The Solemn Truth

[The following is a full manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 20th of May, 2018.  Look for the video of the service on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

I recently concluded a little series on how Jesus described Himself using “I am” statements He made and how those descriptions can be applied to us in our daily walk.  And then I summed it all up with a couple of “you are” statements Jesus made that tells us more of what He expects of us.

Now if we consider our Bible as God’s word – holy, inerrant, and true – then we should be able to believe what it tells us, and specifically what Jesus tells us.  So I am going to spend a few weeks looking at points Jesus made that were important enough to Him that He proclaimed them right up front to be solemn truths.

I normally prefer to use the New King James Version of our Bible, but for this series, the main scripture will come from the New English Translation, because in it Jesus clearly states these to be solemn truths that He shares with us.  So please listen and follow along as I read from the 1st chapter of the Apostle John’s Gospel account, verses 43 through 51…

43 On the next day Jesus wanted to set out for Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 (Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter.) 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the law, and the prophets also wrote about — Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael replied, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip replied, “Come and see.”

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him and exclaimed, “Look, a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael asked Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel!” 50 Jesus said to him, “Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 He continued, “I tell all of you the solemn truth — you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

--John 1:43-51 (NET)

Let us pray…  Father God, Your Son Jesus always spoke the truth.  We can believe in everything He said, in all that He told us, about Himself and about what we should be.  Help us recognize and understand the solemn truths He shared with us.  Speak to us now with the message we need to hear this morning.  Help us to be more like what Jesus wants us to be.  In the blessed name of Jesus we pray.   Amen.


Writing letters of recommendation can be hazardous--tell the truth and you might get sued if the contents are negative.  Robert Thornton, a professor at Lehigh University, has a collection of "virtually litigation-proof" phrases called the Lexicon of Intentionally Ambiguous Recommendations, or L.I.A.R.

Here are some examples:

- To describe an inept person: "I enthusiastically recommend this candidate with no qualifications whatsoever."
- To describe an ex-employee who had problems getting along with fellow workers: "I am pleased to say that this candidate is a former colleague of mine."
- To describe an unproductive candidate: "I can assure you that no person would be better for the job."
- To describe an applicant not worth consideration: "I would urge you to waste no time in making this candidate an offer of employment."


What’s the old expression – the devil’s in the details?  In this case, the real meaning is a bit hidden.  To describe someone by saying that “no person would be better for the job”, could be taken to mean that the applicant is the ideal candidate for the job.  Or, as is more likely in this context, it could mean that it would be better to hire no one, no person at all, rather than have this applicant fill the position.  An intentionally ambiguous recommendation such as this would be deceitful and untruthful, wouldn’t it?  It would not be relaying the whole truth.

One of my brother pastors shared some updated statistics recently that deal primarily with ministers and some of the struggles they face.  One of those statistics held that an average American will tell 23 lies a day.  23 times a day, the average person tells an untruth.  How average are we?


One thing we can be sure of is that Jesus always told the truth.  We can be sure of that because everything He ever said, everything God ever said, everything our Bibles says has come to pass or been proven true time after time, every time.

In our scripture reading, Jesus says, “I tell all of you the solemn truth”.  The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.  Even those people who intended Him harm recognized that Jesus spoke only the truth.  One time the Pharisees sent their underlings to Him, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth”.  And indeed, Jesus tried His best to get them, and us, to fully see and understand the truth – the truth about God, the truth about salvation, the truth about Himself.  He knew how important it is for us to grasp the truth.  Further on in John’s Gospel account, we read in chapter 8, verses 31 and 32…

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

--John 8:31-32 (NKJV)

And the first part of that solemn truth that sets us free may seem a little difficult to understand.  Jesus told Nathanael, “You will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man”.  First we need to remember that Jesus referred to Himself as the “Son of Man”.  So He is saying that God’s angel ascend and descend to and from heaven on Him.  This gives us the image of Jesus as a stairway, a stairway to heaven.

This emphasizes one of the “I am” statements we looked at recently, where Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  The truth is, the only way to heaven is Jesus, by His blood sacrifice, through our belief in Him and accepting Him as Lord.  Understanding this indeed sets us free.


Now if we accept that Jesus always told the truth, in all He said, what do you think He would expect of us?  Do you suppose that 23 lies a day, on average, would be acceptable to Him?  King David tells us what our Lord expects of those who would live with Him in heaven, in verses 1 and 2 of Psalm 15…

1 Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

2 He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart.

--Psalm 15:1-2 (NKJV)

If we want to take advantage of the way to heaven, through Jesus, we must walk uprightly, work righteousness, and speak the truth, not only with our mouths but also in our hearts!  Sometimes it’s easier to give someone lip service than to actually speak the truth that is in our heart.  But then we’re not telling the whole truth, nothing but the truth.  And if it’s not the whole truth, then it’s a lie.


Jesus tried to get across to us just how important the truth really is, to Him and to God as well as to us.  In chapter 4 of John’s Gospel account, verses 23 and 24, Jesus says…

23 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

--John 4:23-24 (NKJV)

Our spirit is that which gives our flesh life.  It is strengthened by God’s Holy Spirit to help us through this life on earth.  It is the very core of our living being.  It is from that very center that we must worship our Father God, with everything that makes us alive.

And we must worship in truth, in the truth that we are, our being, our essence.  We can’t just say the words and hope to fool God.  He sees straight through to our core.  He knows if we are truthful – in our thoughts, in our words, in our worship, in our lives.


Jesus spoke the truth.  He expects no less of us.  If we are His disciples we will abide in His word, we will live His truth, we will worship in truth.  I tell you all the solemn truth.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You are righteous and holy, and want us to be righteous and holy too.  You are truthful, and expect us to be truthful, not only in our words but in our thoughts, in our feelings, in our hearts.  You gave us Your own Son Jesus as our way into heaven by His cleansing blood.  Forgive us, please Father, when we fail to honor You by not being fully truthful.  Please help us to understand all of Your truths.  And help us to share Your truth with others who desperately need to see it.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, thanking You for Your many blessings, promising to turn from our sin, and asking for Your help as we do so…

Lord Jesus, You always told the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth.  We have, saved for us in our Bible, a number of times when You told us that there is only one way to eternal life in heaven, and that one way is only through You.  You knew how extremely important it is for us to understand this, so You repeated it more than once and in many different ways.  Help us, please Lord, to fully grasp this truth.  And please help us to share this truth with others, that they too might understand and be saved.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith.  Amen.

