight. Be patient like the farmers who plant their seed and then wait for the rains, before they can harvest the fruits of their labors. They never lose hope and neither should we, for the Lord is coming soon.</div><div><br /></div><div>James repeats himself not because he is forgetful, but because it is very important for us to keep heart and truly know that the Lord Jesus is coming again and He will judge the world, separating the good from the bad. Be patient, and look to how the prophets endured their times of suffering patiently, never losing faith, never doubting God’s promises, never giving up hope. Oh and look… there’s another warning for us not to complain against each other, not to judge, for the one true Judge is coming and we don’t want to be found guilty!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I said that these two seemingly unconnected topics – the warning about greed and the advice to be patient – do fit well together. Well, when it comes to wealth accumulation, we basically have two choices. We can do anything and everything necessary to grab up as much earthly treasure as we can, no matter the cost to anyone else, or we can be patient, not worrying about any earthly riches, waiting for the heavenly rewards we have been promised if we remain faithful. Which do you think God would consider as righteous behavior?</div><div><br /></div><div>Either of those choices can bring problems with them. The very rich have their own set of trials that their money can’t always solve. Studies and surveys have shown that they generally aren’t as happy as folks who don’t put so much emphasis on wealth acquisition. Of course, those folks have troubles, too. And here James tells us to accept our troubles with patience.</div><div><br /></div><div>That certainly isn’t easy. It’s something we have to purposely work at. So earlier in this letter, in verses 2 through 4 of the 1st chapter, James encourages us, saying...</div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>2 My brothers and sisters, you will have many kinds of trouble. But this gives you a reason to be very happy. 3 You know that when your faith is tested, you learn to be patient in suffering. 4 If you let that patience work in you, the end result will be good. You will be mature and complete. You will be all that God wants you to be.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">James 1:2-4 (ERV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>Be happy in our troubles. Riiiight… piece of cake, no sweat. NOT!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>Seeing someone happy while experiencing a difficulty is a rare sight indeed. But I’ve seen many people accept their difficult situation with grace, patiently enduring their troubles, knowing their future is secure. I’ve often said that we have no control over what happens to us in life, but we have full control over how we react to what happens. We can choose to lash out at the world when things go wrong, or we can endure with patience until everything settles down again. The former can bring extra grief upon ourselves and others around us, while the latter will help us mature and become complete in the eyes of our Lord.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And yes, we will have problems in this life, trials and tribulations, but these can make us stronger. The Apostle Paul, in the first 5 verses of the 5th chapter of his Letter to the Romans, almost echoes James when he writes…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 We have been made right with God because of our faith. So we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through our faith, Christ has brought us into that blessing of God's grace that we now enjoy. And we are very happy because of the hope we have of sharing God's glory. 3 And we are also happy with the troubles we have. Why are we happy with troubles? Because we know that these troubles make us more patient. 4 And this patience is proof that we are strong. And this proof gives us hope. 5 And this hope will never disappoint us. We know this because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts through the Holy Spirit he gave us.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Romans 5:1-5 (ERV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>Enduring our troubles exercises our patience, and our patience is proof that we are strong. Strong spiritually, yes, putting all our trust in the Lord. But also strong physically, by not giving in to adversity and hardship, by not lying down and letting the world take its toll on us.</div><div><br /></div><div>By our faith we have been made right with God, and by our faith we have certainty of our salvation. Nothing that this world can do to us can ever take our salvation from us as long as we maintain our faith. Patiently enduring whatever comes our way strengthens our faith.</div><div><br /></div><div>So let’s be happy when bad times befall us. Let’s patiently endure anything life throws at us. Let’s take advantage of all the opportunities we are given to exercise and grow our patience, letting it work within us, making us more mature in our faith, so that we can be all that God wants us to be.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who came to us to redeem us, and who is coming again to judge us all. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for giving us the opportunities to be patient, to be courageous, to love each other. Through these we grow and mature in our faith. Thank You, Father, for giving us examples in Your holy word of good men and women who showed patience in the face of trial. Sometimes, though, we fear in our hearts what happens next. We are hesitant to give up the things of this earthly life, and this life itself. Our hope falters a little. We forget that our future is secured by our faith and acceptance of Your Son Jesus. Forgive us these times, please Father. Please help us be more loving, more forgiving, more compassionate. Help us face our trials with strength and patience, knowing that someday soon You will send Your Son back to call us home. And please help us do a better job of sharing our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice. </div><div><br /></div><div>Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, we read in our bible of a rich young man who valued his wealth more than salvation. He refused to give up his treasure to help the poor, even when You told him that to do so would ensure his treasure in heaven. In this You showed that it isn’t wealth that causes us to fail, it’s our love of money, our lust for earthly treasures that keeps us from heaven and its rewards. Please help us be more patience where wealth is concerned, not caring so much about early treasure as about what will be ours in heaven when we give to help others and follow You. Help us be more giving, more loving, more patient. And Lord, please help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love. Give us the words to say, show us what to do to help bring the lost to You.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-12528007927530747612024-02-05T08:41:00.000-05:002024-02-05T08:41:39.123-05:00Do Right<p> </p><p><br /></p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 4th of February, 2024, at Pilgrim Reformed Church. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Last week, James gave us a little lesson on humility. He stated what should be obvious when he said that our conflicts between each other all result from our worldly desires and lusts. Whether we’re talking wars on a global scale or arguments among ourselves, they are all caused by one party seeking to impose its will on another, wanting something that it doesn’t have, coveting another’s good fortunes. And even if we ask God for what we want, we’re asking for the wrong reasons, for our own benefit no matter who else may be impacted, so God does not answer.</div><div><br /></div><div>Our worldly desires cause our problems and make us an enemy of God. Fortunately, James also provides the solution. We must set aside our pride and humble ourselves before God. For when we draw nearer to God, He will come closer to us.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In our reading this morning, James continues on this theme of our need to let go of the world and our worldly behavior. We tend to acknowledge our faults and weaknesses by dismissing them as just a part of “human nature”. And it is indeed in our nature to disobey God because we are a fallen, sinful people, beginning with Adam and Eve there in the beautiful Garden of Eden. We are enticed by all the world can offer, all its charms and promises of happiness and fortune. We ignore the words of our Bible that remind us that nothing on this earth can come close to comparing to what God has in His heaven. And it can all be ours if we just do as He commands.</div><div><br /></div><div>In our reading today we are reminded of some of what God expects of us. So please listen and follow along as we finish the 4th chapter of James’ letter to the early Christian church with verses 11 through 17, and I’ll be reading this from the Living Bible version of our Holy Bible…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>11 Don’t criticize and speak evil about each other, dear brothers. If you do, you will be fighting against God’s law of loving one another, declaring it is wrong. But your job is not to decide whether this law is right or wrong, but to obey it. 12 Only He who made the law can rightly judge among us. He alone decides to save us or destroy. So what right do you have to judge or criticize others?</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>13 Look here, you people who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to such and such a town, stay there a year, and open up a profitable business.” 14 How do you know what is going to happen tomorrow? For the length of your lives is as uncertain as the morning fog — now you see it; soon it is gone. 15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we shall live and do this or that.” 16 Otherwise you will be bragging about your own plans, and such self-confidence never pleases God.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>17 Remember, too, that knowing what is right to do and then not doing it is sin.</i></b> </div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>James 4:11-17 (TLB)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, thank You for taking on the tough role of Judge. If we stop long enough to think about it, we are in no position to judge another. We seldom know all the facts surrounding or leading up to another person’s actions, or inactions. Only You know all, so only You can truly judge rightly. Father, please help us be more compassionate when dealing with others. Please forgive us, Father, when we judge them without taking the time to learn more about them. Help us take these words James wrote to heart so that we can learn to be more loving, more forgiving.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand Your message today. Help us be more obedient to Your commands and less judgmental in our dealings with others. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The following appeared in the July 1992 issue of the little Daily Bread devotional:</div><blockquote><div>We sometimes criticize others unfairly. We don't know all their circumstances, nor their motives. Only God, who is aware of all the facts, is able to judge people righteously. John Wesley told of a man he had little respect for because he considered him to be miserly and covetous. One day when this person contributed only a small gift to a worthy charity, Wesley openly criticized him.</div><div><br /></div><div>After the incident, the man went to Wesley privately and told him he had been living on parsnips and water for several weeks. He explained that before his conversion, he had run up many bills. Now, by skimping on everything and buying nothing for himself he was paying off his creditors one by one. "Christ has made me an honest man," he said, "and so with all these debts to pay, I can give only a few offerings above my tithe. I must settle up with my worldly neighbors and show them what the grace of God can do in the heart of a man who was once dishonest." Wesley then apologized to the man and asked his forgiveness.</div></blockquote><div></div><div>If you don’t recognize the name, John Wesley was the English theologian and evangelist who was a leader of the revival movement within the Church of England known as Methodism. In other words, he was the father of the Methodist church. But here we see this great evangelist publicly chastising a man for what Wesley considered miserly and covetous conduct.</div><div><br /></div><div>As it turned out, the man – apparently a relatively new convert to the Christian faith – was trying his best to do the right thing in God’s eyes, to show the world what the grace of God can do to the heart of a man who was once dishonest. He had been living on next to nothing for himself as he paid down his debts. But get this… He was still tithing to the church. Wesley had criticized him for not giving more to a charity, but the man replied he could only afford to give a little above his tithing.</div><div><br /></div><div>The man was doing right by God. The influential evangelist John Wesley was not, for he was judging another. Only God is aware of all the facts in our lives. Only God is in a position to judge.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I bet we’re all familiar with the old saw, “judge not, lest you be judged”. Or maybe you know it as “judge not, that you not be judged”. But did you know that Jesus spoke those words? This is the warning that Jesus gave us during His Sermon on the Mount. The message goes on to caution that whatever measure we use to judge another will be used to judge us. So before judging, we should stop and think if we are able to stand up to the same kind of judgment.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let me give you a slightly different take on this. This comes from the Living Bible version of Jesus’ sermon in the 7th chapter of the Gospel account of the Apostle Matthew, verses 1 through 5…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 “<span style="color: red;">Don’t criticize, and then you won’t be criticized.</span> 2 <span style="color: red;">For others will treat you as you treat them.</span> 3 <span style="color: red;">And why worry about a speck in the eye of a brother when you have a board in your own?</span> 4 <span style="color: red;">Should you say, ‘Friend, let me help you get that speck out of your eye,’ when you can’t even see because of the board in your own?</span> 5 <span style="color: red;">Hypocrite! First get rid of the board. Then you can see to help your brother."</span></i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Matthew 7:1-5 (TLB)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>Have you ever thought of criticism being an act of judgment? We’re quick to criticize – it’s part of that human nature we mentioned earlier. And we’re quick to anger when we ourselves are criticized. We even came up with a term for criticism that is meant for our own good: “constructive criticism”. But it’s all a form of judgment and we are warned not to do it.</div><div><br /></div><div>It boils down to being held to the same type of judgment or criticism that we hold others to. Because we ourselves are indeed subject to judgment and criticism, for no one is perfect. We all have something in our eye that keeps us from seeing the totality of another person’s life.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The Apostle Luke also reported on this warning from our Lord in what we commonly refer to as Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain. In chapter 6 of Luke’s Gospel account, verses 37 and 38, Jesus cautions us…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>37 <span style="color: red;">“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.</span> 38 <span style="color: red;">Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full — pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”</span></i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Luke 6:37-38 (NLT)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div>In this reading, Jesus adds that if we condemn another, it will come back against us. Instead, we are to be forgiving so that we will be forgiven. Give and we will receive. Give forgiveness and receive forgiveness in return.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Looking at the very last of this morning's scripture reading, James reminds us that “knowing what is right to do and then not doing it is sin”. If we know what is right in God’s eyes but we take no action on that knowledge and don’t do it, then we are committing a sin. Likewise, when we know what is right and then ignore that knowledge and go ahead and do what is not right, we are sinning against God.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since we’re all human, and subject to our fallen human nature, I’m pretty sure we all have done something that we knew was not right at some time or another. Even the Apostle Paul had this problem. In the 7th chapter of his letter to the Romans, verses 14 through 17, Paul writes…</div></div></div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>14 The law is good, then, and the trouble is not there but with me because I am sold into slavery with Sin as my owner.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>15 I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can’t. I do what I don’t want to — what I hate. 16 I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience proves that I agree with these laws I am breaking. 17 But I can’t help myself because I’m no longer doing it. It is sin inside me that is stronger than I am that makes me do these evil things.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Romans 7:14-17 (TLB)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>The law is good. It comes from God so it has to be good. The problem is that we are born of sin, slaves to sin as Paul puts it. We just can’t seem to help ourselves. Even though we know what is right and we want to do what is right, we can’t always seem to do what is right. We do what we hate, what our conscience – God’s Spirit within us – tells us is wrong, tells us that we are breaking God’s law.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is the sin inside us that makes us do this. But we can conquer this sin. Jesus conquered death to forgive us our sins, and He will help us do what is right. But we must do our part and repent of our sin, turn from our sin and turn fully to God.</div><div><br /></div><div>We should really try to stop judging others, no matter the form our judgment might take. When we criticize or speak badly of another, we are judging them. All this runs counter to God's command to love others. Remember that Jesus says this is the second greatest of all the commands in God's law, second only to loving God Himself, to love others. When we judge others, we are, in effect, judging God's law and saying it doesn't apply to us.</div><div><br /></div><div>We need to stop this. We need to do what we know is right, and stop doing what we just want to do whenever we want to do it. Let’s set aside our worldly desires and lusts and turn our attention to the things of heaven, focusing more on helping others, on loving others. And let’s leave the judging to God.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who came to us to redeem us and to give us new life. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for reminding us of Your authority and of our weakness. We truly do understand that we are not in a position, neither of authority nor of knowledge, to serve as a judge of someone else, to criticize them when we have so much wrong in our own behavior. Thank You, Father, for taking on the role of Judge. Too often, though, we think ourselves above Your law. We refuse to love others and instead act judgmental toward them, criticizing them, speaking badly against them. We forget that we ourselves have much we can be judged on and criticized for. Forgive us those times, please Father. Please help us be more loving, more forgiving. Help us do what we know is right and stop doing what we know is wrong. And please help us do a better job of sharing our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice. </div><div><br /></div><div>Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, You cautioned us not to engage in judging others, reminding us we would be judged using the same measure that we use in our judgments. You said that only God is in a position and has the authority to judge, and we know this is true in our hearts, but sometimes we just can’t seem to help ourselves. Please help us do what is right in God’s eyes. Help us be more like You in our actions and in our reactions to others and to what goes on around us. Help us be more forgiving, and more able to forget harms done to us. And Lord, please help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love. Give us the words to say, show us what to do to help bring the lost to You.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-61524424742208046472024-01-28T13:51:00.000-05:002024-01-28T13:51:03.014-05:00Come Close to God<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 28th of January, 2024, at Pilgrim Reformed Church. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Family, I want you to think for a moment, imagine that you’ve just recently started learning about Jesus. You’ve heard enough to believe in Him as the Son of the one true God, and you’ve joined together with other believers to study and worship Him, even though you usually have to meet in secret, in people’s homes or back rooms of stores. Every now and then one of His disciples from Jerusalem comes by and tells your group more, and sometimes you get to read letters from the Apostles that are passed around from church to church.</div><div><br /></div><div>But really, this whole New Way, this Christian faith, is all fairly new, maybe only 45 or 50 years old. Everything is still evolving, with slight changes here and there, and new folks bring in new ideas - some good and some not so good. How are you supposed to know which is which? How can you tell what is expected of you, or required of you?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>This is the situation that James and the other Apostles are trying to address with their letters. There may be a very few second generation Christians at this point, but the faith is mostly made up of new believers, both Jewish converts and Gentiles. The Gentiles carry baggage from their old Pagan ways, and many of the Jews are laden with their own traditions, some of which run counter to what Jesus preached. And here they are trying to learn something new, trying to feel their way around a new way of living that has no traditions yet.</div><div><br /></div><div>Most of these new Christians are clustered in small groups spread out across the known world. In some cases, the Apostolic letters are their only source of information about Jesus and what He taught. James, in particular, offers good, sound advice to these folks as to how they should live their day to day lives as Christians, about how they should interact with others, both believers and non-believers alike. And James, being a brother of Jesus, can speak with special authority as to how Jesus wants us to live.</div><div><br /></div><div>In our reading this morning, James continues speaking to these early Christians in a way they can understand, looking at the problems they face and telling them how they should react. Sometimes he seems to get a bit impatient with his audience, almost fussing at them. But you know, every now and then we need to be fussed at, if for no other reason than to get our attention.</div><div><br /></div><div>So with all that being said, please listen and follow along as we begin the 4th chapter of James’ letter to the early Christian church with verses 1 through 10, and I’ll be reading from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible this morning…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong — you want only what will give you pleasure.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit He has placed within us should be faithful to Him. 6 And He gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say,</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>“God opposes the proud</i></b></div><div><b><i>but gives grace to the humble.”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>James 4:1-10 (NLT)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, again we thank You for preserving the Apostolic letters for us, for through them we can learn how we should live from those who were closest to Your Son Jesus. Like the early church family, we all carry our own traditions, values, and habits into our faith life – some good, some harmful. Thank You, Father, for showing us what is good and right. Please help us rid ourselves of the harmful baggage we hesitate to let go of. Please forgive us, Father, when we accept the world’s ways, even knowing they are not Your ways. Help us take these words James wrote to heart to aid us in growing our relationship with You.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand Your message today. Help us be truly humble in Your presence, and in our interactions with others. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Journalist Malcolm Muggeridge once wrote in the Christian Medical Society Journal that... "G.K. Chesterton once said that it is often supposed that when people stop believing in God, they believe in nothing. Alas, it is worse than that," Muggeridge added. "When they stop believing in God, they believe in anything."</div><div><br /></div><div>Does God exist? Does the being that we call God - capital 'G' - really exist? It would be awfully hard to draw closer to God if you don't believe He even exists.</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, He does exist, whether we believe it or not. And if we don't believe, it's because we chose not to believe. We go merrily about our lives - we live, we play, we make other little human beings, we govern, we grow, we shrink, we die - and all as though there is no God, or that even if there is, His existence doesn't matter a bit to us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Does God exist? Too many people just don't seem to care anymore.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>James starts out chapter 4 asking questions of the church family. It’s almost like he knows what is going on, even though we’ve had no indication so far that he has received any communications from any of the churches who might be reading this letter.</div><div><br /></div><div>But James has special insight, and the first question he asks has more to do with understanding human nature than knowing exactly what is going on where. Let’s face it… quarrels, fights, and spats go on all the time among us humans, even within a church of like-minded believers. James is merely stating what should be obvious if we stop long enough to think about it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Our spats all come from evil desires of the heart. Maybe not from our heart as an individual, but from someone’s inner desire to try to force an issue. Pride is a frequent instigator of arguments, and we know pride is a deadly sin. Jealousies and covetousness and lust fuel our fights. We want something we can’t have, or shouldn’t have, and we’ll do anything to get it.