Behold Your Mother

[The following is a full manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, Mother's Day, the 13th of May, 2018.  Look for the video of the service on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

I mentioned to the kids that there was a time, very early in Jesus’ ministry, when He came really close to sassing His mother, Mary.  He was actually a little disrespectful of her.  Basically, He let her know that what concerned her was of little interest to Him.

Please listen and follow along as I read a short passage from the 2nd chapter the Apostle John’s Gospel account, verses 1 through 5, from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

4 Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”

5 His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

--John 2:1-5 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, Your Son Jesus was probably a little preoccupied as He was just beginning His ministry here on earth when His mother asked Him to do something to help the wedding feast host.  He was a little short with her, and questioned why her concerns should bother Him.  But in the end, He did what needed to be done, and what fit in with Your great plan for mankind’s salvation.  Help us do what needs to be done as we try to fill our role in Your plan.  Speak to us now with the message You need us to hear and understand this morning.  Help us better serve You and continue Your Son’s mission on earth.  In the blessed name of Jesus we pray.   Amen.


Here are a few things I doubt you’ll ever hear a Mom say…
- “How on earth can you see the TV sitting so far back?”
- “Let me smell that shirt — Yeah, it’s good for another week.”
- “Go ahead and keep that stray dog, honey. I’ll be glad to feed and walk him every day.”
- “Well, if Timmy’s mom says it’s OK, that’s good enough for me.”
- “The curfew is just a general time to shoot for.  It’s not like I’m running a prison around here.”
- “I don’t have a tissue with me... just use your sleeve.”
- “Don’t bother wearing a jacket — the wind-chill is bound to improve.”
- “Just leave all the lights on... it makes the house look more cheery.”


Can you relate to those?  How many of you mothers have ever said any of those, and meant them?  I’m willing to bet it was just the opposite - that’s what I pretty much heard all the time.  Jesus’ mother, Mary, might have added one to the list:  “Don’t worry about something I’m concerned with.  You just go ahead and do your own thing.”

The trouble is, when we did or do anything on that list or that runs contrary to what our mother’s wanted us or told us to do, then we were not respecting them or their wishes.  We were not honoring them.  There’s a commandment from God concerning this, generally considered the Fifth Commandment by the Reformed Church.  Here is how Moses explained it, in his Book of Deuteronomy, chapter 5, verse 16…

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

--Deuteronomy 5:16 (NKJV)

On Mother’s Day each year we try to honor our mothers, but what about the other 364 days?  If we stop and think about it, we can come up with a whole bunch of reasons why we should pay respect to our mothers, can’t we.  Here’s just a few reasons wise King Solomon gave us, in his Book of Proverbs, chapter 31, verses 26 through 28…

26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
27 She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her.

--Proverbs 31:26-28 (NKJV)

Husbands: do we offer praises to our wives, the mothers of our children?  Children: do we rise each morning and call our mothers blessed?  Do we truly understand just how much God blessed us by giving us the institution of motherhood?

Because of our sin, because of the fall of man, women are promised that childbirth will be a painful experience.  Our mothers knew this going in, yet they chose to endure any pain and hardship so that we could be brought into this world.  And once given birth, we are offered eternal life with God in heaven.  Our mothers sacrificed to give us life.  Jesus sacrificed to give us eternal life.


We started out this morning by looking at a time early in Jesus’ ministry when He could have shown His mother a little more respect up front.  Of course, we know that Jesus did follow through on Mary’s concern, and the servants did as she told them and carried out Jesus’ orders so that the wedding feast could go on.

Now fast-forward to the end of His ministry, as He hung on the cross, where He showed just how much He loved her, how He honored her with nearly His last breath.  Listen to what John recorded for us, in the 19th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 25 through 27…

25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” 27 Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

--John 19:25-27 (NKJV)

“Behold your mother.”

We don’t know what happened to Joseph, Jesus’ earthly “Dad”, but we do know he is no longer in the picture.  So His mother Mary is about to be left alone.  In those days, a woman without a husband or child to help see to their needs would be in dire trouble.

Jesus looked down from the cross, spotted His mother’s tear-streaked face, and honored her by making sure her needs would be met for the rest of her life.  He turned to the disciple He loved and told him he was to treat Mary as if she were his own mother, and told Mary that John was now going to be a son to her.

Now John could easily have ignored this little scenario, knowing Jesus was about to die and would never know if His request was actually honored or not, had Jesus been a normal human.  But John did indeed honor Jesus’ command, and took Mary into his home and treated her as if she were his own mother, from that day forward.

This act stands as an example for all of us who call Jesus our Lord.  It’s kind of an extension of the Golden Rule.  We should treat all mothers in the same way we would treat our own.  And not just on Mother’s Day but on every day.

Our congregational reading this morning spoke of the pain and horror of war.  In it we admitted our feelings of helplessness and prayed that God teach us the ways of peace.  You may wonder why I chose that particular reading for Mother’s Day.  I did so because mothers very often suffer the most from the effects of wars.  They watch their husbands and sons go marching off, knowing they may only return in a flag-draped casket.  Mothers who serve are themselves separated from their families, from their children, as they don their uniforms and take up arms.

War is devastating, and especially for mothers.  So it is right that, on this day honoring mothers, we should pray to God for His help in making and keeping peace.  Pray that He will help us abandon foolish pride and hungers for power, so that war will leave the face of the earth.  And we need to extend that prayer for peace to cover not only wars, but all other senseless acts of violence throughout this world.  So many news reports of killings include scenes of brokenhearted mothers wailing in grief over a slain child.

Let’s honor our mothers and pray for peace.  Let’s treat all mothers as if they were our own.