</div><div><br /></div><div>And the church certainly isn’t excluded in this. Sometimes we even let the little things, like what color to paint the walls, blow up into all-out war.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>James says that we don’t get what we want because we don’t ask God for it, but even if we do think to ask, we’re asking for the wrong reasons. If we’re only asking for something that will be to our benefit alone, that will give us pleasure, especially if it is at someone else’s expense, or that will satisfy our lusts for the moment, then those are all wrong reasons and God will not answer that request. For James is associating all those with the world and worldly desires.</div><div><br /></div><div>It’s our ties to the world and the world’s ways that keep us from making a complete and full relationship with God. When we put the world before anything else, when we want what the world offers, when we focus on worldly things rather than the things of heaven, we are effectively turning our back on God. And as Jesus said, if we’re not for Him, for God, then we’re against Him. Or as James puts it, we’re acting as enemies of God.</div><div><br /></div><div>James uses the word “adulterers” to describe those who put their worldly desires above all else. Now, this use could indeed include actual adulterers, those who enjoy physical, sexual relationships outside the bonds of marriage, those who are unfaithful to their spouse. But here, James also means those who are unfaithful to God. When we refuse to let go of the world, when we let our pride or jealousy or wants and desires take precedence in our life, we are being unfaithful to God.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So James has once again pointed out a problem with our conduct. And we can see things haven’t changed all that much in the last 2000 years when it comes to human behavior. As before, though, James also gives us a solution. He reminds us of what our Bible tells us, that God will reject prideful people but will be ever graceful to the humble. To receive God’s grace we need to humble ourselves. This isn’t a natural attitude for most folks. We have to work at it. But if we wash our spiritual hands, purify our hearts, and focus our loyalty solely on God, He will lift us up in His grace and mercy.</div><div><br /></div><div>All this follows very closely to what the Apostle Paul wrote in one of his own letters, when he encouraged us to give ourselves to God physically and spiritually, not doing everything the way the world does, but instead becoming the new person God has made us into. Hear what Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans, from the first two verses of chapter 12…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 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. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>I love the imagery of giving ourselves to God as a living sacrifice. Jesus gave of Himself as a blood sacrifice for the atonement of our sin. God doesn’t ask this of us, just that we serve Him while we live, giving our all to Him and for Him. We have been sanctified, set apart from the rest of the world to do the work of God, so we must let go of the world and embrace our mission, for it is good and pleasing to God, and perfect in His eyes.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Paul repeats this call to separate ourselves from worldly desires in his letter to one of his brother evangelists. In the 2nd chapter of his letter to Titus, verses 11 through 13, Paul tells us…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>11 God has shown us undeserved grace by coming to save all people. 12 He taught us to give up our wicked ways and our worldly desires and to live decent and honest lives in this world. 13 We are filled with hope, as we wait for the glorious return of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Titus 2:11-13 (NLT)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div>God came to us in the person of Jesus to offer salvation to all people. Sadly, not everyone believes. But those of us who do have been taught, by Jesus Himself, to give up our sinful lives and set aside all worldly desires. Just because we have to live in this world doesn’t mean we have to be part of the world. For we are filled with a hope that the world cannot know, as we anxiously await the return of Jesus, whom the world rejects.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Twice in the short span of four verses of our reading this morning, James tells us to be humble, to humble ourselves before God. He says if we do, God will lift us up.</div><div><br /></div><div>One day, long ago, Jesus was invited to dinner at the home of a leader of the Pharisees. All those in attendance were watching Him closely. The Apostle Luke recorded some of what happened that evening, in chapter 14 of his Gospel account, verses 7 through 11…</div></div></div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>7 When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, He gave them this advice: 8 <span style="color: red;">“When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited?</span> 9 <span style="color: red;">The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>10 <span style="color: red;">“Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests.</span> 11 <span style="color: red;">For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”</span></i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Luke 14:7-11 (NLT)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>Jesus says if we humble ourselves, if we take on a truly humble attitude, we will be exalted before God, while the prideful will be humbled. James says if we humble ourselves, God will lift us up. To be exalted is to be lifted up, to be elevated in rank, in position, in honor, physically and spiritually.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is how we come closer to God. This is how we become more righteous in His eyes. If we want to build and grow our relationship with the Most High God, we start by being humble. And I’m not talking about giving lip service or putting on an act – God will see through all that. We humble ourselves by putting others ahead of ourselves, by putting their needs first, by doing the service God commands of us, and by remembering that we owe everything to God.</div><div><br /></div><div>So family, let’s be humble and grow ever closer in our personal relationship with our Father in heaven. And let’s not forget that His Son died for us, just so we can come close to God. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who came to us to redeem us and to give us new life. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for allowing us to come into Your presence in our prayer and in our worship. We pray that our worship is pleasing to You. We know and acknowledge that everything we have comes from You, and that without You we would have nothing, we would be nothing. Thank You, Father, for all Your many blessings. Too often, Father, we struggle to separate ourselves from the world. We let the world offer something that we desire, and our desire can easily lead to lust, to pride, to quarreling, and to sin. Forgive us those times, please Father. Please help us be humble. Help us release our grasp on the world and all its charms. Help us grow and nourish our relationship with You, drawing ever closer to You. And please help us do a better job of sharing our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice. </div><div><br /></div><div>Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, during Your short ministry on earth, You tried to teach us everything we need to know about the kingdom of heaven and how we should live this life to prepare for the next. And You taught us how to come close to Your Father God. Thank You, Jesus for sharing the secrets of heaven, for not only telling us how to live but also by showing us in how You lived. Please help us be more like You in our actions and in our reactions to what goes on around us. Help us be more humble and help us rid ourselves of worldly desires. And Lord, please help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love. Give us the words to say, show us what to do to help bring the lost to You.</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-41068651967506227862024-01-21T14:11:00.000-05:002024-01-21T14:11:25.447-05:00Wisdom from Heaven<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 21st of January, 2024, at Pilgrim Reformed Church. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Last week we quickly looked at the start of the 3rd chapter of the Apostle James’ letter to the early church. In that passage, James encouraged us to practice self-control, especially over what we say, and even when we say it. You’ve heard the expression, “There’s a time and place for everything”? Well, if we heed James’ advice when it comes to something we might think to say, the time could well be never and the place nowhere. Some things are just better left unsaid. Some reactions are better left undone. Sometimes we just need to pull back on the reins and think a bit before we say or do something we might regret.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, this letter from James has been broken into five chapters and we’ve gone through two and a half of them, so we’re basically half way through. Everything James has imparted so far has been very important for us because it is all inspired by God. He provides good, sound, practical advice on how we should live as Christians, as well as the occasional warning about what we should not do. He offers words of profound yet simple wisdom. And since James was the half-brother of Jesus, we probably should listen to what he has to tell us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Today we will finish up the 3rd chapter of his letter and learn from where his wisdom comes. Please listen and follow along to the second part of the 3rd chapter of James’ letter to the young Christian church, verses 13 through 18, and I’ll be reading this from the Living Bible version of our Holy Bible…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>13 If you are wise, live a life of steady goodness so that only good deeds will pour forth. And if you don’t brag about them, then you will be truly wise! 14 And by all means don’t brag about being wise and good if you are bitter and jealous and selfish; that is the worst sort of lie. 15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, inspired by the devil. 16 For wherever there is jealousy or selfish ambition, there will be disorder and every other kind of evil.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure and full of quiet gentleness. Then it is peace-loving and courteous. It allows discussion and is willing to yield to others; it is full of mercy and good deeds. It is wholehearted and straightforward and sincere. 18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>James 3:13-18 (TLB)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, Your Son’s brother and disciple James shared his keen insight with us in his letter to the early Christian church, insight that You gave him. His message can guide us if we heed it. Thank You, Father, for inspiring James and the other authors of the apostolic letters. Thank You for saving all these for us. Please forgive us, Father, when we don’t spend as much time reading our Bible as we could. Help us take these words to heart to aid us in our relationships with others.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand our message today. May Your Spirit guide us in all we say and do. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Theodore Levitt of the Harvard Business School once noted that, “Experience comes from what we have done. Wisdom comes from what we have done badly.” A good example of this appeared in an article in the March 1993 issue of Reader's Digest, when the author related that, “A colleague of mine at NASA was assigned to prepare a presentation on lessons learned from our bad experiences with the Hubble Space Telescope. On his chart at the briefing, lesson No. 1 read: ‘In naming your mission, never use a word that rhymes with “trouble”.’” But I think possibly the most accurate words of wisdom came from columnist Doug Larson when he said, “Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you would have preferred to talk.”</div><div><br /></div><div>Have you ever watched Judge Judy on TV? It’s a fun show. When one of her litigants starts getting mouthy and tries to over-talk her, she is prone to say, “You need to stop talking and start listening. You know why you have two ears and one mouth? It’s so you can listen twice as much as you talk.” I think some of us try to make up for the inequity between mouths and ears by talking twice as much as we need to.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now there’s nothing wrong with talking. It’s our main method of communication. But it’s what we say that we need to watch. Sometimes we express our opinions as if they were actual facts, or our perceptions as the ultimate truth. We wax eloquent, delighting all who hear our musings, at least in our minds’ view. We think we’re being wise, but this is what James has in mind when he talks about earthly, unspiritual wisdom, inspired by the devil.</div><div><br /></div><div>And then we might boast and brag about just how wise we are, or the wisdom in our words, when they are actually just born of our bitterness or jealousy or selfishness. James warns us that disorder and all sorts of evil follow jealousy and selfish ambition, for this is not of God nor of His kind of wisdom.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>James characterizes the wisdom that comes from heaven as being pure and full of quiet gentleness. It isn’t loud and brash and boastful, but instead is peace-loving and courteous. It allows for discussion rather than trying to silence opposing viewpoints. It yields to others, being full of mercy and grace.</div><div><br /></div><div>And to me, this describes the wisdom James is sharing with us in his letter. For that matter, all of the authors' works and words contained in our Holy Bible were inspired by God. They were given the word of God to record for us. So I would say that they all were blessed with wisdom from heaven.</div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, and in the last verse, James shares that “those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness”. This echoes what Jesus said during His Sermon on the Mount that we read last week: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” What greater harvest than to be called a son of God?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Wisdom. A fancy definition of “wisdom” is, “knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action”. I have to ask, though… can we really know, for sure, what is true and right, without God’s guidance and insight into the truth and rightness of what we think we know? I’m kind of thinking that definition of wisdom lacks wisdom. I prefer what the unknown author of Psalm 111 tells us in the 10th verse…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;</i></b></div><div><b><i>A good understanding have all those who do His commandments.</i></b></div><div><b><i>His praise endures forever.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Psalm 111:10 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>The beginning of wisdom comes from fearing… respecting the Lord. He will give us a better understanding of things as we follow His commandments. The more we respect God, the more likely we are to do as He tells us. The more closely we follow His commands, the greater and clearer our understanding will become. And the greater our understanding, the wiser we will truly be, and not with earthly wisdom but with the wisdom that comes from heaven, from God.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Our Bible instructs us not to boast about what we have or what we’ve done. James tells us not to brag about being wise. And let’s face it… if we truly are wise, we won’t be bragging about it, or even feel the need to brag.</div><div><br /></div><div>But let’s go back a little before James wrote this, around 700 years before. The great prophet Isaiah warns us not to think we're all that, in the 5th chapter of the book bearing his name, verses 20 and 21...</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;</i></b></div><div><b><i>Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;</i></b></div><div><b><i>Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>21 Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,</i></b></div><div><b><i>And prudent in their own sight!</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Isaiah 5:20-21 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div>“Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!” That’s a pretty good description of earthly wisdom. Pres. Abraham Lincoln is noted as saying, “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.” Those who brag about all the good they've done, especially if they're taking credit for someone else's efforts, will eventually be found out by the masses and discredited.</div><div><br /></div><div>Too often what we think is wisdom is only wise in our own mind’s eyes. Sometimes the wisdom a supposedly wise person spouts is really foolishness cloaked in fancy words and gibberish. We must learn to distinguish earthly wisdom from true wisdom from heaven, and then pay no heed to the earthly variety.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So how do we get wisdom from heaven? Earlier, the Psalmist told us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but how do we nourish and further that beginning?</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, James already told us how, back in the opening of this letter. Hear what James wrote in the 1st chapter, verses 4 through 6…</div></div></div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>4 Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">James 1:4-6 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>Patience. That isn’t a very common trait, especially in our current times. Microwaves, instant potatoes, frozen dinners, all just to save us time in the kitchen. Hurry, hurry, hurry. We pray, “Lord, give me patience… and give it to me now!”</div><div><br /></div><div>But through our patience, the Spirit can perfect His work in us, making us complete. And that work includes growing and nourishing true, spiritual wisdom within us.</div><div><br /></div><div>James says all we have to do is ask God, and He’ll give us the wisdom from heaven. He gives us everything else we need, so why not wisdom? And Jesus told us we can ask God for anything as long as we ask in His name.</div><div><br /></div><div>But here James adds one more condition, and it’s one we shouldn’t even have to think about. We must ask in faith, having no doubt whatsoever that God will grant our request. But that kind of faith can be a little tough for us mere mortals. I can ask for the gift of healing, but do I really believe, deep down in my heart of hearts, that I can heal someone? I’m just a man, not a divine being. I don’t have the power of God. Or do I?</div><div><br /></div><div>With God’s Holy Spirit within me, I am imbued with His mighty power. I just have to believe it, fully trusting in God and His word. The same goes for asking for true wisdom. We just have to ask in complete faith, with no doubt that we will receive it. And it can begin with insights into God’s word, a new way of looking at what has been saved for us in our Bibles throughout the generations. Wisdom from heaven will better reveal what God has planned for us, what He really wants each of us to do in His service.</div><div><br /></div><div>So let’s shore up our faith and ask God for the true wisdom only He can give. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who came to us to redeem us, to give us new life. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for ensuring that we would have Your word to study, to learn from, and to live by even in our age. Your inspired word has survived thousands of years and many attempts to destroy it. But we have it still today, and it instructs us now just as it did the generations before us. Thank You, Father. We admit, though, that we don’t spend as much time with Your word as we should, nor even as we could. We get so caught up in the busyness of life that we simply miss out on some of the lessons our Bible holds for us. Too often, Father, we just blurt out what we think are words of wisdom, when they are really only based on our opinions and perspectives, more foolish than wise. Forgive us those times, please Father. Please help us learn patience so Your Spirit can work within us, perfecting us. Help us grow and nourish the wisdom that begins within us as we respect You more and more. And please help us do a better job of sharing our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice. </div><div><br /></div><div>Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, You promised blessings for the peacemakers. Your brother James echoed this when he wrote that we will reap a harvest of goodness when we plant seeds of peace. In the same vein, he tells us all we need to do to gain the wisdom from heaven is to ask God for it. We know that we can ask our Father for anything and He will answer if we ask in Your name. But we have to truly believe we will receive what we ask for. This can be tough for us when we ask for something we really can’t do, so we usually keep our requests simple. Thank You, Jesus for assuring us we can perform even greater things than You did while on this earth, if we just have enough faith. Please help us grow and strengthen our faith. And help us grow and nourish our wisdom. And Lord, please help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love. Give us the words to say, show us what to do to help bring the lost to You.</div><div><br /></div><div>And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-23809450549860021982024-01-14T14:25:00.000-05:002024-01-14T14:25:47.623-05:00Pull Back on the Reins<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 14th of January, 2024, at Pilgrim Reformed Church. Today’s service also included installation of the new officers of our Consistory, and sharing Holy Communion with our Lord Jesus. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Since we have so much going on this morning, I’m going to keep the message short, at least by my standards. But I do want to take a moment to acknowledge that today is the second Sunday after Epiphany, when the Messiah was revealed to the Gentiles by the visit of the three kings, on January the 6th. Jesus’ baptism is observed on the first Sunday after Epiphany, which was last Sunday, the 7th. And that’s just a little bit of church calendar history.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Today I’d like to return to the letter the Apostle James sent out to the early church. And quite frankly, family, we’re getting into some of the toughest parts of our Bible, when it comes to how we Christian should behave. I promised I’d keep this brief, so I will be mostly letting James speak, with a few insightful comments from Jesus thrown in for good measure.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please keep in mind that James is trying to help us be better Christians, to be more righteous in God’s eyes, so that other people can see that we are truly different from the rest of the world. It’s not easy, it takes a lot of concerted and purposeful concentration and effort. But we have God’s own Holy Spirit living within us, and He will help.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So now, please listen and follow along to the instructions James gives us in the 3rd chapter of his letter to the young Christian church, verses 1 through 12, and I’ll be reading this from the Living Bible version of our Holy Bible…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1-2 Dear brothers, don’t be too eager to tell others their faults, for we all make many mistakes; and when we teachers of religion, who should know better, do wrong, our punishment will be greater than it would be for others.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>If anyone can control his tongue, it proves that he has perfect control over himself in every other way. 3 We can make a large horse turn around and go wherever we want by means of a small bit in his mouth. 4 And a tiny rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot wants it to go, even though the winds are strong.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>5 So also the tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do. A great forest can be set on fire by one tiny spark. 6 And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is full of wickedness, and poisons every part of the body. And the tongue is set on fire by hell itself and can turn our whole lives into a blazing flame of destruction and disaster.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>7 Men have trained, or can train, every kind of animal or bird that lives and every kind of reptile and fish, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is always ready to pour out its deadly poison. 9 Sometimes it praises our heavenly Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against men who are made like God. 10 And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Dear brothers, surely this is not right! 11 Does a spring of water bubble out first with fresh water and then with bitter water? 12 Can you pick olives from a fig tree, or figs from a grape vine? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty pool.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>James 3:1-12 (TLB)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, Your Son’s brother and disciple James left us with some very good advice. We need to watch what we say and do. We need to control ourselves in all situations. Sometimes we just need to stop and think before doing anything else. Thank You, Father, for this much needed message. In this day and age, when people are so very sensitive, it is easy to offend someone when we don’t even mean to. Thank You for saving James’ instructions for us. Please forgive us, Father, when we don’t pause, when we just spurt out the first thing that comes to our mind without considering how it might be received. Help us gain and practice more self-control so that others can see that we are different from the rest of the world.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand our message today. Open our eyes to see how our words can have a profound impact on others. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Historian and philosopher Will Durant once noted that, "Talk is cheap because the supply always exceeds the demand. One of the lessons of history is that nothing is often a good thing to do and always a clever thing to say." Oh, how many times I wish I had heeded that advice and just kept my mouth shut. Self-control is one of the toughest exercises we can undertake.</div><div><br /></div><div>Someone now unknown once wrote concerning Lyndon Johnson: “During his term as President, Johnson was somewhat overweight. One day his wife challenged him with this blunt assertion: ‘You can't run the country if you can't run yourself.’ Respecting Mrs. Johnson's wise observation, the President lost 23 pounds.” Self-control. Why should we trust someone to be in control of something bigger if they can’t control themselves?</div><div><br /></div><div>This is the brunt of James’ message, that we must control ourselves. He especially focuses on us controlling our tongues, because a tongue is a sharp and mighty weapon. And like many of man’s possessions, a tongue can be wielded to both good purposes and bad ones. It’s up to us to choose how to employ our tongue – as a fearsome weapon of destruction, or as a powerful tool for good.</div><div><br /></div><div>And of course, I and James don’t mean the tongue itself, but the words we choose to say. We can speak words to someone that will encourage them and build them up. Or we can lash out with words that will bring them down and belittle them.</div><div><br /></div><div>Anytime we have something to say, we have two ways to say it. We can speak with love in our words and our hearts, or we can give voice to our bitterness and hatred. It really is a choice, and it’s all about self-control. We can control what we say and how we say it. We just need to think first and work at it.</div><div><br /></div><div>And believe me that I’m not excluding myself here. I can be as snarky as the best of them. But we can all try, we can all work at controlling ourselves a little better. And what better time to begin than with the new year.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>If we need any more inspiration, Jesus Himself encourages us to practice self-control in all our interactions with others. Please listen to the words He spoke in His Sermon on the Mount, and specifically in the Beatitudes, as recorded by the Apostle Matthew in the 5th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 1 through 12…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 And seeing the multitudes, Jesus went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>3 <span style="color: red;">“Blessed are the poor in spirit,</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span style="color: red;">For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.</span></i></b></div><div><b><i>4 <span style="color: red;">Blessed are those who mourn,</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span style="color: red;">For they shall be comforted.</span></i></b></div><div><b><i>5 <span style="color: red;">Blessed are the meek,</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span style="color: red;">For they shall inherit the earth.</span></i></b></div><div><b><i>6 <span style="color: red;">Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span style="color: red;">For they shall be filled.</span></i></b></div><div><b><i>7 <span style="color: red;">Blessed are the merciful,</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span style="color: red;">For they shall obtain mercy.</span></i></b></div><div><b><i>8 <span style="color: red;">Blessed are the pure in heart,</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span style="color: red;">For they shall see God.</span></i></b></div><div><b><i>9 <span style="color: red;">Blessed are the peacemakers,</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span style="color: red;">For they shall be called sons of God.</span></i></b></div><div><b><i>10 <span style="color: red;">Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><span style="color: red;">For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>11 <span style="color: red;">Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.</span> 12 <span style="color: red;">Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”</span></i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Matthew 5:1-12 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div><div>You may not have looked at it that way before, but these blessings are benefits of our practicing self-control. Being meek and merciful and a peacemaker, even hungering and thirsting for righteousness, all require conscious effort on our part. Because of our base human nature and the society we live in, these are traits we have to work at, attitudes we have to develop.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So family, before we lash out at someone, before we show them who is in charge, let’s pull back on the reins and think before we speak or act. Let’s remember what James told us about self-control. Let’s take Jesus’ promised blessings to heart. And let’s try to ensure that what bubbles up from the spring of our hearts is clean, fresh water, soothing to all around.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who came to us, to redeem us, to make us new. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for ensuring that we would have Your word to study, to learn from, and to live by even in our age. Your inspired word has survived thousands of years and many attempts to destroy it. But we have it still today, and it instructs us now just as it did the generations before us. Thank You, Father. We admit, though, that we don’t spend as much time with Your word as we should. We get so caught up in the busyness of life that we simply miss out on some of the lessons our Bible holds for us. And too often we lose control of ourselves, even if only for a moment. Forgive us those times, please Father. Please help us pull back on the reins. Silence us before we can utter hurtful words. But please help us do a better job of sharing our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice. </div><div><br /></div><div>Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, You promised we would be blessed if we just control ourselves better. Meekness is a trait we can learn. Becoming merciful and striving to make peace simply require a conscious effort on our part. Thank You, Jesus for telling us what we need to do, how we need to be, so that when others see us, they will see You in action. Please help us be more like You. Help us act and speak out of love instead of hatred or bitterness. And help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love. Give us the words to say, show us what to do to help bring the lost to You.</div><div><br /></div><div>And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-61332777517407736842024-01-08T09:00:00.000-05:002024-01-08T09:00:52.152-05:00A New Year<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 31st of December and New Year's Eve, 2023, at Pilgrim Reformed Church. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>It seems the older I get, the faster time passes by. Here we are, on the verge of a new year. The way things have been going, we might be a little worried about where we may land when we take that next step. The world has been a crazy place the last few years. And I’m not all that sure it will change much for the better in 2024.</div><div><br /></div><div>But we as individuals can change for the better, we can make something better of ourselves. And if enough of us do make that effort, then the world can change for the better. It all starts with us, with me and you, making a determined effort to be a better person. Now the neat thing is, we Christians already have a head start.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In Jesus’ time on earth, the Pharisees were the religious leaders of the Jewish people, even while under the oppressive occupation of Rome. They did God’s bidding - at least in their own minds they did - and they enforced God’s law. In their positions of authority, they controlled the people, and acted like superstars or celebrities, or royalty. And then Jesus came along.</div><div><br /></div><div>He was a rather simple man, from up around the Galilee area, with nothing all that special about His appearance or how He acted. Sure, He had a few followers, but nothing like the multitudes that kowtowed to the Pharisees.</div><div><br /></div><div>But then the multitudes started coming and clamoring around Him, hanging on to His every word. This carpenter’s son was attracting bigger crowds and more attention than even the leaders of the Pharisees. And they were jealous. They were fearful of losing their hold over the people. So they began to test this Jesus, trying to trap Him into some obscure infraction of the law. They plotted together of ways to put an end to Him, or at least His popularity.</div><div><br /></div><div>But not all the Pharisees felt this way. Some actually listened to what Jesus was saying, and came to believe in Him as the Messiah, even if they had to keep their belief a secret. Some were unsure and had questions. One in particular, a leader among the Pharisees, arranged to meet with Jesus under the cover of darkness, to seek answers and gain understanding. Please listen and follow along as the Apostle John tells of this late night clandestine meeting that the beloved disciple recorded in the 3rd chapter of his Gospel account, verses 1 through 21, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible this morning…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>3 Jesus answered and said to him, <span style="color: red;">“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>5 Jesus answered, <span style="color: red;">“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.</span> 6 <span style="color: red;">That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.</span> 7 <span style="color: red;">Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ </span>8 <span style="color: red;">The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>10 Jesus answered and said to him, <span style="color: red;">“Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?</span> 11 <span style="color: red;">Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.</span> 12 <span style="color: red;">If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?</span> 13<span style="color: red;"> No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.</span> 14 <span style="color: red;">And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,</span> 15 <span style="color: red;">that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.</span> 16 <span style="color: red;">For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.</span> 17 <span style="color: red;">For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>18 <span style="color: red;">“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.</span> 19 <span style="color: red;">And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.</span> 20 <span style="color: red;">For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. </span>21 <span style="color: red;">But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”</span></i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>John 3:1-21 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, when we accepted Your Son Jesus as our Lord and Master, we became new creations, baptized by Your Holy Spirit who came into us to dwell within us. Even though born of the flesh, we are now also born of the Spirit. Thank You, Father, for blessing us with the gift of Your Spirit. And thank You for choosing us to follow Your Son. But Father, sometimes we lapse back into our old ways. We forget our new birth, our new beginning, and act like our old selves with all our past hatreds and prejudices. Please forgive us, Father. Help us remain steadfast in our new inner beings, separate and distinct from the rest of the world. Help us stand stronger in the face of adversity. Help us begin this new year with a stronger conviction to be better and to make our corner of the world a better place.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand what You tell us this day. Please protect us from those who serve Satan and carry out his evil deeds. And Father, please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe in the days ahead. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I may have used this before, but I think it bears repeating. It was written by Frances Ridley Havergal, an English religious poet and hymn writer of the mid-1800's:</div><blockquote><div>Another year is dawning,</div><div>Dear Father let it be,</div><div>In working or in waiting,</div><div>Another year with Thee.</div><div>Another year of progress,</div><div>Another year of praise,</div><div>Another year of proving</div><div>Thy presence all the days.</div><div>Another year of mercies,</div><div>Of faithfulness and grace,</div><div>Another year of gladness,</div><div>The glory of Thy face.</div><div>Another year of leaning</div><div>Upon Thy loving breast,</div><div>Another year of trusting,</div><div>Of quiet, happy rest.</div><div>Another year of service,</div><div>Of witness for Thy love,</div><div>Another year of training</div><div>For holier work above.</div><div>Another year is dawning,</div><div>Dear Father, let it be,</div><div>On earth, or else in heaven,</div><div>Another year for Thee.</div></blockquote><div></div><div>Another year is dawning, and Mr. Havergal prays that it will be another year of progress in serving God, in praising Him and glorifying Him, another year of trusting Him. Of course, asking for another year of these things assumes that they have been carried out in the year now ending.</div><div><br /></div><div>But that’s the beauty of the New Year in our culture. It gives us the opportunity to do what we may not have done in the previous year. It gives us the chance to improve ourselves, to improve our performance, to do better than we did before.</div><div><br /></div><div>We celebrate the coming of a new year and the chance to get things right this time around, to make something better of ourselves. But God already made us into something better, something new, when we first accepted Jesus as His Son and our Lord. So let’s not make this just another year of worshiping and serving God. Let’s make it a better year of greater service and more heartfelt worship.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Many, many people in this world are familiar with John 3:16, believers and non-believers alike. You don’t even have to repeat the words, but just say “John 3:16” and they’ll know immediately what you’re talking about. I remember a number of years back, you couldn’t watch a football game on TV without seeing someone holding up a poster that merely had “John 3:16” printed on it.</div><div><br /></div><div>But many of those folks who know the verse don’t know the full story. They don’t know the circumstances under which Jesus made that statement, who He was talking to, what He really meant by it, or the rest of His words surrounding it. They only know that “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” But there is so much more, for “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Nicodemus was a leader among the Pharisees a ruler of the Jews. And His name should be familiar to you. John mentions him three times in his Gospel account, with this instance and two others. The next is in chapter 7: as the Pharisees are plotting against Jesus, Nicodemus recommends they exercise caution and at least hear what Jesus has to say.</div><div><br /></div><div>The third comes in chapter 19, after Jesus is crucified. Joseph or Arimathea, a secret follower of Jesus, asked Pilate for the body of Jesus, so that it might be prepared for burial. Pilate agreed to the request, so Joseph took the body. But one other man accompanied Joseph. It was Nicodemus, the same Nicodemus who met with Jesus at night. He brought a significant quantity of a mixture of expensive myrrh and aloe, about a hundred pounds, to anoint the body for burial. This last act especially speaks to Nicodemus having been born again of the Spirit, and made into a new creation.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We are born of the flesh, but the flesh will not last. God wants us to spend all eternity with Him, but we can’t do that in the flesh. So we must be reborn of the Spirit, for God’s Spirit is eternal.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Apostle Peter tells us we have been born again and this time we will not perish. Hear Peters words as written in the 1st chapter of his 1st letter to the early church, verses 22 through 25…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of perishable seed but imperishable, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24 because</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>“All flesh is as grass,</i></b></div><div><b><i>And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.</i></b></div><div><b><i>The grass withers,</i></b></div><div><b><i>And its flower falls away,</i></b></div><div><b><i>25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.”</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">1 Peter 1:22-25 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>Yes, we believers have been born again, and not of perishable flesh this time, but of God’s imperishable Spirit, through the word of God which lives and abides forever. And don’t forget that John tells us that Jesus is the word of God, the Word come to man as flesh. By the sacrificial act of Jesus, through our faith in Him as the Christ, we are born anew of God’s Spirit so that we may live forever with Them in paradise.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In our invocation this morning, I read from Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth where he said that we who are in Christ are new creations. The old things have passed away and all things have become new. Well, family, this is all by God’s grace and mercy. We have accepted His Son Jesus as our Lord and now what was is no more. For you see, God makes all things new.</div><div><br /></div><div>The beloved disciple John was in exile on the prison island of Patmos when the Lord came to him in a vision, and commanded that he write down all that he was about to be shown. Hear what John recorded in the Book of Revelation, chapter 21, verses 3 through 5…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>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.”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>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.”</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Revelation 21:3-5 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div></div><div><div><div>God makes all things new. He sent His Son to cleanse us of our sin. He sent His Holy Spirit to live within us and be with us throughout our days on earth. He has made us new.</div><div><br /></div><div>No matter what happens to us in this life, no matter what the new year might bring, we have nothing to fear, for our future is assured. By our faith and our belief, we will live forever in the house of the Lord.</div><div><br /></div><div>So let us face the new year with a smile, and with the promise to ourselves and to God to be that new creation He made of us. Let’s work hard to be a better version of ourselves, doing more to serve our Lord, sharing His word with the lost souls of this world. Let’s take full advantage of this new year. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who came to us, to redeem us, to make us new. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for making all things new, and especially for making us new. Thank You for baptizing us by Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for giving us a new birth, new life, and one that will last forever. Father, we admit that too often we don’t act like the new creation we have become. Too many times we revert back to our old ways, our old life, repeating our past mistakes. We forget that we are supposed to be different from the rest of the world so that the world might see You in us. Forgive us those times, please Father. Please show us the reflection of what You want us to be. And please help us do a better job of sharing our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice. </div><div><br /></div><div>Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, You not only washed us clean of our sin by Your own precious blood, but You had our heavenly Father send His Holy Spirit to live within us, to be our constant Companion and Guide, our Helper. By Your love and our belief, we are made new. Thank You, Jesus! Thank You for coming to us as one of us. Thank You for giving of Your mortal life that we might live forever in heaven. Please help us, dear Lord - help us be more like You. Help us make the most of this coming new year by being better servants. Help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love. Give us the words to say, show us what to do to help bring the lost to You.</div><div><br /></div><div>And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-58226848364027247052023-12-27T08:35:00.000-05:002023-12-27T08:35:13.507-05:00A Christmas Eve Message<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is the message of our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service of Sunday evening, the 24th of December and the 4th Sunday in Advent, 2023, at Pilgrim Reformed Church. This celebration included much singing and the sharing of Holy Communion. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>In the name of God our Father, Jesus Christ His Son, and His most Holy Spirit, let us worship our Lord. Let us stand at the foot of His cross, and at the side of His manger cradle. Let us bow down in humble adoration. Amen.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>Isaiah 7:14 (KJV)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>God spoke to His prophet Isaiah and gave him these words nearly 700 years before the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>6 For unto us a Child is born,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Unto us a Son is given;</i></b></div><div><b><i>And the government will be upon His shoulder.</i></b></div><div><b><i>And His name will be called</i></b></div><div><b><i>Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>7 Of the increase of His government and peace</i></b></div><div><b><i>There will be no end,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,</i></b></div><div><b><i>To order it and establish it with judgment and justice</i></b></div><div><b><i>From that time forward, even forever.</i></b></div><div><b><i>The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Isaiah 9:6-7 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div><div>Tonight we celebrate the last day of Advent and the coming of our Lord Jesus by lighting the Christ candle:</div><div><br /></div><div>Rejoice, you people of God! Shout Halleluiah, all you believers! For this day the Word becomes flesh and dwells among us. In Him is life, and the life is the Light of men. The Light shines in our darkness, showing us the way to eternal life.</div><div><br /></div><div>Tonight, the candles of hope, love, joy, and peace all blend their light together to focus our gaze upon the one true Light: Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Tonight, we celebrate the birth of Him in whom we place all our hopes, who loves us more than life and calls us to love, whose arrival brings great joy to all the world, and who promises a peace that will have no end. Tonight, we light the candle of Christ to celebrate and honor His birth, and to light our way as we await His return.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray... Savior Jesus, You bring hope, love, joy, and peace into this wretched world. We await Your return when You will gather Your church to Your side and take us home to live with You in peace forever. As we wait, let us be Your candle of hope, love, joy, and peace that shines throughout the world. Come, thou long-awaited Jesus, come. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>From the 2nd verse of the 5th chapter of the prophet Micah’s book…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Micah 5:2 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>The Apostle Luke tells of the birth of Jesus in the 2nd chapter of his Gospel account, verses 1 through 20…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Luke 2:1-20 (KJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Is it appropriate that we observe the last supper our Lord enjoyed on this earth at the same time that we celebrate His birth? The Gospel of Matthew tells us of wise men who traveled from the east to visit and worship the young child Jesus. They brought Him gifts of gold, fit for a king; of frankincense, worthy of God; and of myrrh, used to prepare the body of royalty for burial. So even at Jesus’ birth, His death was recognized and acknowledged. Just as now, as we celebrate His birth while we remember the great sacrifice He made for us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Father God, we come before the table of our Lord Jesus to commemorate His last supper on this earth with His friends. Not all of us are able to join together physically, yet we are together in Your Spirit. So Father, in the name of Your Son Jesus, I pray that You bless the elements that Your children have before them, no matter what physical content they might hold. Bless them to be the body and blood of our Lord when we eat and drink. Bless them to His remembrance so that we never forget His sacrifice. And bless us to better service to our Lord. This we pray in the glorious name of Jesus our Christ. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, <span style="color: red;">“Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Father in heaven, we thank You for this bread, not so much for the nourishment it might provide but for what it represents: our Savior’s body broken for us. May we always remember Him when we eat. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div>The body of Christ, broken for you. Take and eat, in remembrance of Him</div><div><br /></div><div>In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, <span style="color: red;">“This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Father, as we did for the bread, we thank You also for this juice for what it means to us: the blood of our Lord shed for us. May we always remember Him when we drink. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div>The blood of Christ, shed for you. Take and drink, in remembrance of Him</div><div><br /></div><div>Father, we stand in awe of the remarkable sacrifice Jesus made for us, just so we might be saved. Sometimes we just can’t understand how You could love us so much that You would give us eternal life if we just believe in Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ our Lord. Father, for as often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, may we proclaim our Lord’s death till He comes. In the glorious name of Jesus we pray. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Just as the light from the Christ candle spreads throughout our sanctuary, the light that is Christ Jesus spreads from one person to the next, one follower to another, and someday, it will encompass the world. Have no fear - the true Light that is Jesus can never be extinguished.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is a holy night – the night of our Savior’s birth. As we prepare to return to our homes to spend time with our loved ones, let us keep the silence of the night and the peace of our heavenly Father in our hearts.</div><div><br /></div><div>Go now in peace. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-9232559308103036872023-12-24T15:16:00.000-05:002023-12-24T15:16:05.172-05:00Tidings of Great Joy<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is the message of our Christmas Eve morning service of Sunday, the 24th of December and the 4th Sunday in Advent, 2023, at Pilgrim Reformed Church. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>“Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10b-11 (KJV))</div><div><br /></div><div>Today we rejoice in the greatest gift we’ve ever been given, the gift of salvation through our Lord Christ Jesus. This is indeed a day for great joy and rejoicing, for God is coming down to earth to be among us and to take away our sin. Let us rejoice and give thanks to our Lord!</div><div><br /></div><div>Let us come together now with one heart and one voice to worship our Father God. In the glorious name of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Today we celebrate the fourth Sunday in Advent by lighting the candle of Joy.</div><div><br /></div><div>Scripture tells us that when Solomon was anointed as king, "All the people went up after him, and the people were playing on flutes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth shook at their noise." When Jesus came to us as a baby, the angel that heralded His birth told us to “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” What a joyful day it was, Lord Jesus, and what a joyful day it will be when you return to take us home. The very earth will shake at Your coming.</div><div><br /></div><div>We light the first candle to remind us of all our hopes being placed upon the coming Jesus, the second candle to feel the love of God that Jesus brings us, and the third candle for the endless peace Christ brings. The fourth candle is our celebration of joy – the great joy to all people that came with our Lord’s birth, and the great joy for all believers that will be ours upon His return.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray... Savior Jesus, You are all we need to have true joy in our lives. We await Your coming and the great joy it will bring. As we wait, let us share Your joy with those who may not know You. Come, Lord Jesus, come. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Hear the words of God spoken through His prophet Micah in chapter 5, verse 2 of the book bearing his name…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Yet out of you shall come forth to Me</i></b></div><div><b><i>The One to be Ruler in Israel,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Whose goings forth are from of old,</i></b></div><div><b><i>From everlasting.”</i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>Micah 5:2 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>The Apostle Luke tells of the birth of Jesus in the first 18 verses of the 2nd chapter of his Gospel account…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>14 “Glory to God in the highest,</i></b></div><div><b><i>And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Luke 2:1-18 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div><div>Hear now of a very special visit, by wise men who came from afar seeking the Messiah, from the 2nd chapter of the Apostle Matthew’s Gospel account, verses 1 & 2 and 7 through 11…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>7 Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>9 When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. 11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Matthew 2:1-2, 7-11 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>The gift of God, as told by the Apostle John in the opening chapter of his Gospel account, verses 1 through 5 and verse 14…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">John 1:1-5, 14 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div>Hear the words of God as spoken through His prophet Isaiah and recorded in the 9th chapter of the book bearing his name, verses 6 and 7…</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>6 For unto us a Child is born,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Unto us a Son is given;</i></b></div><div><b><i>And the government will be upon His shoulder.</i></b></div><div><b><i>And His name will be called</i></b></div><div><b><i>Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>7 Of the increase of His government and peace</i></b></div><div><b><i>There will be no end,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,</i></b></div><div><b><i>To order it and establish it with judgment and justice</i></b></div><div><b><i>From that time forward, even forever.</i></b></div><div><b><i>The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Isaiah 9:6-7 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><div><br /></div><div>Family, Valentine’s Day may be the time for lovers, but I think Christmas is the time for love. For it is the celebration of when God showed His great love for us by sending His Son into the world to offer us redemption of our sins. And it is the holiday when, if we are fortunate and blessed enough, we gather our loved ones close around us, sharing in the warmth of love as we share in the giving of gifts.</div><div><br /></div><div>I just love the Christmas story as the Apostle Luke wrote it. The Jews expected their Messiah to come as a conquering hero, but it didn’t happen that way. Just the opposite; He came as an innocent, vulnerable baby, attended to by cows and sheep and shepherds. Mary and Joseph couldn’t even find decent lodgings for her to give birth in, and had to seek shelter in a stable. And there the little Baby Jesus was born and laid in a manger, a feeding trough, the King of all kings.</div><div><br /></div><div>It’s hard to imagine any more humble surroundings for the Son of God to be born into this world. A stable complete with animals and, I’m sure, their smells. Lowly shepherds, following the directions of an angel, came to visit and see the holy Infant.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sometime later, we don’t know exactly when, a small group of very learned men, following a heavenly sign, traveled a great distance to see this newborn King. And they, too, shared some wonderful, and expensive, gifts.</div><div><br /></div><div>Jesus came to us because His Father sent Him, because His Father loves us this much. He came as one of us so we could relate to Him. He came humbly, lived humbly, so that we could learn to be humble, too. And He went to the cross humbly, willingly, to carry out His Father’s plan of salvation for mankind. This is a gift from God, the greatest gift. All anyone has to do to benefit from God’s love and Jesus’ sacrifice is to accept Jesus as their Lord. That’s it – turn from our sin and accept Jesus as Lord, following Him, obeying His command.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hold those you love close and near to you. Let them know how much you love them, this Christmas time and all the time. Love your Lord and keep Him close to your heart. And treasure the greatest gift we have been given.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the blessed name of Jesus. Amen.</div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div>Let us pray… Father God, thank You so much for the greatest gift we could ever receive – the gift of everlasting life through Your Son. Today and tomorrow we celebrate that birth of so long ago, when Jesus came to us as one of us, born of a woman just like us. Even at His birth, His kingship and His sacrifice were foretold in the offerings He received from the wise men who sought Him. Well, Father, wise men still seek Jesus, the Messiah, the Christ. Thank You for choosing us to be among the wise. Father, may the joy of this day carry on throughout the coming year. And may the birth of the Prince of Peace bring peace to all the earth. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And now, family, go in peace. Let the joy of this day fill your heart and your entire being so that you glow with the beauty of Jesus for all to see. Enjoy time with family and friends, but then let’s do as the shepherds did after they had seen the Christ Child. Let us make widely known what we have been told about this child. For unto all of us a Savior is born, Christ the Lord.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the blessed name of Christ Jesus, the Son of God, our Lord and Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-71940687253142527422023-12-17T13:52:00.000-05:002023-12-17T13:52:25.228-05:00Peace On Earth<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 17th of December and the 3rd Sunday in Advent, 2023, at Pilgrim Reformed Church. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Family, today we step into the third week of Advent. In the past two weeks we embraced the hope that God gave the world when He sent His Son Jesus to redeem us of our sin by the sacrifice of the Spotless Lamb. And we felt God’s love for the world and all mankind, that we might be reconciled with Him and live in His paradise forever, and the love of Jesus for us, that He would allow His mortal life to be ended, His blood to be shed, just for our salvation. But before we get to the cross, we first need to visit the city of David and gaze down into a lowly manger. What we see there will bring peace to our souls.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Our scripture reading this morning is one I will repeat next week, only with a few additional verses and in a slightly different version. But this passage is especially meaningful today as we open our hearts to the Prince of Peace. To get to this point, though, could be considered anything but peaceful.</div><div><br /></div><div>Joseph had sought Mary’s father’s permission to ask for her to marry him. The father agreed, Joseph asked, and Mary said “yes”. So far so good.</div><div><br /></div><div>In those days, a couple didn’t just run off a preacher or the local marriage authority; they didn’t even hop a plane for Vegas. When a man and a woman were betrothed, they lived together for a certain period of time, usually set by the future bride’s father, and usually lasting about a year. During this period, the man and woman would live together as man and wife, except that they would not consummate the marriage. No sex; no fooling around; no hanky-panky under the covers or in the kitchen.</div><div><br /></div><div>And then oops… Mary becomes pregnant. The angel Gabriel told her this would happen, that God’s Holy Spirit would come onto her and she would conceive a child that would be the King of kings. When Joseph found out that Mary was suddenly with child, knowing he had nothing to do with the making of that baby, his first thought was that she had been unfaithful and had been with another man. So in his eyes, he had two choices: he could parade her all around town and shame her for her indiscretion which would cancel their betrothal, or he could send her away to live where no one would know what happened and she would not suffer the shame.</div><div><br /></div><div>Like I said… this was not exactly a peaceful time, not for Joseph and Mary, anyway. But Gabriel appeared to Joseph in a dream and gave him a third option. Take Mary as your wife, accept the child and raise Him as your own. I guess you could say that at this point, a peace did settle over Joseph, and he did just as Gabriel said.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>But no good story would be totally without turmoil and drama, and this is certainly a good story. So let’s see what happens next. Please listen and follow along as the Apostle Luke tells his friend Theophilus about the birth of Jesus, as he recorded it in the 2nd chapter of his Gospel account, verses 1 through 14, I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible this morning…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>14 “Glory to God in the highest,</i></b></div><div><b><i>And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”</i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>Luke 2:1-14 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, You sent Your Christ Jesus into the world to offer salvation to all of mankind if we would only truly believe in Him, and in believing, to follow Him. You sent Your angels to announce His birth and proclaim peace and goodwill among men. Thank You, Father, for loving the world so much that You would send Your only begotten Son to rescue us from darkness and sin. We believe in Jesus as Your Christ and we do try to follow Him and do as He commands. But sometimes, Father, the pressures of this life overwhelm us. Peace and goodwill seem like a quickly fading dream in this day where men are filled with hatred. Please forgive us, Father. Help us stand stronger in the face of adversity. Help us weather the storm swirling around us. You’ve shown us Your love, now please help us show our love by more closely following Your word.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand what You tell us this day. Please protect us from those who serve Satan and carry out his evil deeds. And Father, please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe in the days ahead. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In the book, Marching Orders, J. K. Laney wrote that, "The Society of International Law, in London, states that during the last 4,000 years there have been only 268 years of peace in spite of good peace treaties. In the last 3 centuries [300 years] there have been 286 wars on the continent of Europe alone.</div><div><br /></div><div>So much for peace on earth. But an unknown source gives us comfort by reminding us that, "Peace that Jesus gives is not the absence of trouble, but is rather the confidence that He is there with you always." Apparently we will always have conflict, but we who believe will also always have Jesus and the peace He gives.</div><div><br /></div><div>As another now unknown person once noted, "Safety consists not in the absence of danger but in the presence of God." It is the peace of Jesus and the presence of God that allow us to feel safe and secure, even in trying times.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Our scripture reading this morning is very familiar to us, and to many others in the world, including non-Christians. Jesus is well known in the world – even if everyone doesn’t believe He is God, they know of Him. And many know the story of His birth as told by the Apostle Luke to his friend Theophilus. They know about the decree from Caesar, the long trip to Bethlehem, the lack of accommodations, the manger, the shepherds. They may even know about the angels, but probably don’t believe that part. Believing that would mean they’d have to believe God had a hand in all this.</div><div><br /></div><div>We believe, though. We believe, and we know that the angel of the Lord appeared in the midst of the shepherds, with God’s glory surrounding him and spilling out over the shepherds.</div><div><br /></div><div>“Do not be afraid.” The first words out of the angels mouth, straight from God, were, “Do not be afraid”. He continues by telling us the great news of our King’s birth, that He could be found in the lowliest of settings. And while that news is the very best thing we could ever even hope to hear, those first words hold great meaning for us, too. For they are part of God’s message to us.</div><div><br /></div><div>“Do not be afraid”, God’s angel said. The Prince of Peace, Isaiah called Jesus. There is no need to be afraid because Jesus brings us peace. Peace is the confidence we have that Jesus is always with us. We are safe in the presence of God.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Sometimes it’s hard to completely separate Jesus’ birth from His death, especially since we celebrate both in the same year, and only three or four months apart. I blame it on the visiting wise men from the east, who brought myrrh as a gift for the baby Jesus. Myrrh was a resin usually mixed with oil and used to anoint the bodies of the dead in Jesus’ day. So our Lord’s death was foretold at His birth.</div><div><br /></div><div>And as His death drew near, He tried to prepare His disciples for what was to come. Listen to what Jesus told them, as recorded by His beloved disciple John in the 14th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 25 through 27…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>25 <span style="color: red;">“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you.</span> 26 <span style="color: red;">But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.</span> 27 <span style="color: red;">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."</span></i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">John 14:25-27 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>“My peace I give to you.” Think about what the world has to offer in terms of peace. For one thing, worldly peace usually comes with terms. You agree to our conditions and we won’t keep killing you.</div><div><br /></div><div>But the main distinction of worldly peace is that it is always vey short lived. Remember that little illustration I used earlier? Only 268 years of peace out of the last 4000 years. Peace treaties are broken almost as soon as they’re signed.</div><div><br /></div><div>The world’s peace is practically worthless. It’s no more than a brief respite, a chance to catch our breath before the battle resumes. But the peace Jesus brings is everlasting. It may not stop the war being waged around us, but it allows us to remain calm and at peace in the thick of it. This is Jesus’ peace, the inner peace we are blessed with when we truly believe and fully trust our Lord.</div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, and did you catch what Jesus told us there at the end? “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”, Jesus said. “Do not be afraid”, the angel said. What do we have to fear in this life when we have Jesus with us?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>A little closer to His appointment with the cross, Jesus again let us and His disciples in on what was going to happen. John also recorded this in his Gospel account, in verses 32 and 33 of chapter 16.</div><div><br /></div><div>And Jesus said…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>32 <span style="color: red;">"Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.</span> 33 <span style="color: red;">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.”</span></i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">John 16:32-33 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div></div><div><div><div>“In Me you may have peace.” Jesus told us all this to assure us, so that we can have peace in Him, through Him, by our faith in Him. We may not still have the peace on earth the angel proclaimed at Jesus’ birth, but we have a better peace. Through Jesus, we can be at peace with the earth and all that happens on it. Our peace comes from within, from God’s Holy Spirit living in us, a gift from Jesus. For Jesus is God, and God is good all the time.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who came to us, to redeem us, and to bring us peace in our hearts.</div><div><br /></div><div>Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for spreading Your peace over us when we are in turmoil. Thank You for calming the storms that rage within us. Thank You for the safety we know in Your presence. Thank You for the redeeming love You sent in the person of Your Christ, Your Son, Jesus. Father, we admit that too often we let the troubles and turmoil of the world creep into our conscious thoughts and destroy our inner peace. Too many times we allow our faith to be shaken by the brutal acts of mankind. We forget that You are still in control. Forgive us those times, please Father. Please show us how to give of ourselves, to give of our love freely, unconditionally, sacrificially, so that others might know You through our love. And please help us share our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice. </div><div><br /></div><div>Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so… [* pause *]</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, You came to give of Yourself and redeem us of our sin so that we might be seen as clean in our Father God’s eyes when we stand before Him at the last. Along with redemption, You offered peace. You never promised us peace in this life, peace as the world knows it. No, just the opposite. You assured us we would face trials and have tribulations. But the peace You brought transcends this world. It is an inner peace that allows us to face adversity and stand up to our trials. Thank You, Jesus, for overcoming the world. Thank You for washing us clean of our sin. Thank You for giving us peace while the storm rages around us. Please help us, dear Lord - help us be more like You. Help us love all others and be patient with them. Help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love. Give us the words to say, show us the deeds to do to lead the lost to You.</div><div><br /></div><div>And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-11187173787742665772023-12-11T12:22:00.000-05:002023-12-11T12:22:46.412-05:00Redeeming Love<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 10th of December and the 2nd Sunday in Advent, 2023, at Pilgrim Reformed Church. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Family, today we enter into the second week of Advent. Last week we embraced the hope that God gave the world when He sent His Son Jesus to redeem us of our sin by the sacrifice of the Spotless Lamb.</div><div><br /></div><div>This, my brothers and sisters, is the ultimate act of love – the love of God for the world and all mankind, that we might be reconciled with Him and live in His paradise forever, and the love of Jesus for us, that He would allow His mortal life to be ended, His blood to be shed, just for our salvation. Today we celebrate this love, this wonderful, sacrificial, undeserved love.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The scripture passages I was led to for this morning comes from three different places and two different authors of the Gospel accounts. All three passages are the words of Jesus, with the first as recorded by the beloved Apostle John, the second recorded by the Apostle Mark, and the third by John again. You can see the book, chapter, and verse numbers in your bulletin and on the screens.</div><div><br /></div><div>But before we get to that, I like us to remember a time much earlier, as Moses led the children of Israel through the wilderness. Very often during this 40 year hike, the people rebelled against God and against the leadership of Moses. They cursed Moses for making them leave Egypt just to die in the wilderness, seemingly forgetting their previous lives as slaves.</div><div><br /></div><div>One of these times, God decided to give them a little lesson, just to make a point. He sent poisonous snakes into their camps to bite them. Some versions describe them as fiery serpents because the venom from their bites would burn like fire and bring death to the victim, and many of the people died. Realizing this was a direct result of their sin against God, the people pleaded with Moses to pray for relief.</div><div><br /></div><div>God responded by telling Moses to cast a serpent out of bronze and lift it up on a pole. Anyone who had been bitten could simply look upon that serpent and they would not die. Just look upon the uplifted serpent and be saved. I wanted to give us this little reminder because Jesus refers to that incident in our reading.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So without further ado, let’s hear what our Lord has to say this morning. Please listen and follow along as our Lord Jesus speaks to us about love, as I read from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>J3:14 <span style="color: red;">“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,</span> 15 <span style="color: red;">that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.</span> 16 <span style="color: red;">For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.</span> 17 <span style="color: red;">For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>M12:30 <span style="color: red;">“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.</span> 31 <span style="color: red;">And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>J13:34 <span style="color: red;">“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.</span> 35 <span style="color: red;">By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”</span></i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>John 3:14-17; Mark 12:30-31; John 13:34-35 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, You sent Your Christ Jesus into the world to offer salvation to all of mankind if we would only truly believe in Him, and in believing, to follow Him. Thank You, Father, for loving the world so much that You would send Your only begotten Son to rescue us from darkness and sin. We believe in Jesus as Your Christ and we do try to follow Him and do as He commands. But sometimes, Father, the pressures of life overwhelm us and, like those ancient Israelis, we rebel against You. We forget what our life was like before Your freed us from slavery to sin. Please forgive us these times, Father. Help us stand stronger in the face of adversity. You’ve shown us Your love, now please help us show our love by being better servants.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand what You tell us this day. Please protect us from those who serve Satan and carry out his evil deeds. And Father, please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe in the days ahead. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The source of what I am about to relate to you is unknown, but it is very fitting to today's theme:</div></div><div><blockquote><blockquote>Dr. Mitchell was impressing upon us that we are not under the Law when we're in Christ, but we're under a new law -- the law of LOVE. He used this to illustrate: In America there is a law stating a woman must take care of her child. So, a man comes to a new mother's home. He says, "Are you taking care of your baby? The Law says you have to." The woman, tenderly holding her baby, said, "I don't need a law to make me take care of my baby." Why? Because she loves her baby! She feeds him, holds him, changes him because she loves him. I no longer need the Law because I'm under Christ -- a law of love.</blockquote></blockquote></div><div><div>God gave us ten simple commands, handed down by Moses as the Law. And almost immediately we began to break them. We create idols in our lives, things that we devote our time and resources to, things we cherish above all others, things we worship. We harbor hatred in our heart for those not like us, who don’t agree with us, who don’t look like us. We envy others for what they have that we don’t have, for the better life we think they enjoy, for their nicer, newer things.</div><div><br /></div><div>God knew we could never fully obey His Law, but He loves us just like that new mother loves her child. So He sent His own Son Jesus to fulfill the Law for us. God sent His love in the person of Jesus. We who believe are now under the law of love. Let us live the love of Christ, the law of love.