Behold your mother.  In the beautiful name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, everything You have done throughout the history of Your creation was for our benefit, for the benefit of mankind.  You gave us mothers, to bring us into this world and care for us and teach us how to survive on our own.  You gave us Your own Son Jesus, to offer us salvation and life eternal through His cleansing blood.  Forgive us, please Father, when we fail to appreciate Your gifts, when we disobey Your command to honor our mothers, when we don’t fully respect their sacrifice.  Please help us to not only honor our own mothers, but all mothers in this world.  Help us to see to the needs of all mothers, even those who have no children of their own but who still provide motherly care and help to others.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, thanking You for Your many blessings, promising to turn from our sin, and asking for Your help as we do so…

Lord Jesus, even though You seemed a little hesitant to help in an area Your mother saw as important, and maybe even a bit disrespectful at first, You did finally honor her by doing as she requested and helping out the wedding feast host.  And then, Jesus, as Your earthly life neared its end, You saw that the remainder of her days would be attended to by one of Your followers, the disciple You loved, so that she would not want for any need.  Help us, please Lord, to act in the best interest of others, especially mothers everywhere.  Help us see to their needs that they might be honored.  And in this way may we glorify You and our Father God.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith.  Amen.

Jesus Said We Are

[The following is a full manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 6th of May, 2018.  Look for the video of the service on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Last week we finished up our series based on some of the “I am” statements Jesus made during His ministry.  And I actually used a “you are” statement from scripture to do so, where Jesus told Peter he was the rock upon which the church of our Lord would be established.  We need to be firm, unshakeable, and steady, like a rock as we add to the foundation Peter began.

Today I want to look at a few more points Jesus made about what we should be.  Please listen and follow along as I read from chapter 5 of the Gospel account of the Apostle Matthew, verses 13 through 16, from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

--Matthew 5:13-16 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You glorified Your Son by raising Him from the dead after He had spent His time on earth glorifying You.  And while He walked this path, Jesus told us that everything we think, do, and say should also be to Your glory.  Show us how best to glorify You, please Father.  Speak to us now with the message You need us to hear and understand this morning.  Help us better serve You and continue Your Son’s mission on earth.  In the blessed name of Jesus we pray.   Amen.


Several centuries ago in a mountain village in Europe, a wealthy nobleman wondered what legacy he should leave to his townspeople.  He made a good decision. He decided to build them a church.  No one was permitted to see the plans or the inside of the church until it was finished.  At its grand opening, the people gathered and marveled at the beauty of the new church.

Everything had been thought of and included.  It was a masterpiece.   But then someone said, "Wait a minute!  Where are the lamps?  It is really quite dark in here.  How will the church be lighted?"

The nobleman pointed to some brackets in the walls, and then he gave each family a lamp, which they were to bring with them each time they came to worship.  "Each time you are here'" the nobleman said, "the place where you are seated will be lighted.  Each time you are not here, that place will be dark.  This is to remind you that whenever you fail to come to church, some part of God's house will be dark."


Isn’t that a lovely way of telling us why we should come to church and worship together?  This little story also paints a clear picture of what goes on in the daily life of a Christian.

We have been given the lamp that sheds the light of our Lord.  When we carry it with us, the corner of the world where we are is brightened by the light of Jesus.  When we leave it at home, or here in the church building, the part of the world where we go is left in darkness.

It is up to us to carry that lamp.  It is up to us to spread the light into the world.  It is up to us to dispel the darkness and let the light of Jesus shine.


Our scripture reading this morning comes from what we call Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, where He pretty much tells us what it means to be a Christian.  Jesus said we are the salt of the earth.  Salt adds flavor, doesn’t it, makes things taste better.  Someone who is the salt of the earth is a good person that makes the world a little bit better.

Jesus said we are that person and also that we are the light of the world.  The Apostle John tells us that in Jesus was life, and the life was the light of men.  The life of Jesus lives in us, through the indwelling Holy Spirit of God, and that makes us the light of men!  What an awesome responsibility!

We are that city built upon a hill that can be seen from any side, from any angle.  We are visible to the entire world, so that they might see the life of Jesus, the light that is Jesus, within us.

Why is it important to be light?  Hear what Jesus instructs us to do, a little further on in Matthew’s account, in chapter 10, verses 27 through 31…

27 “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” 

--Matthew 10:27-31 (NKJV)

Jesus said we are of such value to our Father God that He knows even how many hairs are on our head.  Granted, for some, that’s not too big a number.  But there’s two things I don’t want you to miss.

First, we are to “preach from the housetops” what we have heard and read and been told about Jesus.  Now preaching doesn’t necessarily mean standing in the pulpit on Sunday morning delivering a sermon.  It simply means telling others about Jesus.

And the second point is that we should not be afraid to do so.  We should not fear preaching the Gospel.  Sure, the world hates Jesus and the Good News He brings, so much so that it kills many who try to do what Jesus commands us.  But all the world can do is take our mortal life – our eternal life, our soul, is safely in God’s hands and cannot be killed.


What we have looked at so far was told us by Jesus while He walked the earth during His short ministry.  But He also instructed us on what we should be, what we should do, how we should act, after He rose from the grave but had not yet ascended into heaven.  Hear His words as recorded by the Apostle Luke, in the 24th chapter of his Gospel account, verse 44 through the first part of verse 49…

44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you..." 

--Luke 24:44-49a (NKJV)

Jesus said we are witnesses of all the things He spoke to us, all that was fulfilled through Him, His life, His ministry, His death.  And what is a witness expected to do, but to testify.  Jesus didn’t say we are to be a witness – we are a witness.  Now it is our job to testify to the truth of what we have been told.  Because Jesus sent the Promise of His Father God upon us.  That Promise is God’s Holy Spirit, living within us, guiding us, speaking for us when we can’t seem to find the words, showing us we don’t need to be afraid.


Our responsive reading this morning contains the scripture that clicked on the little lightbulb over my head back around 2007.  Let me read to you from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, chapter 10, verses 13 through 15…

13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

--Romans 10:13-15 (NKJV)

You see, I had been teetering back and forth about whether to fully commit to the ministry of our Lord.  I struggled with doubts about how could I, of all people, even think about becoming a preacher, a minister, responsible for a flock of my Lord’s sheep.

One day while thumbing through an old book in our church library, written specifically for those in the ministry, I happened upon that scripture.  I wasn’t really reading the book, just flipping through it, stopping to read a phrase here and there to get the gist of it.  But that passage stopped me cold and I had to keep reading.  God spoke to me right there.

Anyone who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved.  But how can they call on Him if they don’t believe in Him?  How can they believe in Him if they’ve never even heard of Him?  How can they hear about Him if no one tells them?  How can someone preach this Good News to them unless they are sent?  That very moment, my mind and my heart were settled, and you see the result today.

But it doesn’t stop here.  Family, God, through His Son Jesus, has sent us out into the world to shine the beacon of hope, to spread the Good News of salvation, to preach the Gospel so that all might hear, and in hearing, might believe, and in believing, be saved.

Jesus said we are His rock, each of us a foundation stone in His church.  We are the salt of the earth, an agent that adds flavor to the world.  We are the light of the world, a city on a hill that cannot be hidden, shining the light of Jesus for all to see so they can find their way to salvation.  And we know we are all this because Jesus said we are!

We must not let Him down.  His church depends on us.  The world depends on us.  Let’s be all that Jesus said we are, to the glory of God our Father.  In the beautiful name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You have a role for each of us to fill in Your great plan of salvation.  We have been saved through the blood sacrifice of Your Son Jesus.  Now it is our turn to help others be saved.  Forgive us, please Father, when we hesitate to do Your will.  Forgive us when we are too timid to share Your word.  Please help us be better servants.  Help us glorify You.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, thanking You for Your many blessings, promising to turn from our sin, and asking for Your help as we do so…

Lord Jesus, You ask so little of us in return for Your great sacrifice on our behalf.  Help us, please Lord, to be Your witness, to testify to the truth, to spread the Good News of salvation You bought and paid for us.  Help us be Your church, a church on the move, a church with a mission, a church with a purpose.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith.  Amen.

Jesus Paid For Us

[The following is a manuscript of my brief devotional delivered on Sunday morning, the 29th of April, 2018.  This Sunday we welcomed "Paid For Gospel", who shared with us their ministry of beautiful music.  Look for the video on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Before we bring “Paid For Gospel” back up, I’d like to share with you a brief passage from the 1st letter that the Apostle Peter wrote to the early church as it began spreading throughout the land.

You may recall from last week’s announcements when I mentioned that “Paid For Gospel” would be with us this morning, I said how their group name brings to mind the price Jesus paid for us.  Listen and follow along to what Peter tells us in the 1st chapter of that 1st letter, verses 13 through 21, reading from the Living Bible…

13 So now you can look forward soberly and intelligently to more of God’s kindness to you when Jesus Christ returns.

14 Obey God because you are His children; don’t slip back into your old ways — doing evil because you knew no better. 15 But be holy now in everything you do, just as the Lord is holy, who invited you to be His child. 16 He Himself has said, “You must be holy, for I am holy.”

17 And remember that your heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites when He judges. He will judge you with perfect justice for everything you do; so act in reverent fear of Him from now on until you get to heaven. 18 God paid a ransom to save you from the impossible road to heaven which your fathers tried to take, and the ransom He paid was not mere gold or silver as you very well know. 19 But He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. 20 God chose Him for this purpose long before the world began, but only recently was He brought into public view, in these last days, as a blessing to you.

21 Because of this, your trust can be in God who raised Christ from the dead and gave Him great glory. Now your faith and hope can rest in Him alone.

--1 Peter 1:13-21 (TLB)

God paid a ransom for us, and that payment was not made with gold or silver or anything else that can tarnish and fade and become worthless over time.  No, He paid with the precious lifeblood of His only Son, His Christ for mankind, the spotless Lamb of God.

He had to pay that ransom for us, for there is no other way we can be saved.  Redemption is impossible by any other means.  God knew this would be necessary before He even brought the world into existence.  He knew He would have to sacrifice His own Son.  But God didn’t leave Jesus to rot in the grave.  He raised Him from the dead, and they can both be glorified.


The cost of admittance to heaven is steep.  There’s no way we can afford to pay.  But that’s OK, because Jesus paid it for us.  Jesus paid for our salvation.  He paid for us, He bought us with His own blood.  And now we are His!  Let’s start acting like it!

Love sacrificially, unconditionally.  Share your own story, be a witness, and help make disciples for Jesus.  Share the Gospel, the Good News of salvation through Jesus with all the world!  All in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

Jesus, Our Head

[The following is a full manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 22nd of April, 2018.  Look for the video of the service on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Today I’d like to wrap up our series based on some of the “I am” statements Jesus made during His ministry.  This time, though, it’s going to be more of a “you are” statement.  Now that we have a little clearer understanding of how Jesus described Himself, and how that applies to us in our daily walk, I think we need to examine how He pictured us, His church.  In other words, let’s look at what Jesus expects of us, those who go by His name.  And what better way to do that than to go right to the very start of His church.

So please listen and follow along as I read from chapter 16 of the Gospel account of the Apostle Matthew, verses 13 through 19, from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

--Matthew 16:13-19 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You revealed to Simon Peter just who Jesus truly is: the Christ, the Son of the living God.  We have the advantage of those words saved by the Apostles, those words You gave them to write.  We too know Jesus to be Your Son, who You gave as a blood sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins.  Thank You for loving us this much.

Enrich us now, Father, with the message You wish us to hear this morning.  Show us, please, how better to serve You and accomplish our role in Your great plan for mankind’s salvation.  In the blessed name of Jesus we pray.   Amen.


A young man was eager to grow in His Christian life. He got a piece of paper and made a list of all the things he would do for God. He wrote down the things he would give up, the places he would go to minister and the areas of ministry he would enter. He was excited. He took his list to church and placed it on the altar.

He thought he would feel joy, but instead he felt empty. So he went home and started adding to his list. He wrote down more things he would do and wouldn’t do. He took the longer list and again put it on the altar… but still he felt nothing.

He went to a wise, old pastor, told him the situation and asked for help. The pastor said, “Take a blank sheet of paper. Sign your name at the bottom. Put that on the altar.” The young man did, and then peace came to his heart.