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The first part of our scripture reading contains the most well-known verse in all the Bible: John 3:16. But it also contains the reference I spoke of earlier, and there is a reason Jesus mentioned it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Think for a moment about the premise of that event. Here were people, probably in the thousands, who had been bitten by poisonous snakes and were suffering horrible pain and dying. And what were they told could cure them? Simply look up at the bronze replica of the snakes that bit them that had been erected on a pole. How silly does that sound?!? But it worked, and those that did look upon the bronze serpent were cured and saved. This worked because God said it would. It worked through faith, through the belief that what God said would indeed happen.</div><div><br /></div><div>So Jesus is making two points by bringing this up. The first is that He will soon be lifted up on a pole, too, just like that bronze serpent. He will be lifted up on a cross.</div><div><br /></div><div>And the second goes along with the first. Those who have the faith in Jesus, who believe that God gave Him to the world that the world might be saved, those who look upon Him with faith and belief will be spared from death and saved. This is God’s love for us, that He would give us the faith to believe, and that He would give us Jesus to have faith in.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And then Mark recorded Jesus reminding us of the greatest commandment, to love God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength. God has proven His love for us; so now we should give our love to Him in return. Our full love – heart, mind, soul, and body.</div><div><br /></div><div>And how do we show Him our love? By loving our neighbor as we love ourselves. Jesus says this is the second greatest commandment. This should tell us that the most important thing we can do is to love – to love God and to love each other. And Jesus confirms this in the last part of our reading when He gives us a new commandment to love one another. We are to love one another just as He loves us: unconditionally, sacrificially.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now we have to be a little careful not to read that last passage too casually. When Jesus tells us that folks will know we are His followers if we love each other, some may take that to mean we only have to love other believers. Well, Jesus Himself clarifies this, as recorded by the Apostle Luke in chapter 6 verses 27 through 37 of his Gospel account…</div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>27 <span style="color: red;">“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,</span> 28 <span style="color: red;">bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.</span> 29 <span style="color: red;">To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.</span> 30 <span style="color: red;">Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.</span> 31 <span style="color: red;">And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>32 <span style="color: red;">“But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.</span> 33 <span style="color: red;">And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.</span> 34 <span style="color: red;">And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back.</span> 35 <span style="color: red;">But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.</span> 36 <span style="color: red;">Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful."</span></i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Luke 6:27-37 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>We are to not only love other believers, but also our enemies, even those who hate us. We are to bless those who curse us, and pray for those who use us for their own gain. If we just love those who love us, then we’re no different from the rest of the world.</div><div><br /></div><div>And our Golden Rule is in there. Did you hear it? “Just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.” We are to love and be kind just as God loves and is kind, even to the unthankful and the evil. We are to be merciful, just as God is merciful. After all, where would we be if God had not extended His mercy upon us?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>One way to look at this is that our love should not be fickle. We shouldn’t choose who we going to love, who we’re going to help, and especially not based on how much they love us or might be able to help us in return. No, our love should be more like God’s love. Hear what the prophet Isaiah has to say about God’s redeeming, unfailing love, from chapter 63 of the book bearing his name, verses 7 through 9…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>7 I will tell of the Lord’s unfailing love.</i></b></div><div><b><i>I will praise the Lord for all He has done.</i></b></div><div><b><i>I will rejoice in His great goodness to Israel,</i></b></div><div><b><i>which He has granted according to His mercy and love.</i></b></div><div><b><i>8 He said, “They are My very own people.</i></b></div><div><b><i>Surely they will not betray Me again.”</i></b></div><div><b><i>And He became their Savior.</i></b></div><div><b><i>9 In all their suffering He also suffered,</i></b></div><div><b><i>and He personally rescued them.</i></b></div><div><b><i>In His love and mercy He redeemed them.</i></b></div><div><b><i>He lifted them up and carried them</i></b></div><div><b><i>through all the years.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Isaiah 63:7-9 (NLT)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div></div><div><div><div>God knew that Israel would indeed betray Him again, as they did when they betrayed His Son, sent to save them all. But yet, He loved them still. He became their Savior, sending them His Christ. In their suffering He suffered. He shares in our suffering, too. And in His vast love and mercy He redeemed us. He lifts us up when we have stumbled and fallen. He carries us in His arms all the years of our lives.</div><div><br /></div><div>God is good. His love, poured out through Christ Jesus, redeems us of our sin and sets us free. Let us love our God with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind, and all our strength. And let us love all others as much as we love ourselves, as much as Jesus loves us. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who came to us, to redeem us, because God loves us. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for having mercy upon us when we are unmerciful. Thank You for loving us when we are unlovable. Thank You for the redeeming love You sent in the person of Your Christ, Your Son, Jesus. Father, we admit that too often we fail to love as we should. Too many times we allow our biases, our hatreds, our intolerances to get in the way of our love, blocking it from those who may need it the most. Forgive us those times, please Father. Please show us how to give of ourselves, to give of our love freely, unconditionally, sacrificially, just as Jesus loves us. And please help us share our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice. </div><div><br /></div><div>Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, You came to us as an expression, a sign, of our Father God’s love. You showed Your love of the Father by doing everything He asked of You. And because of Your love for us, we are redeemed. Thank You, Jesus, for washing us clean of our sin. Thank You for showing us what love looks like. Please help us, dear Lord - help us be more like You. Help us love all others, even those who hate us and wish us harm. Help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love. Give us the words to say, show us the deeds to do to lead the lost to You.</div><div><br /></div><div>And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-75104376749742238222023-12-03T16:16:00.001-05:002023-12-08T12:55:43.641-05:00He Comes<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 3rd of December and the 1st Sunday in Advent, 2023, at Pilgrim Reformed Church. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Family, the season of Advent allows us time to prepare for the coming of our Lord Jesus. He came to us as one of us, as a mortal man, yet still God. He came as a tiny, vulnerable baby, born in the most humble of settings.</div><div><br /></div><div>We celebrate that birth on December 25th each year, although it more likely occurred in mid-September. There are a couple of theories as to why the December date was chosen, with one being that it coincided with a Pagan celebration of that time. The early church was heavily persecuted, so tried to hide their celebration of the birth of Christ by holding it during the Pagan event.</div><div><br /></div><div>That seems to be the more popular theory, but the one I think may be more likely involves Jesus’ birth being aligned with His death. An early church scholar determined that Jesus died – He was crucified - on March 25th. And according to early Christian tradition, the Annunciation of the birth of Lord – when the angel Gabriel announced it to Mary – was the same as the date of His death, March 25th. A normal pregnancy is nine months. So nine months from March 25th is December 25th.</div><div><br /></div><div>But no matter the reason, in four weeks we will celebrate our Lord coming into this world. And Advent gives us the opportunity to prepare ourselves for His coming.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>There is another time when we were told to get everything ready for Jesus to come. And this one occurred when He was already an adult, just as He was about to begin His ministry.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please listen and follow along to the first 6 verses of the 3rd chapter of the Gospel account of the Apostle Luke, as read from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 It was now the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, the Roman emperor. Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea; Herod Antipas was ruler over Galilee; his brother Philip was ruler over Iturea and Traconitis; Lysanias was ruler over Abilene. 2 Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests. At this time a message from God came to John son of Zechariah, who was living in the wilderness. 3 Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. 4 Isaiah had spoken of John when he said,</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>“He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,</i></b></div><div><b><i>‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming!</i></b></div><div><b><i>Clear the road for Him!</i></b></div><div><b><i>5 The valleys will be filled,</i></b></div><div><b><i>and the mountains and hills made level.</i></b></div><div><b><i>The curves will be straightened,</i></b></div><div><b><i>and the rough places made smooth.</i></b></div><div><b><i>6 And then all people will see</i></b></div><div><b><i>the salvation sent from God.’”</i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>Luke 3:1-6 (NLT)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, You sent Your Son Jesus into the world to offer us all the wonderful gift of salvation. He came to us, not as a conquering hero but as a tiny baby, born of a mortal woman. He came like us, as one of us, so that we could easily relate to Him. Thank You, Father, for loving us so much that You would not spare even Your own Son to save us. We believe in Jesus as Your Christ and we do try to follow Him and do as He commands. But sometimes, Father, we just get too caught up in the struggles of life, too beaten down by an uncaring world, that we just don’t do what we know we should do, and we do what we know we shouldn’t. Please forgive us these times, Father. We do appreciate all the blessings You pour out over us, and we pray that You will continue to bless us. Please help us get ourselves ready for Your Son’s coming, as we look to celebrate His birth, remember the start of His ministry, and anxiously await His return.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand what You tell us this day. Please protect us from those who serve Satan and carry out his evil deeds. And Father, please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe in the days ahead. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Martin Luther once preached on the great missionary works of Paul and Barnabas, and of the terrible argument between them that caused them to part ways. Of this Luther wrote the following:</div><div><blockquote>“Here it appears either Paul or Barnabas went too far. It must have been a violent disagreement to separate two associates who were so closely united. Indeed, the text indicates as much. Such examples are written for our consolation: for it is a great comfort to us to hear that great saints, who have the Spirit of God, also struggle. Those who say that saints do not sin would deprive us of this comfort. Samson, David, and many other celebrated men full of the Holy Spirit fell into grievous sins. Job and Jeremiah cursed the day of their birth; Elijah and Jonah were weary of life and desired death. No one has ever fallen so grievously that he may not rise again. Conversely, no one stands so firmly that he may not fall. If Peter (and Paul and Barnabas) fell, I too may fall. If they rose again, I too may rise again.”</blockquote></div><div>We might read of the great works of the holy men and women in our bible, of the marvelous acts they performed, and wonder, "What hope is there for me? I can't do what they did. I can't fight major battles or perform miracles. I just go out and work a normal job every day, live a normal life."</div><div><br /></div><div>But family, these people are our hope. All these holy people were flawed, every one of them. All have sinned, Paul tells us; all have fallen short. Yet all rose again to great things. And all to show that we too may rise again.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>As I mentioned last week, we’re going to take a break from the Apostolic letters until after the first of the year. For today we enter into Advent and its four Sundays leading up to our celebration of the birth of our Lord and Christ Jesus. The very word “advent” means a coming into place or being; arrival. And our Advent (capital “A”) season looks ahead to the coming, the arrival, of Jesus as a mortal man.</div><div><br /></div><div>But according to many, His birth did not mark the first time Jesus came to earth. If we pay attention when reading our Old Testament, we will see where the “Angel of the Lord” came often to help or advise certain people, like Abraham and Lott, for instance. It is a very popular belief that the pre-incarnate Jesus was the Angel of the Lord. In other words, Jesus came and walked among us on numerous occasions before He took on human flesh.</div><div><br /></div><div>And we also celebrate another coming of Jesus from right before His crucifixion, when He rode triumphantly into Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Today’s scripture passage looks at the time immediately before Jesus began His ministry, as He approached John the Baptist at the River Jordan. People came from Jerusalem and all the surrounding region to be baptized by John there at the Jordan, where he preached a message of repentance. “Repent and be baptized!”, John would shout. “Turn from your sins and turn to God to be forgiven.”</div><div><br /></div><div>As Isaiah had predicted, John was preparing the people for the Lord’s coming. And yes, Jesus was indeed coming to the river to be baptized, but this isn’t the coming John was warning the people to be prepared for. It’s the repentance, the turning from our sins, that John was concerned with. We need to clear the road for our Lord, the road that leads to our hearts. Level the mountains and fill in the valleys in our up-and-down relationship with God. Straighten the curves and smooth out the rough places in our lives. We need to get right with our Lord, for in Him is our only hope.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let’s back up to the event behind the Advent season – the birth of Jesus. God made us a promise before sending His Son to us, telling us what His Christ would, and would not, do. Isaiah recorded this promise for us in the 42nd chapter of his book of prophesy, verses 1 through 4, and he included the instructions that the Father gave His Son in verses 5 through 9. God spoke through Isaiah, saying…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold,</i></b></div><div><b><i>My Chosen One in whom My soul delights!</i></b></div><div><b><i>I have put My Spirit upon Him;</i></b></div><div><b><i>He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.</i></b></div><div><b><i>2 He will not cry out, nor raise His voice,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.</i></b></div><div><b><i>3 A bruised reed He will not break,</i></b></div><div><b><i>And a dimply burning candle He will not extinguish;</i></b></div><div><b><i>He will bring forth justice for truth.</i></b></div><div><b><i>4 He will not fail nor be discouraged,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Till He has established justice in the earth;</i></b></div><div><b><i>And the coastlands shall wait for His law.”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>5 Thus says God the Lord,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Who created the heavens and stretched them out,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Who gives breath to the people on it,</i></b></div><div><b><i>And spirit to those who walk on it:</i></b></div><div><b><i>6 “I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness,</i></b></div><div><b><i>And will hold Your hand;</i></b></div><div><b><i>I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people,</i></b></div><div><b><i>As a light to the Gentiles,</i></b></div><div><b><i>7 To open blind eyes,</i></b></div><div><b><i>To bring out prisoners from the prison,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Those who sit in darkness from the prison house.</i></b></div><div><b><i>8 I am the Lord, that is My name;</i></b></div><div><b><i>And My glory I will not give to another,</i></b></div><div><b><i>Nor My praise to carved images.</i></b></div><div><b><i>9 Behold, the former things have come to pass,</i></b></div><div><b><i>And new things I declare;</i></b></div><div><b><i>Before they spring forth I tell you of them.”</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Isaiah 42:1-9 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>Can you hear our hope in this passage? This is Jesus, God’s Chosen One, His Servant, who has God’s own Spirit within Him. When God says He will bring justice to the Gentiles, He means that Jesus will open God’s kingdom to all peoples, to all who will believe, and not just to the house of Israel. He will not break us when we weaken, nor extinguish our inner fire when our spirit is running low. And He will not fail in the mission God has given Him. He will not fail us.</div><div><br /></div><div>What’s more, God promises to be with Jesus as He goes about His work, for He has called His Son into a service of righteousness. And He promises us that Jesus will be His new covenant with us, to all people. He will open our eyes to the truth. He will free us from the prison of sin.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The Apostle Paul elaborates on this a bit and gives us more reason to hope. Hear what Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans, in chapter 15 verse 4 and chapter 5 verse 5…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>15:4 Whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Romans 15:4, 5:5 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div></div><div><div><div>The scriptures were saved for us to give us hope, and hope does not disappoint. This is not the hope that the world knows, which more often than not does indeed leave us disappointed. “Gee, I hope the Panthers win another game this year.” That’s the world’s idea of hope. But with God, our hope is an assurance, not a wish. We can be assured of what God has promised because His love has been poured out in our hearts by His own Holy Spirit who was given to us when we accepted Jesus as our Lord.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So as we enter the season of Advent, we wait anxiously, expectantly, for our Lord to come, for He is our hope, our only hope. Isaiah predicted the coming of Jesus, God's Messiah. John announced it in the wilderness. Jesus came and brought salvation. He will come again, to bring judgment. And all the world will see Him.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let us prepare ourselves for His coming. Whether we are looking back to His birth, in the present as we go about the mission He assigned us, or toward some tomorrow when He comes again, let us get right with God and be doing our Lord’s work. For this is our only hope. Jesus is our only hope. And He comes.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who came to us before and will come for us again. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for giving us hope. This life can be tough, Father. The uncaring world would just as soon see us crushed as to allow us to live. Satan constantly tries to pull us away from You. Too often we are beaten down, then lifted up only to be knocked down again. But because of Your love for us and mercy over us, You give us hope. You give us hope through Your Son Jesus who allowed Himself to be sacrificed that we might be saved. Thank You, Father, for so wonderful a gift. Thank You for our hope, for our faith, for salvation through Jesus. We admit that too often we fail to differentiate ourselves from the rest of the world. Too many times we don’t carry out our mission on earth when we have the opportunity to do so. Forgive us those times, please Father. Please show us all the many ways we can still serve no matter what condition we ourselves are in. And please help us to not be afraid to share our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and </div><div>His sacrifice. And Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith, trying to make us his own. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, You came to us as one of us – born of a woman in the most humble of settings. Then throughout Your mortal life and Your ministry on earth, You served us just as God through Isaiah promised You would. And You still serve as our only hope of freedom from the chains of our sin, our only hope of eternal life in heaven. You came once and delivered on God’s promise, offering salvation to the world, a world that shunned You, that crucified You. You will come again some day, this time to judge the world. This, too, is God’s promise. Thank You, Jesus, for providing us the very foundation of our hope. By our faith, we accept You as our Lord and are redeemed. Please help us, dear Lord - help us be more like You in our daily interactions with others. Help us share our reason for hope with them so that they too might be saved. Give us the words to say. Show us the deeds to do. Help us lead the lost to You. Help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message, showing Your love through our love.</div><div><br /></div><div>And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-38518398427122600002023-11-27T11:05:00.000-05:002023-11-27T11:05:05.731-05:00Faith in Action<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 26th of November, 2023, at Pilgrim Reformed Church. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Family, it’s amazing to realize that Thanksgiving is now past and Christmas is just around the corner. In fact, next Sunday is the beginning of the Advent season, when we prepare for the coming of our Lord.</div><div><br /></div><div>But I don’t want us to lose sight of the letter that the Apostle James wrote to the early church, especially since we skipped it last week. And I also plan to set the letter aside again until after the first of the year. So I’d like to jump back in for just a spell and finish up chapter 2.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, just to refresh our memory… James is one of Jesus’ earthly brothers, so he would have been very familiar with our Lord. They probably played and wrestled together as boys, and I’d bet they had many conversations as they grew and matured into men. So James would have enjoyed a different insight into Jesus than the rest of the disciples, a perspective shared by only one other disciple: Jude, another brother.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So far, James has told us to resist the ways of the world, for the devil will try to destroy our faith. He encouraged us to live out the word of the Gospel message in our daily lives. Then he echoed the warning Jesus gave, that we would definitely experience trials in this life, but by living the word, and not reacting as the world does, we can show others the power of faith. And in the first part of the second chapter, he gave us a little lecture on showing favoritism when dealing with other people.</div><div><br /></div><div>This morning James is going to challenge us to put our faith into action. Please listen and follow along to verses 14 through 26 of the 2nd chapter of James’ letter, and I’ll be reading from the Living Bible version of our Holy Bible this morning…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>14 Dear brothers, what’s the use of saying that you have faith and are Christians if you aren’t proving it by helping others? Will that kind of faith save anyone? 15 If you have a friend who is in need of food and clothing, 16 and you say to him, “Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat hearty,” and then don’t give him clothes or food, what good does that do?</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>17 So you see, it isn’t enough just to have faith. You must also do good to prove that you have it. Faith that doesn’t show itself by good works is no faith at all — it is dead and useless.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>18 But someone may well argue, “You say the way to God is by faith alone, plus nothing; well, I say that good works are important too, for without good works you can’t prove whether you have faith or not; but anyone can see that I have faith by the way I act.”</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>19 Are there still some among you who hold that “only believing” is enough? Believing in one God? Well, remember that the demons believe this too — so strongly that they tremble in terror! 20 Fool! When will you ever learn that “believing” is useless without doing what God wants you to? Faith that does not result in good deeds is not real faith.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>21 Don’t you remember that even our father Abraham was declared good because of what he did when he was willing to obey God, even if it meant offering his son Isaac to die on the altar? 22 You see, he was trusting God so much that he was willing to do whatever God told him to; his faith was made complete by what he did — by his actions, his good deeds. 23 And so it happened just as the Scriptures say, that Abraham trusted God, and the Lord declared him good in God’s sight, and he was even called “the friend of God.” 24 So you see, a man is saved by what he does, as well as by what he believes.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>25 Rahab, the prostitute, is another example of this. She was saved because of what she did when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road. 26 Just as the body is dead when there is no spirit in it, so faith is dead if it is not the kind that results in good deeds.