I’ve heard it said that a great way to be successful is to look for those places where God is working, and go there and join in.  This young man truly wanted to serve God and Jesus, so he made up a list of all the things he would do.  He laid that list at the cross of Jesus, so that his Lord might see it and be pleased.  But he still felt empty, like something was missing, so he gave it more thought added to his list.  Still he felt only emptiness, where he had expected joy.

The problem is, the young man was trying to tell God what needed to be done, rather than waiting for God to tell him what to do.  Like the wise old pastor showed this young man, to truly acknowledge Jesus as our Head, to follow His example, to fully serve Him, we must be willing to sign and hand over a blank check of our lives.  In the memo line we should write: “Jesus, we are Yours – do with us as You will.”


Yesterday at our NC Regional EA Convocation, the theme was that we must be about our Father God’s business.  During His time on earth, that was exactly what Jesus did: He saw to His Father’s business.  Everywhere He went He helped people, healing them, curing them, changing their very spirits, and He preached the Good News of reconciliation to God and salvation through our faith and belief in Him as Lord.

Everything He did and said, the example He set, His self-descriptions in the “I am” statements, all show us how to make disciples because that is how He made disciples!  Let’s look for a moment at how He called the first five men He chose to be His followers.  Listen to the words recorded by Matthew in chapter 4 of his Gospel account, verses 18 through 22 and chapter 9 verse 9…

4:18 And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19 Then He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

21 Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, 22 and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him.

9:9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So he arose and followed Him.

--Matthew 4:18-22, 9:9 (NKJV)

Jesus said, “Follow Me”, and these men dropped everything they were doing, left behind everything they’d ever known, and followed Jesus in His walk and in His ministry.

Now granted, most of us don’t have the persona, the charisma of God.  If I’d go up to someone and simply say, “Follow me”, they’d likely respond with, “Why? Where are we going?”, or “What’s in it for me?”  Of course, I don’t want them to follow me, I want them to follow Jesus.  But even that would be a challenge, if they didn’t already believe.


According to Matthew’s account, Simon was the first disciple called, along with his brother Andrew, and followed by James, John, and Matthew himself.  But it was Simon whom Jesus chose to be the rock on which He would build His church.  This is the same emotional, fiery, stubborn, often conflicted disciple that walked on water, even if only for a moment, that tried to tell Jesus what to do and not do, who cut off the ear of a Temple servant.  The same Peter that denied even knowing Jesus on the night of His arrest.

Had it been our choice, would we have tapped Simon Peter to be the foundation for what is the most important body in the history of mankind!?  Probably not, but Jesus knew what He was doing.  This shows that the choice is not up to us, but to God.  All we can do, all we need to do, is lead people to Him and let God do the rest.

So the church of our Lord Jesus was founded upon Peter’s back and look at how it grew, at what it is today.  Are we still the church Peter founded, are we the church Jesus wants us to be?

We must be a church with a mission, with the mission, the great commission Jesus assigned us.  Matthew recorded that assignment like this, in the 28th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 18 through 20…

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

--Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV)

“Go and make disciples.”  Jesus didn’t sit in the synagogue in the middle of Capernaum and wait for Peter, Andrew, James, and John to come to Him.  He went to them.  And He tells us to go, to go into the greater community and make disciples for Him.

And the nice thing is, He shows us how to do it!  Each of the “I am” statements we’ve covered the last few weeks show us how to approach other people, how to reach out to them, how to reach them with the Good News of salvation.  Jesus said,  “I am the bread of life”, our key that we should help provide for the needs of others, just as He did, and while we help provide for their physical needs, we have the chance to also provide for their spiritual needs, showing them Jesus in our acts.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world”, telling us that we need to shine His light so others can see the path He laid, the path to salvation.  Jesus said, “I am the door”, the access to God and to heaven - we need to show others that they can have the same free access we have.

Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”  We don’t have to give up our lives, but we can make of ourselves a living sacrifice, giving of our resources, our time, our hearts, in service to Jesus and to those we would disciple for Him.  Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life.”  We can help others to new life, to new birth in Jesus.  The more we do for them, the more they see Jesus at work.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  Too many people can’t accept or believe this.  But actions speak louder than words.  Jesus showed the truth of His words by His love and so can we, by loving unconditionally, sacrificially.

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.”  By our belief we are members of the church Jesus founded on Peter.  We are members of the great family of God.  We now live in Jesus’ love.  We must help others find that same sense of belonging, the same love we enjoy.

By showing the love of Jesus, through our every act, thought, and word, we can help make disciples for our Lord, our Christ.  Jesus is our Head - we need to let Him lead us.  Let’s follow His example.

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


Let us pray…  Father God, You have put us in the exact location and time we need to be in order to carry out our part of Your great plan for the salvation of mankind and all of Your creation.  Forgive us, please Father, when we hesitate to do our work.  Forgive us when we are timid, when we feel inadequate, even when we just refuse.  Please help us more closely follow the example Your Son set.  Help us better serve You.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, thanking You for Your many blessings, promising to turn from our sin, and asking for Your help as we do so…

Lord Jesus, You showed us how to make disciples, and then You assigned us the responsibility of doing just that.  Help us, please Lord, to accept and follow Your lead.  You made us Your church.  Now help us be Your church.  Help us be a church on the move, a church with a mission, a church with a purpose.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith.  Amen.

Jesus, the True Vine

[The following is a full manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 15th of April, 2018.  Look for the video of the service on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Our little series on some of the “I am” statements Jesus made was interrupted for just a bit as we celebrated Holy Week and the resurrection of our Lord.  Today I’d like to return to that series and we’ll wrap it all up next week.

Just to refresh our memory, we’re looking at how Jesus described Himself by starting out with the words “I am”.  As professed followers of Jesus, we should want to be more like Him and one way to do so is by following the example He set.  We can try to be more like Him by knowing how He thought of Himself.

So with that in mind, please listen and follow along as I read from chapter 15 of the Gospel account of the Apostle John, verses 1 through 10, from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

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

--John 15:1-10 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You watch over the vine that is rooted in Jesus.  You tend it and prune its branches so that it can be ever more fruitful.  Thank You, Father, for allowing us to abide in You, to live within Your love, as Jesus did.  Please help us better understand just what that means.  Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice and better know Your will.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray.   Amen.