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>James 2:14-26 (TLB)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, once again we thank You for assuring that we would have Your word to read and study, even thousands of years after it was recorded by the men and women You inspired. Thank You for these letters from those who walked with Your Son and knew Him best, and especially the ones His brothers wrote and sent out to the early church. We today can still take guidance, instruction, encouragement, and warning from them, and for this we thank You. But sometimes, Father, we just get too caught up in the struggles of life to take the time to open our Bibles and seek to know You better through Your word. Please forgive us these times, Father. We do thank You for all You bless us with, including Your word. Please help us find the time to be with You more. And please help us better grasp and understand what we read.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand what You tell us this day. Please protect us from those who serve Satan and carry out his evil deeds. And Father, please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe in the days ahead. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Indira Gandhi was quoted in the April 1990 issue of <i><u>Bits and Pieces</u></i> magazine saying, “My grandfather once told me that there are two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was less competition there.”</div><div><br /></div><div>We've all seen instances of some folks taking credit for the work of others. Or of some doing just token work for a photo op or for good public relations. I think those are the more disgusting, serving in the soup kitchen food line just long enough to get their picture in the news before pulling off their apron and gloves and leaving.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is not what James had in mind when He called us to service. Nor is it what Jesus meant when He told us to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, and clothe the naked.</div><div><br /></div><div>True service is not concerned with personal recognition, and indeed shuns it. True service is all about giving, about sacrifice, about putting others above self. True service is putting our faith into action and showing the love of Jesus to a world so desperately in need of love. Let’s be sure to follow Gandhi’s advice and be in the group that does the work and not the one that just takes the credit.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>James poses some tough questions in our scripture passage this morning. What’s the use, he asks, of saying we have faith and calling ourselves Christians if we don’t do anything to prove it? What distinguishes us from anyone else out there? What about us would allow someone to tell the difference between us and a non-believer?</div><div><br /></div><div>Someone may answer, “they will know we are Christians by our love”, but how can they see our love if we’re not showing it in some way? We can say we love others, but what does that prove? James asks what good is it to see someone who is hungry and needs better clothing and simply say, “stay warm and eat well”, but not help them in their need? What good does that do? What good does it do to say we love others without doing anything to show them our love?</div><div><br /></div><div>And then James slams home his point: It isn’t enough to just have faith; we must also do good works to prove that we do have faith. Otherwise our faith is dead.</div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, it is true that the prophet Habakkuk tells us – and the Apostle Paul reminds us – that the just live by faith. And Jesus Himself told us that if we only believe in Him, we will have everlasting life and be with Him for all eternity. Well, James reminds us that even the devil and his demons believe in Jesus and know He is the Son of God, but they’re not going to heaven because of what they do, how they act.</div><div><br /></div><div>By our faith we have the Spirit of God abiding within us, and the fruits of the Spirit are evident in our actions and deeds. What we do shows who we are, what we’re made of, far better than a million words ever could.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And speaking of the Apostle Paul, in much of his writings and his speeches he tells us that salvation comes only by God's mercy and grace and through Jesus the Christ. But he also tells us what God intended us to do with our faith. Please listen to what Paul wrote to the Ephesian church family in verses 8 through 10 of the 2nd chapter of that letter…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>8 Because of His kindness, you have been saved through trusting Christ. And even trusting is not of yourselves; it too is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good we have done, so none of us can take any credit for it. 10 It is God Himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago He planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Ephesians 2:8-10 (TLB)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>There you go. We are saved by God’s goodness and grace through our faith in Christ Jesus – by our belief in Him and trusting in Him. But this faith is not something we can take credit for, because it too is a gift from God.</div><div><br /></div><div>And here’s the kicker. God has given us new lives with the intent that we spend these lives in service to others, helping others. This was God’s plan for us from the beginning, that we should spend our lives on this earth helping others. And this is what James is getting at when he admonishes us to put our faith into action.</div><div><br /></div><div>Our faith is the key to our salvation, but our works are the proof of our faith. Our works are the outer sign of our inner faith, just as our baptism is the outer sign of our inner belief.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Jesus told us to believe in Him so we will not perish. He invites us to believe and follow Him. Doesn’t the act of following Jesus imply that we do as Jesus did when He walked among us? And what did Jesus do? He helped people. He cured them of diseases and infirmities. He taught them the truth of God and His kingdom, trying to see that everyone might be saved, even those who hated Him. Jesus did good works and He encourages and calls us to do good works, too.</div><div><br /></div><div>Listen to what He told us in His Sermon on the Mount as recorded by the Apostle Matthew in the 5th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 14 through 16…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><i><b>14 </b><span style="color: red;"><b>“You are the world’s light — a city on a hill, glowing in the night for all to see.</b></span><b> 15-16 </b></i><span style="color: red;"><b><i>Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly Father.”</i></b></span></div></div></blockquote><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Matthew 5:14-16 (TLB)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div></div><div><div><div><div>I bet you never thought of that as a call to service. The Apostle John said that in Jesus was life, and the life was the light of men; the light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness can not overcome it. Jesus has passed that light on to us, into us, when we accepted Him as our Lord and God sent His Holy Spirit to live within us. And He calls us to let that light shine for all to see, so that they too might praise our heavenly Father. Let the light shine in the glowing of our good deeds.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Now please understand that not all good works require physical labor. As we age or suffer some debilitating illness or injury, we may no longer be capable of much physical activity. In fact, we may be at the point of needing help ourselves rather than providing help to others. But that doesn’t mean we have to stop doing good.</div><div><br /></div><div>Not being able to get out and around much anymore shouldn’t stop us from letting our light shine. We can make phone calls, or send emails or texts or greeting cards. We can smile at folks we pass, wave at them. And if we get the chance, we can tell them about Jesus and what He means to us. If nothing else, we can pray for others, giving their needs to God.</div><div><br /></div><div>God gave us faith – it’s a wonderful gift. But like many gifts, we put it to its best advantage by using it. So let’s put our faith in action. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who set the example for us. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for giving us the faith to believe in Jesus as Your Son, Your Christ sent to redeem us of our sin. Without Him and His great sacrifice, we would be lost and doomed to eternal death. Thank You for Your loving mercy and grace. Thank You for salvation through Jesus and our use of the faith You give us. And thank You for all the opportunities You give us to put our faith into action by reaching our and helping others. Too often, though, Father, we don’t take advantage of those opportunities. Too many times we are afraid of what others might think of us, or we worry that we might get it wrong and make matters worse, or we think we’re just not able to get out and do much of anything to serve You. Forgive us those times, please Father. Please show us all the many ways we can prove our faith no matter what condition we ourselves are in. And please help us to not be afraid to share our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice. </div><div><br /></div><div>And Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith and tries to pull us away from You. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, throughout Your short ministry on earth, You carried out the will of God in serving others. You healed the people of their illnesses and infirmities. You rid them of demons and evil spirits. You saved them from eternal pain and suffering. And in Your last act of faith, You took all our sins upon Yourself and carried them to the grave. Thank You, Lord, for putting Your faith and Your love into action. By our faith, we accepted You as our Lord, and as such, we should not hesitate to do Your bidding, Please help us, dear Lord -- help us be more like You in our daily interactions with others. Help us recognize their needs and help take care of them. Help us see what we can do, even if we are no longer physically able to lend a helping hand. And especially please help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message with the lost, showing them Your love through our love.</div><div><br /></div><div>And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-67972700442860551002023-11-19T15:33:00.000-05:002023-11-19T15:33:18.611-05:00Oh, Give Thanks to the Lord<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 19th of November, 2023, the Sunday before Thanksgiving Day at Pilgrim Reformed Church. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Family, this coming Thursday we’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving. It seems like this year has flown by. It’s already Thanksgiving and Christmas is just around the corner.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is a joyous time of year, as we prepare for the celebration of our Lord’s birth in mortal form. And it is indeed a time to be thankful, as Jesus coming to us is God’s love and mercy in action. For only through Jesus, by the great mercy of our Father God, can we be redeemed of our sin and granted everlasting life in heaven.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Our celebration of Thanksgiving Day as a holiday is a relatively recent event. What we consider the first Thanksgiving was in 1621 after the Pilgrims had survived - with the help of the natives - a very difficult winter in the new world.</div><div><br /></div><div>George Washington set the very first official day for the nation to give thanks in 1789, and then in 1863 Abraham Lincoln proclaimed another day of national thanksgiving. This day for giving thanks was annually proclaimed by every president afterwards, and it usually was set for the last Thursday in November.</div><div><br /></div><div>But in 1939, it so happened that November had five Thursdays in it, with the fifth being on the 30th of the month. Then president Franklin Roosevelt feared the late date would cut the holiday shopping season short, putting a damper on economic recovery, so he issued a proclamation moving it to the second to last Thursday.</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, this created a lot of fuss and confusion, with some states accepting this new date while others stuck with the last Thursday. So Congress finally got involved and in 1941 made it the law of the land that Thanksgiving Day would be the fourth Thursday in November from then on.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>That’s the history of Thanksgiving Day in America, but people have been celebrating Thanksgiving for thousands of years. And it wasn’t for just one day a year. Throughout history, mankind has experienced certain circumstances where survival or success could only be attributed to the work of some higher power. Those who believe in God recognize His hand at work in our lives, and give Him thanks.</div><div><br /></div><div>During the reign of King David, the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem and a great celebration was held to honor the event. Please listen and follow along as I read from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible, some selected verses from the 16th chapter of the Book of the Chronicles of the Jewish people from the days of Adam to captivity in Babylon…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>8 Oh, give thanks to the Lord!</i></b></div><div><b><i>Call upon His name;</i></b></div><div><b><i>Make known His deeds among the peoples!</i></b></div><div><b><i>9 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;</i></b></div><div><b><i>Talk of all His wondrous works!</i></b></div><div><b><i>10 Glory in His holy name;</i></b></div><div><b><i>Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!</i></b></div><div><b><i>11 Seek the Lord and His strength;</i></b></div><div><b><i>Seek His face evermore!</i></b></div><div><b><i>12 Remember His marvelous works which He has done,</i></b></div><div><b><i>His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth;</i></b></div><div><b><i>Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.</i></b></div><div><b><i>24 Declare His glory among the nations,</i></b></div><div><b><i>His wonders among all peoples.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>25 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised;</i></b></div><div><b><i>He is also to be feared above all gods.</i></b></div><div><b><i>26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols,</i></b></div><div><b><i>But the Lord made the heavens.</i></b></div><div><b><i>27 Honor and majesty are before Him;</i></b></div><div><b><i>Strength and gladness are in His place.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>29 Give to the Lord the glory due His name;</i></b></div><div><b><i>Bring an offering, and come before Him.</i></b></div><div><b><i>Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>31 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;</i></b></div><div><b><i>And let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns.”</i></b></div><div><b><i>32 Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;</i></b></div><div><b><i>Let the field rejoice, and all that is in it.</i></b></div><div><b><i>33 Then the trees of the woods shall rejoice before the Lord,</i></b></div><div><b><i>For He is coming to judge the earth.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>34 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!</i></b></div><div><b><i>For His mercy endures forever.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>1 Chronicles 16:8-12, 23-27, 29, 31-34 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, thank You for bestowing Your loving mercy upon us! We see Your hand at work in our lives. We see Your handiwork in the world all around us. And we thank You. But sometimes we take all Your many gifts for granted, especially the smaller blessings that go unnoticed or ignored. Sometimes we just don’t stop long enough to say thank You, let alone show our appreciation in our service to others. Please forgive us these times, Father. Know that we do thank You for all that You give us, for all Your love and kindness. Please help us find tangible, meaningful ways to show our appreciation. Please continue to bless us so we can be a blessing to others.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand what You tell us this day. Please protect us from those who serve Satan and carry out his evil deeds. And Father, please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe in the days ahead. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In 1789, our first president, George Washington, presented this first national Thanksgiving proclamation:</div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote>"Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the Providence for Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful to His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; And whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me 'to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public Thanksgiving and Prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness!' Now therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday the twenty-sixth day of November next, to be devoted by the people of the States, to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be: That we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country..."</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div>George Washington and others of our Founding Fathers realized that the colonies could have never won their independence from English rule had it not been for the intervention of God. There is no way a hastily thrown together regular army and a bunch of farmers and store clerks formed into militias could ever defeat the mightiest military force on earth at the time. Yet they did, and the American people won the right to govern themselves. So Washington declared a day that year for all the people of this new nation to stop, unite, and render unto God their sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection.</div><div><br /></div><div>But if you read closely, you can see that the President had more than saying “thank You” in mind. He declared for that specific day to be devoted by the people to the service of God. “Now therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday the twenty-sixth day of November next, to be devoted by the people of the States, to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be.”</div><div><br /></div><div>Saying “thank You, God” is fine, and really, it’s the very least we can do. Showing our appreciation is much better. And what better way to show it than by serving God. This is what Washington must have had in mind. Sadly, we seem to have lost sight of this ideal.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>There are many ways to serve God. Jesus showed us how in His own life, and left us with the mission of spreading the Gospel message and making more disciples. He also told us that we can serve by feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, clothing the naked, visiting the institutionalized and imprisoned. But even long before this we are shown ways we can honor our heavenly Father and give Him our thanks.</div><div><br /></div><div>As we see in our scripture reading, the author of the Books of the Chronicles - most likely Ezra – tells us that we can thank God by simply calling on His name and singing to Him. What parent doesn’t enjoy it when their child sings to them?</div><div><br /></div><div>The author goes on to say we should tell everyone about all the good things God has done for us, all His wondrous works, and declare His glory among the nations and His wonders among all people. Give to God all the glory due His name, and worship Him, honor Him, rejoice in Him. None of that is all that hard to do, and any of it can be done on any given day, not just once a year.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>It’s really great when we can spend the day, or at least some part of the day, with family and good friends. It’s such a special time when we can sit down with them and enjoy a meal together, chatting over warm memories, sharing our love for one another. But Thanksgiving Day should be more than a turkey dinner and football games on TV.</div><div><br /></div><div>We should pause and take a quick inventory of our lives, looking at those times when God worked His wonders for us - as individuals, as a family, as a nation, as a people. We should stop long enough to recognize and acknowledge God’s divine intervention, not only in our greatest times of need, but also in our daily walks through this life. And family, we should do this every day, not just on the fourth Thursday in November.</div><div><br /></div><div>Giving thanks is easy. Hear the proclamation of King David from his 100th Psalm, his Psalm of Thanksgiving…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all the earth!</i></b></div><div><b><i>2 Serve the Lord with gladness;</i></b></div><div><b><i>Come before His presence with singing.</i></b></div><div><b><i>3 Know that the Lord, He is God;</i></b></div><div><b><i>It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;</i></b></div><div><b><i>We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,</i></b></div><div><b><i>And into His courts with praise.</i></b></div><div><b><i>Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.</i></b></div><div><b><i>5 For the Lord is good;</i></b></div><div><b><i>His mercy is everlasting,</i></b></div><div><b><i>And His truth endures to all generations.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Psalm 100 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div><div>Make a joyful shout to the Lord. Some versions say make a joyful noise, and in David’s days their “shouts” included musical instruments and clapping and dancing.</div><div><br /></div><div>And there’s that word “serve” again. Serve the Lord. And not just out of some sense of duty or responsibility, but with gladness. Serve the Lord because we want to, because we’re happy to serve Him. And family, when we serve God for the right reason, when we serve Him by helping others without any thought of reward or even recognition, when we bless others with our time and our resources, we find that we are blessed in returned. We are rewarded both in this life, by the simple joy it brings us, and in the next, where our true rewards are being stored up.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So let us enjoy this upcoming Thanksgiving Day. If you are so inclined, the local Salvation Army is seeking donations to help make this a good Thanksgiving Day for the less fortunate in our county. Or maybe you know someone who will be alone this coming Thursday, someone you could invite over to share a nice meal with you.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are so many ways we can show our appreciation to God for all He has done for us. Choose one, even if it’s just to make a joyful noise. But let’s not stop with just one day of thanks. Let’s make it a habit to give and show God our thanks. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who showed us how to thank our Father. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for Your hand at work in our lives. Thank You for Your help in our times of need. Thank You for the beauty of this garden You have given us to live in. Thank You for salvation through Your Son Jesus. And thank You for all the opportunities You give us to show our appreciation. Too often, though, Father, we don’t take the time to truly offer You our thanks in tangible ways. Worse yet, too many times we don’t even recognize when You have blessed us. Forgive us those times, please Father, when we just don’t see Your blessing. Forgive us when fail to share Your blessings with others. Please help us be more grateful. Help us make Your wondrous works known to all the people we meet. Help us not be embarrassed to make a joyful noise unto You as a sign of our thanks and our love. And please help us to not be afraid to share our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice. And Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith and tries to pull us away from You. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, You lived Your life on earth as a constant sign of gratitude to God. You thanked Him for everything, and You showed Your appreciation in Your service to mankind. Thank You, Lord, for the greatest service to us of the sacrifice You made on our behalf. Please help us, dear Lord -- help us be more like You in our daily interactions with others. Help us thank our Father God by serving others in their need. And especially please help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message with the lost, showing them Your love through our love.</div><div><br /></div><div>And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-73165371442707938982023-11-12T14:31:00.000-05:002023-11-12T14:31:28.039-05:00Love All People<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 12th of November, 2023, at Pilgrim Reformed Church. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Family, today we’ll delve a little deeper into the letter that the Apostle James wrote to the early church. Now we need to remember that James was a half-brother of Jesus, so he would have known our Lord well, having grown up together. And I mentioned earlier that James was mostly concerned with the practical aspects of Christian conduct and behavior. In this letter, he gives us good, solid, practical instructions on how our faith should guide our everyday lives.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the first chapter, he told us to resist the ways of the world, for the devil will try to destroy our faith. He also encouraged us to live out the word of the Gospel message in our daily lives. And he echoed the warning Jesus gave us that we would definitely experience trials, but by living the word, and not reacting as the world does, we can show others the power of faith.</div><div><br /></div><div>Today we’re going to listen as James gives us a little lecture on our showing favoritism when dealing with other folk. And again he will remind us of what Jesus - and our Father God - already told us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please listen and follow along to the first 13 verses of the 2nd chapter of the letter written by James to the early church, and I’ll be reading this from the Easy-to-Read Version of our Holy Bible (later on I’ll be reading from the New King James Version)…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 My dear brothers and sisters, you are believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. So don’t treat some people better than others. 2 Suppose someone comes into your meeting wearing very nice clothes and a gold ring. At the same time a poor person comes in wearing old, dirty clothes. 