In Disney's animated movie "Toy Story", the toy cowboy Woody confronts the toy astronaut Buzz Lightyear with reality.  Early in the movie Woody shouts, "You're not a space ranger! You're an action figure — a child's plaything."  Only after failing to fly does Buzz realizes the truth of Woody's statement.  Grief-stricken and disillusioned, Buzz hangs his head in resignation, declaring, "I'm just a stupid, little, insignificant toy."

Later on, Woody seeks to comfort his friend by underscoring the love of the boy who owns them both.  "You must not be thinking clearly.", Woody tells him.  "Look, over in that house, there's a kid who thinks you're the greatest, and it's not because you're a space ranger; it's because you're his."

As Buzz lifts his foot, he sees a label affixed to the bottom of his little shoe.  There in black permanent ink is the name of the little boy to whom he belongs.  Seeing the image of his owner, Buzz breaks into a smile and takes on a new determination.


Can we look in a mirror and see the image of our Owner?  Can anyone else looking at us see Jesus, can they see the image of our Father God reflected in us?

Woody understood how God works.  Our Father thinks we’re the greatest, not because we’re some kind of hero or the very best at anything, but because we’re His, He created us, we belong to Him.  That sense of loving and belonging can indeed give us a new determination - to be more, to serve more, to love more, to more closely follow the example of Christ Jesus.


Jesus said, “I am the true vine”.  Close your eyes a moment and envision a vine, any kind of vine.  In His example, Jesus is probably talking about a grape vine, which the people would have been familiar with.  A vine is simply one plant, one stalk that comes up from one location and can just keep growing longer and longer.  A heart-leaf philodendron can grow all around a room if you let it and keep it watered.

Going back to the grape vine, though, individual vines can branch off from the main vine trunk, the true vine.  If one of those branches is cut off from the main trunk, it will no longer grow or bear fruit and will quickly wither and die.  Jesus is comparing Himself to that main trunk, if you will, and notes that if we don’t stay with Him, with the true vine, then we cannot bear fruit.

There’s also the point about God the Father pruning the vine, removing those that don’t bear fruit, so that the rest of the vine can be fruitful.  That’s one reason we prune any plant, isn’t it?  We remove dead or diseased branches so that the rest of the plant can thrive.

Now if we look at that vine, even with some branches being pruned away, what we can see is a sense of belonging.  Every branch and fruit on that vine belongs there, otherwise it will wither and die.  So Jesus is saying when we abide in Him, when we live in and for Him and allow Him to live in us, then we belong to Him.  And like I mentioned to the kids, this sense of belonging has both the meaning of us being His, and that we are where we are supposed to be – we belong with Him.

The Apostle Paul understood this sense of belonging.  Aboard ship on one of his missionary trips, a storm came up and threatened the very lives of them all.  But Paul was visited by an angel, who delivered a message from God saying the ship would be destroyed but no lives would be lost.  Listen to how Paul started describing this visit, from the Apostle Luke’s Book of Acts, chapter 27 verse 23…

23 "For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve..."

--Acts 27:23 (NKJV)

“The God to whom I belong and whom I serve”.  When we abide in Jesus, when we follow His word, then we belong to God, we are His, and we should serve Him.


Now there can be a bit of danger if we take this sense of belonging and try to make it too exclusive.  I’ve known of some church families that have come right out and said if you don’t attend worship there, then you aren’t really believers, not true Christians, so you don’t belong to Jesus.

I believe Jesus Himself told us something they may have missed.  Listen to a brief exchange between Jesus and the Apostle John, as recorded by the Apostle Mark in chapter 9 of his Gospel account, verses 38 through 42…

38 Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.”

39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is on our side. 41 For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.

42 “But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea."

--Mark 9:38-42 (NKJV)

Even though this man was not one of those following Jesus in His walk and ministry, he was still doing the work of Jesus, acting under His authority by using His name.  It didn’t matter that he wasn’t part of the same church as John as long as he was acting in the name of Jesus.  He was abiding in Jesus, so he belonged.

But note that Jesus says woe be upon anyone who causes a believer to stumble.  In other words, if someone is preaching heresy in the name of Jesus and it causes a believer to stray from the truth, then that person will be pruned from the vine and will no longer belong.


Now if we believe in Jesus, abide in Him and in His word, and allow Him to live in us, then we belong.  And I would add that we all belong together.  I know I’m “preaching to the choir” when I say this, because you are here together this morning, but we belong together to worship together.  We are part of the same vine, and in this church family we are all part of the same branch of the vine.  When we come together to worship, to serve, even to play, as a family, then we can bear even more fruit than we can individually.

The author of the Book of Hebrews tells us why we should assemble together, in chapter 10, verses 23 through 25 of his letter…

23 We must hold tightly to the hope that we say is ours. After all, we can trust the One who made the agreement with us. 24 We should keep on encouraging each other to be thoughtful and to do helpful things. 25 Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord’s coming is getting closer.

--Hebrews 10:23-25 (CEV)

We belong together, so we should come together, often, so that we can encourage one another, so that we can do thoughtful things together, so that we can increase the effectiveness, the fruitfulness, of our service to our Lord Jesus!


As our Father God loves Jesus, so does Jesus love us.  He invites us to abide – to live – in that love.  If you have not yet allowed Jesus into your heart, into your life, given Him full authority over you and accepted Him as Lord and Master, then it’s not too late to become part of His vine.  Just as God prunes off the diseased and dead branches, He will graft on new growth, new life, to those willing to abide in Jesus, His Son.  God is the vinedresser, after all.  While we still draw breath, it is not too late to abide in Jesus, and belong.  And it is not too late for us to help others know this same sense of belonging.