3 You show special attention to the person wearing nice clothes. You say, “Sit here in this good seat.” But you say to the poor person, “Stand there!” or “Sit on the floor by our feet!” 4 Doesn’t this show that you think some people are more important than others? You set yourselves up as judges — judges who make bad decisions.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters. God chose the poor people in the world to be rich in faith. He chose them to receive the kingdom God promised to those who love Him. 6 But you show no respect to those who are poor. And you know that the rich are the ones who always try to control your lives. And they are the ones who take you to court. 7 And the rich are the ones who insult the wonderful name of Christ, the name by which you are known.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>8 One law rules over all other laws. This royal law is found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor the same as you love yourself.” If you obey this law, you are doing right. 9 But if you are treating one person as more important than another, you are sinning. You are guilty of breaking God’s law.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>10 You might follow all of God’s law. But if you fail to obey only one command, you are guilty of breaking all the commands in that law. 11 God said, “Don’t commit adultery.” The same God also said, “Don’t kill.” So if you don’t commit adultery, but you kill someone, you are guilty of breaking all of God’s law.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>12 You will be judged by the law that makes people free. You should remember this in everything you say and do. 13 Yes, you must show mercy to others. If you do not show mercy, then God will not show mercy to you when He judges you. But the one who shows mercy can stand without fear before the Judge.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>James 2:1-13 (ERV)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, like any little children, sometimes we need to be scolded a bit when we do wrong. Our Lord’s apostle James just lectured us about how we are too often judgmental in our dealings with others. You told us not to judge, Jesus told us not to judge, yet we do just that far too frequently, discriminating against some while favoring others. Please forgive us these times, Father. Thank You for not showing favoritism on Your part, or we would all be doomed. And thank You for inspiring James to write this letter to instruct us in how we should act in our daily lives. Sadly, we don’t always spend as much time in our bibles as we should, gaining new insights and being reminded of things we’ve already been told. Please help us see the worth of Your word not only in our future life, but in this life as well. Please open our hearts and our minds to Your message.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand what You tell us this day. Please protect us from those who serve Satan and carry out his evil deeds. And Father, please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe in the days ahead. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>This is a little long, but very sweet, and I've actually shortened it just a bit. It comes from author Dave Simmons in his book, Dad, The Family Coach:</div><blockquote><div>Not long ago, I took my eight year old daughter Helen and five year old son Brandon to the local mall to do a little shopping. As we drove up, we spotted an eighteen-wheeler parked in the mall lot with a big sign on it that said, "Petting Zoo." The kids jumped up in a rush and asked, "Daddy, Daddy! Can we go? Please. Please! Can we go?"</div><div><br /></div><div>"Sure," I said, flipping them both a quarter before walking into Sears. They bolted away, and I felt free to take my time looking for a scroll saw. A petting zoo consists of a portable fence erected inside the mall with about six inches of sawdust and a hundred little furry baby animals of all kinds. Kids pay their money and stay in the enclosure enraptured with the squirmy little critters while their moms and dads shop.</div><div><br /></div><div>A few minutes later, I turned around and saw Helen walking along behind me. I was shocked to see she preferred the hardware department to the petting zoo. Recognizing my error, I bent down and asked her what was wrong.</div><div><br /></div><div>She looked up at me with those giant limpid brown eyes and said sadly, "Well, Daddy, it cost fifty cents. So, I gave Brandon my quarter." Then she said the most beautiful thing I ever heard. She repeated the family motto: "Love is Action!"</div><div><br /></div><div>She had given Brandon her quarter, and no one loves cuddly furry creatures more than Helen. She had watched my wife and I both do and say "Love is Action!" for years around the house and the ranch. She had heard and seen "Love is Action!," and now she had incorporated it into her little lifestyle. It had become part of her.</div><div><br /></div><div>What do you think I did? Well, not what you might think. As soon as I finished my errands, I took Helen to the petting zoo. We stood by the fence and watched Brandon go crazy petting and feeding the animals. Helen stood with her hands and chin resting on the fence and just watched Brandon. I had fifty cents burning a hole in my pocket; I never offered it to Helen, and she never asked for it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Because she knew the whole family motto. It's not "Love is Action." It's "Love is SACRIFICIAL Action!" Love always pays a price. Love always costs something. Love is expensive. When you love, benefits accrue to another's account. Love is for you, not for me. Love gives; it doesn't grab. Helen gave her quarter to Brandon and wanted to follow through with her lesson. She knew she had to taste the sacrifice. She wanted to experience that total family motto: Love is sacrificial action.</div></blockquote><div></div><div><br /></div><div>Let me repeat that: Love is sacrificial action. It has a cost. It gives, rather than takes. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice to show God’s love. He paid a tremendous price, just to give us atonement of our sins. Unconditional love, sacrificial action.</div><div><br /></div><div>In his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul pleads with us that we make of ourselves a living sacrifice to God in our service. We don’t have to give up our mortal life, as Jesus did. We just need to take action and give freely of ourselves, of our talents, of our resources, of our time.</div><div><br /></div><div>It’s not a sacrifice if it doesn’t cost something, if it doesn’t hurt a little. The rewards later will far outweigh any pain now.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>This morning’s section of James’ letter is all about love. OK, so he doesn’t really mention “love” until about two-thirds of the way through when he reminds us that we are to love our neighbor the same as we love ourselves. But the rest of it shouts “love”, too, for if we truly do love others in this way, we won’t discriminate against them, no more than we discriminate against ourselves.</div><div><br /></div><div>James quotes God’s commandment in this, but he also emphasizes what his brother commanded earlier. Hear the words Jesus spoke as recorded by the Apostle John in verses 34 and 35 of the 13th chapter of his Gospel account…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>34 <span style="color: red;">“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.</span> 35 <span style="color: red;">By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”</span></i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">John 13:34-35 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>This is a command from God and again from Jesus, to love one another. This is part of the God’s law. If we don’t obey this one part, we are guilty of breaking it all. And family, too many times we fail to obey this part.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Now if we just look casually at our scripture reading, we can see that James talks about loving others, but there is no mention of sacrifice to be found. Well, yes, in a way, there is. James is asking us to sacrifice - to give up - that part of human nature where we are prone to judge others.</div><div><br /></div><div>It just seems to be in our nature, our inner being, to judge people, whether individually or in groups. We stereotype, we discriminate, we treat some better than others. We judge them based on financial status, social standing, notoriety, where they’re from, what opinions they hold, what political party they associate with, how they talk, how they look, the color of their skin. And we do it without even thinking about it.</div><div><br /></div><div>So, again, James is simply reminding us of what God has already told us not to do. Don’t judge others. Someday, and maybe soon, we will be judged by God who will use the same measure against us that we used against those folks we were supposed to love. James warns us to remember this in everything that we say and do.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let’s turn to Jesus again, when He cautions us not to judge others during His Sermon on the Mount, as recorded by the Apostle Matthew in verses 1 and 2 of chapter 7 of his Gospel account…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 <span style="color: red;">“Judge not, that you be not judged.</span> 2 <span style="color: red;">For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”</span></i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Matthew 7:1-2 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div></div><div><div><div>Discriminating is judging. Showing favoritism is judging. Treating one person better than another, for any reason, is judging. Thinking some other person is more or less important than another is judging. I’m guilty of this, and I bet you are, too. It’s easy to do, and hard to stop ourselves. But that’s why James tells us to think about it, to remember this in everything we say and do.</div><div><br /></div><div>Rather than being judgmental, we should be just. Instead of showing partiality, we should show mercy. The prophet Micah expresses this quite clearly in chapter 6 verse 8 of the book bearing his name…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>8 He has shown you, O man, what is good;</i></b></div><div><b><i>And what does the Lord require of you</i></b></div><div><b><i>But to do justly,</i></b></div><div><b><i>To love mercy,</i></b></div><div><b><i>And to walk humbly with your God?</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Micah 6:8 (NKJV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div></div><div><div><div>To do justly and love mercy. This is what our Lords requires of us. Not showing favoritism, but instead showing mercy.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Loving others would be easy if we all looked the same and acted the same and thought the same way. But that’s not how God made us. We are each a beautiful creation, wondrously made, graciously loved by our Creator. And He commands us to love each other, just as we love ourselves.</div><div><br /></div><div>He loves us even when we sin against Him, and commands that we love others even when they sin against us. So let’s not just love other Christians, or only those who look like us or think like us or act like us or share common interests. Let’s love ALL people. And let’s love them all the same.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who showed us how to live and how to love. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for the apostolic letters in our bible, written by those who knew Your Son best, including His earthly brothers. Thank You for the instruction and guidance they provide, and for their words of encouragement that help us get through each day. Too often, Father, we fail to follow these instructions, we fail to heed their warnings. Too many times we judge other people, letting prejudice and hatred guide our actions and words, overshadowing any love we may have for them. Forgive us those times, please Father, when we disobey You in this way. Please help us be more loving, giving of ourselves, putting our love into sacrificial action. Help us love all people, not just those who love us or who might benefit us in some way. And please help us to not be afraid to share our Lord Jesus with others so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice. And Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith and tries to pull us away from You. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, You echoed our heavenly Father when You commanded us to love others and not to judge them. You even warned us that we would be judged in the same way and by the same measuring stick that we use to judge others. Thank You, Lord, for Your warning, but sadly we too often fail to heed it. Please help us, dear Lord -- help us be more obedient. And especially please help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message with the lost, showing them Your love through our love.</div><div><br /></div><div>And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from Satan’s lies and the world’s empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-37647153577934844192023-11-05T19:06:00.000-05:002023-11-05T19:06:05.813-05:00Live the Word<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 5th of November, 2023, at Pilgrim Reformed Church. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording of our service should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Two weeks ago, before our 5th Sunday sing-along, we began looking at the letter that the Apostle James, a brother of Jesus, wrote to the early church. At that time, I said that James was primarily concerned with the practical aspects of Christian conduct. In this letter he provides concrete, ethical instructions on how faith works in everyday life, with less focus on theology and more on practicality.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the opening, he told us to resist the ways of the world, resist feeling sorry for ourselves when troubles befall us, resist the lure and desire for financial wealth, and resist the devil, as he tempts us to do evil and tries to destroy our faith. Today we’re going to continue with James’ advice as he gives us good, solid guidance on living as our Lord would have us live. Please listen and follow along to verses 16 through 27 of the 1st chapter of the letter written by James to the early church, and I’ll be reading from the New English Translation of our Holy Bible this morning…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>16 Do not be led astray, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change. 18 By His sovereign plan He gave us birth through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all He created.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. 20 For human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. 21 So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. 23 For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone who gazes at his own face in a mirror. 24 For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets what sort of person he was. 25 But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out — he will be blessed in what he does. 26 If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their adversity and to keep oneself unstained by the world.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>James 1:16-27 (NET)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, we are blessed to have this letter from one of Your Son’s earthly brothers to study and learn from. It provide us with good, practical guidance on how we should act as followers of Christ Jesus, how we should live as He wants us to live. And it encourages us to remain steadfast in our service. Thank You, Father, for seeing to it that this letter would still be available to us today. Sadly, Father, we don’t always spend as much time in our bibles as we should, learning more about and gaining insight into Jesus from those who walked with Him and knew Him best. Too often the demands of life press in on us and consume all our waking hours. Please help us see the wealth of good information contained in Your word. Please open our hearts and our minds to Your message.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand what You tell us this day. Please protect us from those who serve Satan and carry out his evil deeds. And Father, please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe in the days ahead. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Here's an interesting little story that Clayton Bell wrote for a 1986 issue of Preaching magazine:</div><div><blockquote>A number of years ago Norman Cousins wrote an editorial in Saturday Review in which he reported a conversation he had on a trip in India. He was talking with a Hindu priest named Satis Prasad. The man said he wanted to come to our country to work as a missionary among the Americans. Cousins assumed that he meant that he wanted to convert Americans to the Hindu religion, but when asked, Satis Prasad said, "Oh no, I would like to convert them to the Christian religion. Christianity cannot survive in the abstract. It needs not membership, but believers. The people of your country may claim they believe in Christianity, but from what I read at this distance, Christianity is more a custom than anything else. I would ask that either you accept the teachings of Jesu in your everyday life and in your affairs as a nation, or stop invoking His name as sanction for everything you do. I want to help save Christianity for the Christian."</blockquote></div><div><br /></div><div>Let that sink in for a minute: “I want to help save Christianity for the Christian.” We don’t know exactly when this conversation took place, other than “a number of years” before 1986, nor could I determine if Mr. Prasad ever came to America. But his assessment of American Christianity in the ‘80s was spot on, I’d say. Unfortunately, the only thing that’s changed is that it might be in even worse shape now.</div><div><br /></div><div>There are a couple of solid points in this, but I think the most telling in our culture today is that Christianity is not a social club. We need believers, not members. It’s not a custom to be practiced, or even honored as such. It’s a way to live.</div><div><br /></div><div>You may have heard me say it before, but we must not let anything, not even religion, get in the way of our worshiping and serving our Lord Christ Jesus. If we continue to call ourselves Christians, we must fully accept and follow the teachings of Jesus in our everyday lives and affairs.</div><div><br /></div><div>And family, this is the sermon James is preaching. The message he speaks of, that was implanted in us, is the Gospel, the Good News of salvation through Jesus the Christ. This is the Word, the Truth. God gave us birth through this message of truth. It isn't enough to hear the word, to listen to the word - we must live the word!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So here is James, a brother of Jesus, telling us to live out the word, to live as Jesus lived. But what does Jesus Himself have to say? Hear the words of our Lord as recorded by the Apostle Matthew in verse 21 of the 7th chapter of his Gospel account…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><i><b>21 </b><span style="color: red;"><b>“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven — only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven.”</b></span></i></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Matthew 7:21 (NET)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>Calling Jesus “Lord” isn’t what secures our salvation. Simply recognizing Him as the Christ, the Son of God, doesn’t cut it – the devil and his demons know exactly who Jesus is. We must do the will of God.</div><div><br /></div><div>That’s an action word there: “do”. We must get up and get out and do the will of God. And how do we know the will of God? It’s contained within His word. We must put His word into practice.</div><div><br /></div><div>Again hear the words Jesus spoke, this time as recorded by the Apostle Luke in the 6th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 46 through 49…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>46 <span style="color: red;">“Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do what I tell you?</span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>47 <span style="color: red;">“Everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and puts them into practice — I will show you what he is like:</span> 48 <span style="color: red;">He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep, and laid the foundation on bedrock. When a flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built.</span> 49 <span style="color: red;">But the person who hears and does not put my words into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against that house, it collapsed immediately, and was utterly destroyed!”</span></i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Luke 6:46-49 (NET)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div></div><div><div><div>It can’t get any clearer than that. “Why do you call me “Lord” but then don’t do what I tell you to do?!?” If we truly accept Jesus as our Lord and Master, then we will obey His every word without question, without hesitation, without fail.</div><div><br /></div><div>Is what Jesus tells us to do all that difficult to carry out? Well, yes and no. What He tells us is clear: love one another. What He commands is simple: go and make disciples. He even tells us how to go about it, by telling others everything that He has told us, teaching them all He taught, sharing with them the love He shared with us.</div><div><br /></div><div>But for most of us, this is difficult. We’re shy when it comes to spreading the word. We’re timid, afraid of what others will think of us, worried about how they might react. As for loving one another, some people just aren’t all that loveable. So too often we fail to do what Jesus tells us to do. We may sing, “On Christ the solid rock I stand”, but family, I worry that too many “Christians” today are standing in quicksand.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Family, God’s message today is fairly simple. Don’t just listen to His word, don’t just read it – live it. This is what Jesus did. He did what His Father in heaven willed. He not only lived God’s word, He breathed life into it.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is the example He set for us to follow. As did our Lord, let us live the word. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who showed us how to live. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for the apostolic letters in our bible, written by those who knew Your Son best, including His earthly brothers. Thank You for the solid guidance they provide and for their words of encouragement that strengthen us in our day-to-day lives. Too often, Father, we are too timid to carry out the command Jesus gave us. Too many times we let prejudice and hatred overcome any love we may have for a person. Forgive us those times, please Father, when we falter and fail in our service. Please help us understand the importance of doing Your will, just as Jesus did. Help us live out Your word. And please help us to not be afraid to share our Lord Jesus with others, sharing Your love, so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice. And Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith and tries to pull us away from You. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, You warned us that we must put Your words into practice, to do what our heavenly Father wills us to do. When we do what You tell us, we build our future on the firmest foundation of all. Thank You, Lord, for showing us how we should live by how You lived. We pray, Lord, that we will not only spend more time in God’s word, but that You will help us live it out as we move forward in this life. Please, Jesus, help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing the Gospel message with the lost. Help us show them Your love by showing our love.</div><div><br /></div><div>And Jesus, please shield our minds and our hearts from the world’s lies and empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations. Please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-25956168123015122132023-10-30T08:11:00.000-04:002023-10-30T08:11:32.688-04:00Sing to God<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my devotional message delivered on Sunday morning, the 29th of October, 2023, at Pilgrim Reformed Church. This is a fifth Sunday service where we sang our favorite hymns. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Please listen and follow along to the instructions the Apostle Paul gave the Colossians, and us, as written in the 3rd chapter, verses 12 through 17, of his letter to that church family, and I’ll be reading from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>12 Since God chose you to be the holy people He loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>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.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>Colossians 3:12-17 (NLT)</i></span></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, sent by God to redeem us of our sin and offer salvation to the world through the shedding of His own blood. We carry His name into the world when we call ourselves “Christian”. If we truly are followers of Christ Jesus, we will honor that name.</div><div><br /></div><div>As God’s chosen, we should clothe ourselves in tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. This is what separates us from the world. Looking at all that is going on around the globe, we see very little mercy being extended, scant kindness, hardly any gentleness, and no humility or patience whatsoever.</div><div><br /></div><div>As representatives of our Lord Jesus, we must do better than this, just as Jesus Himself did better than the world. We should give one another a break, making allowances for each other’s faults, because we all have faults. We should forgive others, just as we have been forgiven. Let love be our impetus, our motivation, the deciding factor in anything and everything we do. And let the peace that only Jesus can give settle into our hearts and guide our lives.</div><div><br /></div><div>So right now this morning, let us sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. For God is good all the time. And all the time, God is good. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Father God, thank You for choosing us to follow Your Christ, Your Son Jesus. Thank You for sending us out as His representatives. Please help us be more merciful, kind, humble, gentle, and patient, so that we can show the world Your love. May we always sing Your praises, glorifying You in all we do. This we pray in the blessed name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-16443812245327478852023-10-22T11:38:00.000-04:002023-10-22T11:38:54.962-04:00Be Resistant<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 22nd of October, 2023, at Pilgrim Reformed Church. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Family, we have two more general apostolic letters to examine. Now, I’m not including all the letters Paul wrote, nor the letter to the Hebrews that may or may not have also been authored by Paul. We’ve looked at the two letters written by Peter and the three by John, and that leaves those by James and Jude in our New Testament.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now James and Jude were both half-brothers of Jesus – same mother, different Father – so they knew Him quite well, even as a child. James writes primarily about the practical aspects of Christian conduct. He provides concrete, ethical instructions on how faith works in everyday life, with less focus on theology and more on practicality. Jude was more concerned with defending the apostolic faith against false teachings that were springing up and beginning to spread through the early church.</div><div><br /></div><div>Since we can always use more help in how to act and cope in our day-to-day travels through this life, we’ll begin with James’ letter. Please listen and follow along to the first 15 verses of the 1st chapter of the letter written by James to the early church, and I’ll be reading from the Contemporary English Version of our Holy Bible this morning…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 From James, a servant of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>Greetings to the twelve tribes scattered all over the world.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>2 My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. 3 You know you learn to endure by having your faith tested. 4 But you must learn to endure everything, so you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>5 If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won't correct you for asking. 6 But when you ask for something, you must have faith and not doubt. Anyone who doubts is like an ocean wave tossed around in a storm. 7-8 If you are that kind of person, you can't make up your mind, and you surely can't be trusted. So don't expect the Lord to give you anything at all.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>9 Any of God's people who are poor should be glad He thinks so highly of them. 10 But any who are rich should be glad when God makes them humble. Rich people will disappear like wild flowers 11 scorched by the burning heat of the sun. The flowers lose their blossoms, and their beauty is destroyed. This is how the rich will disappear, as they go about their business.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>12 God will bless you, if you don't give up when your faith is being tested. He will reward you with a glorious life, just as He rewards everyone who loves Him.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>13 Don't blame God when you are tempted! God cannot be tempted by evil, and He doesn't use evil to tempt others. 14 We are tempted by our own desires that drag us off and trap us. 15 Our desires make us sin, and when sin is finished with us, it leaves us dead.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>James 1:1-15 (CEV)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, we are blessed to have these letters written by Your Son’s apostles to study and learn from. They provide us with tips and instructions on how we should live and act as followers of Christ Jesus. And they warn us of what to avoid. Thank You, Father, for making sure we would have these letters available even today. Sadly, though, Father, we don’t always spend as much time in our bibles as we should, reading these letters and all about Jesus. We get too caught up in the demands of the world on our lives. Please help us see the wealth of good information contained in the Apostolic letters. And please help us heed their warnings and instructions.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand the message You have for us this day. Please protect us from those who serve Satan and carry out his evil deeds. And Father, please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe in the days ahead. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>During a Monday night football game between the Chicago Bears and the New York Giants, one of the announcers observed that Walter Payton, the Bears' running back, had accumulated over nine miles in career rushing yardage. The other announcer remarked, "Yeah, and that's with somebody knocking him down every 4.6 yards!" Walter Payton, the most successful running back of his day, knew that everyone - even the very best among us – everyone gets knocked down from time to time. The key to success is to get up and run again just as hard.</div><div><br /></div><div>There’s an old saying that goes something like this: It's not how many times you get knocked down in life that matters. It's how many times you get back up again that makes all the difference in the end.</div><div><br /></div><div>None of us quit trying to ride a bicycle when we fell off the first time, did we? No, we got right back up and tried again. Eventually, after a few scrapes and scratches and bruises, we got the hang of it – not to say that we still didn’t fall once in a while. We kept trying until we succeeded riding a bike. We resisted the urge to quit because we knew the reward that awaited us – the freedom only a bike can bring. Sometimes we just have to be resistant in order to reach a goal, to reap a desired reward.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In our scripture reading this morning, James tells us to be resistant to the ways of the world. We should resist feeling sorry for ourselves when we are faced with trials. We must resist the devil's attempts to destroy our faith; resist the lure of wealth, for riches will disappear; resist temptations to do evil, for these do not come from God but from Satan.</div><div><br /></div><div>If we are resistant and don’t give up when our faith is being tested, God will bless us and reward us with a glorious life. And we know the most glorious life of all will begin after this one ends.</div><div><br /></div><div>Resist and endure. This is the message James brings: resist and endure. Jesus gave His twelve disciples a warning before sending them out to spread the Gospel message throughout the region. Hear the words Jesus spoke as recorded by the Apostle Matthew in verse 22 of the 10th chapter of his Gospel account…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>22 <span style="color: red;">“Everyone will hate you because of Me. But if you remain faithful until the end, you will be saved.”</span></i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Matthew 10:22 (CEV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>Resist and endure, remain faithful until the end. Since we have also been sent out by our Lord to share the Good News and make more disciples, we would do well to heed this warning too. Because of our belief in Jesus as the Truth, the Christ, the Son of God, and the only way to salvation, the world will hate us. It will try to keep us from carrying out our mission. We must be resistant to what the world says to us and about us, and keep on serving our Lord, being faithful and enduring to the very end. And the promised blessings will be ours.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The author of the letter to the Hebrews agrees with Jesus and His brother James. Listen to what he wrote to those early Jewish converts to the Christian faith, in the 10th chapter of his letter, verses 32 through 37…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>32 Don't forget all the hard times you went through when you first received the light. 33 Sometimes you were abused and mistreated in public, and at other times you shared in the sufferings of others. 34 You were kind to people in jail. And you gladly let your possessions be taken away, because you knew you had something better, something that would last forever.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>35 Keep on being brave! It will bring you great rewards. 36 Learn to be patient, so you will please God and be given what He has promised. 37 As the Scriptures say,</i></b> </div></div></blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>“God is coming soon!</i></b></div><div><b><i>It won't be very long."</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Hebrews 10:32-37 (CEV)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div></div><div><div><div>Resist, endure, and be brave. Our author speaks of the hard times we may have gone through, of abuse and mistreatment we may have suffered, because of our faith.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now all of this isn’t really a given, although Jesus assured us that in this life we will have trials. We’ve all suffered through trials of one sort or another, but they haven’t necessarily been a result of our faith and belief, of our work for Jesus. But there are people in this world – good Christian people – who are physically and emotionally suffering, even dying, because of their service to our Lord.</div><div><br /></div><div>And family, persecution of the church is not only occurring but growing here in the United States. We must resist the attempts to crush the church, and endure all that comes our way. We must keep on being brave and patient, and our reward will be great. For God is coming soon. Jesus is coming again soon. It won’t be very long. And God will be with us, and we will be with God.</div><div><br /></div><div>Resist, endure, and be brave. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who showed us how to live. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for the warnings in these letters in our bible of what is to come, of what we can expect to happen. But thank You most of all for the words of encouragement that strengthen our resolve to carry on. Too often, Father, we become weary from the beatings of this life. Too many times we are shown all the wonderful things the world has to offer if we would just let go of our silly beliefs and enjoy ourselves to the fullest. Forgive us those times, please Father, when our faith begins to weaken and we falter in our service. Please help us understand the warnings You’ve provided. Help us take strength from Your promises. Keep reminding us that our only hope is in You. And please help us to not be afraid to share our Lord Jesus with others, sharing Your love, so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and His sacrifice. And Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith and tries to pull us away from You. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, You warned us that we will suffer in this life. You warned us that the world will hate us, just as it hated You. But Lord, You also reminded us of the great reward that awaits us if we remain faithful to the end. Thank You, Lord, for paying for our salvation with Your own precious blood. We pray, O Lord, that we will resist the world and endure whatever befalls us as we move forward in this life. Please, Jesus, help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing Your story, the Gospel message, with the lost. Help us show them Your love, for this is the ultimate good. Shield our minds and our hearts from the world’s lies and empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations.</div><div><br /></div><div>And Jesus, please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Please heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div></div></div></div></div><div><br /></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32845483.post-48626355664249867292023-10-15T18:08:00.000-04:002023-10-15T18:08:07.458-04:00Imitate What Is Good<p> </p><p><span style="text-align: justify;">[</span>The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 15th of October, 2023, at Pilgrim Reformed Church. <span style="text-align: justify;">A recording should be available on our YouTube streaming channel: </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg" style="text-align: justify;">https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams</a><span style="text-align: justify;">.</span><span style="text-align: justify;">]</span></p><div><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><div>Family, today we’re going to look at the Apostle John’s 3rd and final letter. Now, the Apostolic letters were pretty much passed around from church to church in the Asia Minor region, especially those written by Paul, so that all believers might have the chance to read and learn from them. While John’s 1st letter appears to be written to the church at large, the 2nd and 3rd seem to be addressed more to either specific church families or to certain individuals.</div><div><br /></div><div>We mentioned last week that the 2nd letter was addressed to “the chosen lady”, which could have indeed been a specific woman, or a sister church to the one John was currently with in Ephesus. This 3rd letter, though, is definitely addressed to an individual, and one to whom John is expressing his concern about another specific individual and his actions within the church.</div><div><br /></div><div>The message John conveys is one we would do well to heed ourselves. So please listen and follow along to John’s 3rd letter to all who might read it, and I’ll be reading from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible this morning…</div></div><div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>1 This letter is from John, the elder.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>I am writing to Gaius, my dear friend, whom I love in the truth.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>2 Dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. 3 Some of the traveling teachers recently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living according to the truth. 4 I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>5 Dear friend, you are being faithful to God when you care for the traveling teachers who pass through, even though they are strangers to you. 6 They have told the church here of your loving friendship. Please continue providing for such teachers in a manner that pleases God. 7 For they are traveling for the Lord, and they accept nothing from people who are not believers. 8 So we ourselves should support them so that we can be their partners as they teach the truth.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>9 I wrote to the church about this, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the leader, refuses to have anything to do with us. 10 When I come, I will report some of the things he is doing and the evil accusations he is making against us. Not only does he refuse to welcome the traveling teachers, he also tells others not to help them. And when they do help, he puts them out of the church.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>11 Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>12 Everyone speaks highly of Demetrius, as does the truth itself. We ourselves can say the same for him, and you know we speak the truth.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>13 I have much more to say to you, but I don’t want to write it with pen and ink. 14 For I hope to see you soon, and then we will talk face to face.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>15 Peace be with you.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>Your friends here send you their greetings. Please give my personal greetings to each of our friends there.</i></b></div></div></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><i>--</i></span><i>3 John 1 (NLT)</i></div></div></blockquote></div><div><div><br /></div><div><div>Let us pray… Heavenly Father, You have blessed us so richly by making sure we would have the letters to read even today that were written by our Lord's Apostles. Their insights and instructions enrich our lives. Thank You, Father, for inspiring them. And thank You for ensuring their words would be accessable to us in our age. Sadly, though, Father, we don’t always spend as much time in Your word, reading these letters, as we should. We get too wrapped up in the day-to-day workings of our lives. Please help us see the wealth of good information contained in the Apostolic letters. And please help us heed their warnings and instructions.</div><div><br /></div><div>Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand the message You have for us this day. Please protect us from those who serve Satan and carry out his evil deeds. And Father, please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe in the days ahead. This we pray in the precious name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>John Wesley, the father of the Methodist Church, once challenged us Christians to, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all people you can, as long as ever you can.” That ought to be enough to keep us busy and out of trouble for a while.</div><div><br /></div><div>Back in the 1970's, the Association of Life Underwriters of Washington, D.C, conducted a little survey where it was shown that for every dollar reaching the needy, the sick, the underprivileged child, and the aged adult, the cost of channeling it through the church is just eight cents, while the cost of channeling it through voluntary charitable organizations or the federal government is 27 cents and $3, respectively.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let me repeat that... For every dollar intended for the needy, the church can deliver that dollar for the cost of only 8 cents, whereas it costs 27 cents to go through a voluntary charitable organization and $3 for the government to handle the task. Every one dollar that our government spends helping the poor, the sick, the underprivileged, the elderly, costs the American taxpayer three dollars!</div><div><br /></div><div>Now granted, those figures are 50 years old now, but I bet the ratios are pretty close to the same today. It looks to me like the church is the most efficient provider of services by far. So let's follow John Wesley's encouragement and do all the good we can as a church family, working for Jesus.</div><div><br /></div><div>One might ask how can the church do so much better at helping those in need, providing so much at so little a cost? I think we can look at the time when Jesus fed over 5,000 people with nothing more than two small fishes and five small loaves of bread. He did this miracle by putting it in God’s hands. When we trust in God, when we put a seemingly impossible task in His hands, He can make a little go a long way. When the church imitates Jesus in this manner, we can do a lot with a little.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>After an opening introduction similar to what we read in the 2nd letter, John gets right to the point. He is concerned about the treatment that some “traveling teachers” received in Gaius’ church. Some versions of our Bible call these folks “brothers” or “brethren”. In effect, they were disciples who went from church to church throughout the known world, sharing the Gospel message and teaching those church families more about Jesus. These were people much like Paul, who not only planted churches but also visited some that other missionaries had started, like the church in Rome.</div><div><br /></div><div>Well, some of these traveling teachers brought back a report of how that church was staying faithful and living according to the truth of the Gospel. And apparently they made sure to note that Gaius himself had been especially welcoming and supportive of them while there.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let me point out something here that comes up very briefly toward the end of the letter, where John mentions a man named Demetrius. Demetrius was very likely one of these traveling teachers, perhaps the one who brought the report back to John. John speaks highly of Demetrius, to let Gaius know how much his support was appreciated.</div><div><br /></div><div>In this letter, John encourages Gaius and his church to continue being hospitable to these teachers, even though they might be complete strangers, for they are traveling and teaching for the Lord Jesus. And for their efforts they receive only support from the churches that sent them and the churches that receive them, as Gaius did.</div><div><br /></div><div>But there was one man there in Gaius’ church who rejected the teachers and refused to have anything to do with them. Not only that, but he also told other believers not to help the teachers. And if they decided not to listen to him and helped the travelers anyway, he kicked them out of the church!</div><div><br /></div><div>Now John describes this Diotrephes as one who loves to be a leader. We might call him a self-styled leader, someone who wants to be in charge of things. John makes it clear that when he comes to visit, he will make everyone aware of what this man has been doing, including the evil accusations he has made against John and the brethren, all of which is in sharp contrast to the teachings and commands of Jesus. In this letter, John is exercising his apostolic authority and rebuking Diotrephes, and he has every intention of doing so in public when he comes to visit.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Then John offers his friend, and us, some very good advice. Don’t let this man’s bad behavior have any impact on how we live and act. Don’t let his bad example influence us. Follow only what is good. Imitate what is good, not what is evil.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now we today are in a great position to see what is good, for we have all the works and deeds of righteous men and women throughout the ages saved for us in our Bible. And in all of that, we can easily see that Jesus is the best example to follow, the best to imitate.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hear the words the Apostle Peter spoke to the household of the Roman centurion Cornelius as recorded by the Apostle Luke in chapter 10 verses 38 and 39 of his Book of the Acts of the Apostles…</div></div></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>38b "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.</i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><b><i>39a “And we apostles are witnesses of all He did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem."</i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">Acts 10:38b-39a (NLT)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div><div><div><div>Jesus went around doing good, everywhere He went. He healed all who were oppressed by the devil, those afflicted in body and in spirit. He taught the truth of God’s word. Then He gave His all, sacrificed Himself, just so we might be saved. And His Apostles witnessed it all.</div><div><br /></div><div>He could do all this because God was with Him. He put everything in God’s hands. That’s a great example to imitate – putting everything in God’s hands.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>In his three letters, John fully endorses doing good. He says that doing good shows we are children of God. In this final letter, he reminds us that “those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God”. We are to do good and not follow the example of Diotrephes, who has proven that he does not know God.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of course, we know that doing good brings many rewards, including personal satisfaction. In the 5th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 28 and 39, John recorded Jesus saying…</div></div><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div><b><i>28b <span style="color: red;">“The time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son,</span> 29 <span style="color: red;">and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment.”</span></i></b></div></div></blockquote><div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span><i>--</i></span><i style="text-align: left;">John 5:28b-29 (NLT)</i></div></div></blockquote><div><br /></div></div></div><div><div><div>In this life, we have choices. Jesus is telling us the results we can expect from one of those choices: to do good in this life or to do evil. The folks who have done good in their life will rise from the dead to everlasting life. Those who continued in evil will also rise from the dead, but to judgment.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now notice that Jesus didn’t say “those who have done evil”. It’s a pretty safe bet that we’ve all done something bad in our lives, something with evil intent. But we’ll only be judged for it if we keep on acting that way, if we continue doing bad things rather than repenting and trying to only do good. If we truly are children of God, brothers and sisters of Jesus, we will turn from any evilness and do only good. We will follow only what is good, just as Gaius did, with Jesus being our very best example.</div><div><br /></div><div>So let us imitate what is good. And God will be with us. In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Son of God, who showed us how to live. Amen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Let us pray… Almighty God, thank You for giving us so many examples of how to live in a manner that is pleasing to You. And thank You for all the warnings for us to avoid bad behavior. Too often, Father, we get confused as to what really is good and what is evil. Too many times we hear what we think is good being called evil, and what we think is evil being called good. Forgive us those times, please Father, when we begin to wonder what we should do. Please help us better understand Your word and how it applies to our life. Keep reminding us to spend more time with You and in Your word. And please help us to not be afraid to share our Lord Jesus with others, sharing Your love, so that they too may be saved by Your mercy and grace. And Father, please shield us from Satan as he attacks our faith and tries to pull us away from You. Help us be better servants, glorifying You in all we do so that the world can see You in us, through our deeds, in how we live. And help us remain strong, faithful, and true to You in all things, no matter what the world throws at us or holds out before us.</div><div><br /></div><div>Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…</div><div><br /></div><div>Lord Jesus, everything You did while in human form was done out of love. Even when You would rebuke the religious leaders, it was out of love – Your love of Your Father God, and Your love for us that we not be led astray by the false teachings of the Pharisees and scribes. Thank You, Lord, for Your words and deeds - for how You lived - this serves as the best example for us to follow. We pray, dear Lord, that we do only good moving forward in this life. Please, Jesus, help us reach out to the non-believing world, sharing Your story, the Gospel message, with the lost. Help us show them Your love, for this is the ultimate good. Shield our minds and our hearts from the world’s lies and empty promises. Guide us around all the devil’s traps and snares. Help us see though his temptations.</div><div><br /></div><div>And Jesus, please help us be faithful and true to You, putting all our trust in You, all our hope in You. Please heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another. Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer. This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior. Amen.</div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div>Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12617164850307378243noreply@blogger.com0