We belong to Jesus, and in that belonging, we are all part of Him, part of the same vine.  Here in this family, here in Jesus, here in His love, here on the true vine… we belong.  In the beautiful name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You watch over the vine that is the body of Christ Jesus.  You prune those branches that do not bear fruit, that are diseased or dead, so that the rest of the vine might flourish and be fruitful.  Forgive us, please Father, when we fail to fully abide in Your Son Jesus.  Forgive us when You are forced to prune some branches away that we might have been able to save had we only spent time with them, encouraging them, teaching them all the goodness that is Jesus.  Please help us be better servants, be more fruitful.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, thanking You for Your many blessings, promising to turn from our sin, and asking for Your help as we do so…

Lord Jesus, when we accept You as our Lord, we become Yours.  You own us.  And as long as we abide in You, abide in Your word, then we continue to belong to You.  Help us, please Lord, to always follow you, to always abide in You and in Your love.  Help us to make other people feel the same sense of belonging that we feel.  Help us show them that they belong to You, they belong with us, here in Your love.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith.  Amen.

Three Days in the Life

[The following is a manuscript of my meditation delivered on Sunday morning, April 8th, 2018, the first Sunday after Easter.  A video of the service may be found on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

As I mentioned last Sunday morning, a number of folks who attended our Good Friday service commented that I needed to deliver that message again, that we all needed to hear it.  I thought about this, and prayed over it quite a bit.  I felt led that this would be good to do, but not just to cover the torture and death of Jesus but also His great defeat over death, since Resurrection Day is so recently past.  And not only our Lord’s death and resurrection should be included, but also the heartbreak and betrayal that led up to those, so we can get the full story.

This morning I am going to try to do just that, to tie those three days in the life of Jesus together into one message.  It will involve a lot of scripture reading, but I am going to break it into three pieces, corresponding to the three days.  So to begin, please listen and follow along as I read from chapter 14 of the Gospel account of the Apostle Mark, verses 32 through 37 and 39 through 46 from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

32 Then they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And He took Peter, James, and John with Him, and He began to be troubled and deeply distressed. 34 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.”

35 He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. 36 And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.”

37 Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour?”

39 Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words. 40 And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him.

41 Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”

43 And immediately, while He was still speaking, Judas, one of the twelve, with a great multitude with swords and clubs, came from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 Now His betrayer had given them a signal, saying, “Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him and lead Him away safely.”

45 As soon as he had come, immediately he went up to Him and said to Him, “Rabbi, Rabbi!” and kissed Him.

46 Then they laid their hands on Him and took Him.

--Mark 14:32-37, 39-46 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You know everything and have known all along that the only way that Your creation, including us – mankind – could ever be brought back into righteousness in Your eyes, the only way that the great chasm that opened between You and us because of our sin and disobedience, was for us to be washed clean by the blood of the one true Spotless Lamb.  You gave Your own Son as a sacrifice, once for all mankind.  Thank You, Father, for loving us this much.  Please help us remain faithful and true to You and to Christ Jesus our Lord.  Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice and better know Your will.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray.   Amen.


An atheist complained to a Christian friend: “You Christians have special holidays, such as Christmas and Easter.  Jews celebrate their national holidays, such as Passover and Yom Kippur.  But we atheists have no recognized national holidays.  It’s unfair discrimination.”  His friend replied, “I know…  Why don’t you celebrate on April 1st?”


This year, Easter did happen to fall on April 1st.  But don’t you think that April Fool’s Day would be very appropriate for atheists to celebrate their non-belief?  As far as I’m concerned, there are no bigger fools in this world than those who refuse to believe.


In our first reading, Mark tells us of how Jesus was betrayed by Judas – an event we’re familiar with.  But there is another instance of betrayal contained within that passage we may have overlooked, and sadly, it is one many of us might be guilty of as well.

Jesus took His three closest disciples aside and asked them to wait for Him and keep watch while he went off by Himself to pray.  All He asked was that they stay there and watch for one hour, but when He returned shortly, He found them sleeping instead.  Twice He asked them to stay and watch; twice He found them sleeping upon His return.

These three men had been with Jesus the past three years and may have been His best friends as well as closest followers, yet they could not force themselves to do as He asked and stay alert for even one hour!  Isn’t that a form of betrayal, to not do something their Lord and friend asked, so simple a task for such a short time?  Jesus told them He was experiencing great sorrow and distress.  Don’t you think they could have cared a little more, showed a little more concern?  Are we not guilty of neglecting to do the simple things Jesus asks of us, of betraying His love in this way?

A little later on, Peter denies having been with Christ, denies even knowing Him, which is another form of betrayal!  Do we sometimes deny Jesus by our silence, by our unwillingness to testify on His behalf or be a witness to His goodness?  If so, we betray Him.


Judas betrays Jesus and He is arrested.  He is taken before the Jewish high priests who, after having Him smacked around some, send Him off to the Roman governor, because they don’t have the authority to do anything worse.  All this was definitely a bad start to Jesus’ last few days, but it gets worse - much worse.  The Apostle Luke tells us what happens when Jesus is given over to Roman hands, in chapter 23 of his Gospel account, and I’ll be reading a number of selected verses between 13 and 46, from the New Living Translation this time…

13 Then Pilate called together the leading priests and other religious leaders, along with the people, 14 and he announced his verdict. “You brought this Man to me, accusing Him of leading a revolt. I have examined Him thoroughly on this point in your presence and find Him innocent.

16 So I will have Him flogged, and then I will release Him."

18 Then a mighty roar rose from the crowd, and with one voice they shouted, “Kill Him, and release Barabbas to us!”

20 Pilate argued with them, because he wanted to release Jesus. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

22 For the third time he demanded, “Why? What crime has He committed? I have found no reason to sentence Him to death. So I will have Him flogged, and then I will release Him.”

23 But the mob shouted louder and louder, demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate sentenced Jesus to die as they demanded.

32 Two others, both criminals, were led out to be executed with Him. 33 When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed Him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified — one on His right and one on His left.

34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”  And the soldiers gambled for His clothes by throwing dice.

44 By this time it was about noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 45 The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. 46 Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust My spirit into Your hands!”  And with those words He breathed His last.

--Luke 23:13-14, 16-18, 20-24, 32-34, 44-46 (NLT)

This is Friday.  Just five days ago on Sunday, the people of Jerusalem had all turned out to welcome their approaching King with shouts of “Hosanna!”.  Now they cried out just as loud, “Crucify Him!  Crucify Him!  Release Barabbas to us and crucify this Jesus!”

Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor and ultimate authority in the region, is hesitant to do as the crowd and the Jewish religious leadership demands.  Instead, he has Jesus flogged, hoping that will appease the blood-thirsty mob, even though he finds Jesus to be innocent of the charge against Him.  This “flogging” would have been done using a cat-o-nine-tails, a short whip made by lashing nine strips of leather to a handle and then tying bits of metal and shards of broken pottery into the leather strips.  The end result is a tool of torture that can literally rip the flesh of its victim from their body, leaving them bleeding and raw.

Still the people cried out for Jesus to be executed, and finally Pilate gave in.  Jesus was nailed to the cross, there to experience the most horrible execution man has devised.  On the cross, your entire weight is supported only by nails driven through the palms of your hands and a nail through your ankles.  Hanging by your hands, you are unable to take a full breath because your lungs can not expand enough.  So you try to put some of your weight on your legs, lifting your body high enough for your lungs to work.

But then the pain becomes too great and fatigue sets in, just trying to support your weight on a nail driven through both your ankles!  So you slump back down, relieving your legs, putting your entire weight back on your hands, on the nails driven through them.  If you’ve ever stepped on a nail, you have a slight glimmer of an idea of how much pain Jesus would have been experiencing.

As time drags on and you keep shifting your weight struggling to stay alive, the Roman soldiers will finally get bored and decide to hurry the process along a little by breaking your knees with a hammer.  Now you can only hang by your hands, gasping for each breath until they simply no longer come.  Our Lord was spared that last torture by succumbing to the cross and giving up His spirit, breathing His last.  His body was laid in a newly carved tomb, sealed by a boulder, guarded by soldiers.


At this point it all seems pretty hopeless.  The rough start has turned horribly worse.  On Thursday Jesus was denied, betrayed, arrested.  Friday brought torture, a brutal, barbaric execution, and burial.  Our Lord descended into hell.

But we have one more day to look at, and one more scripture passage, and this time I will return to the New King James Version of our Bible as I read from the Gospel account of the Apostle John, verses 1 through 16, 19 and 20, and 24 through 31 of chapter 20…

1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”

She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!”

She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”

So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

--John 20:1-16, 19-20, 24-31 (NKJV)

I’ve skipped Saturday in this narrative as it bears little on what Jesus did for us during this time span.  He was in hell, the place where the dead go, and other accounts have it He was preaching to the dead, trying to save even them.

But when we look at three days in the life of our Lord, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday are by far the most crucial, the most meaningful to us today.  For on this third day, Jesus rose again from the dead!  He walked among men once again, so that they could see Him and believe in Him.

Some were more stubborn than others, like Thomas, not accepting what eye-witnesses reported, but needing to see for themselves.  Some, like John, could figure it out and accept the truth based on what Jesus had said, and the signs He left for them.

Jesus defeated death itself, living the promise, sealing the covenant God made with us that we too can escape death, eternal death, if we would only believe in His Son, Christ Jesus, and follow His voice!  The only proof we have of any of this, of any of the events of these three days in the life, is what Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John left for us, and what Paul contributed in his letters to the church.  But John says that we have enough, that what the Apostles left for us is all we need to believe.

It’s all we need because we have faith, yet another wonderful gift from our Father God.  But we must exercise that faith to keep it strong.  We must stop betraying Jesus by not doing the simple things He asks of us.  We must stop denying Him by not giving Him our voice so that others might believe and be saved.  We must stop driving nails into His hands by claiming to be His followers, by calling ourselves by His name, but by living our lives in the same way that the rest of the world lives!

We must help others believe in what they cannot see.  Love unconditionally, sacrificially, making of ourselves a living sacrifice in service to our Lord.  Share the Gospel, be a witness for Jesus, testify to others how our life has changed for the better just because of Him.  Stay alert and watch, for He will return someday, and when He does, all who refuse Him will rue their betrayal, their denial.  Help spread the love and light of Jesus everywhere we go, in all that we say, in all we do.

Believe, and help others believe.  In the beautiful name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, the Apostle Paul tells us that all things work together for good to those who love You, who are the called according to Your purpose.  Your Son Jesus certainly loves You and definitely did everything You asked.  And You did indeed make it all turn out good, not only for Him but for us as well.  Forgive us, please Father, when we doubt You and Your intentions because we can’t see far enough ahead.  Thank You for loving us.  Please help us better see and understand Your will in our lives.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, thanking You for Your many blessings, promising to turn from our sin, and asking for Your help as we do so…

Lord Jesus, Your last days of mortal life were horrible.  You suffered terrible pain and anguish, heartbreak and despair, at the hands of the very people You tried so hard to save.  And still today we cause You to suffer, through our continued betrayal and denial.  We pound a nail into Your hand each time we strive to please the world rather than please You, each time we seek the world’s approval rather than Yours.  Help us, please Lord, to more closely follow You, to be a brighter light unto the darkness around us.  Help us show You to others by sharing our love with them, without conditions, without concern for what we may have to sacrifice.  Help us spread Your Gospel and God’s kingdom across the face of the earth, starting right here in our own community.  Help us be the blessing to others that You are to us.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith.  Amen.

That We May Believe

[The following is a manuscript of my meditation delivered on Easter Sunday morning, Resurrection Day, the 1st of April, 2018.  The service this morning also includes the observance of Holy Communion.  A video of the service may be found on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

This morning at our Sunrise Service, we read the Apostle Matthew’s account of the events of that first Resurrection Sunday so long ago.  Matthew, one of Jesus’ twelve chosen disciples, did not personally visit the tomb that morning, but was given the news of Jesus being raised from the dead by the women who did.  And he was among those gathered in the locked room both times when Jesus appeared there, so he could speak with authority about our Lord being alive again.  But he did not witness the empty tomb where the body of Jesus had been laid.

So now I would like to read the account of one who did witness both the empty tomb as well as Jesus’ appearances before his disciples.  Like Matthew, the Apostle John was one of Jesus’ hand-picked twelve, and the one Jesus called beloved.  When Mary Magdalene returned all excited from finding the grave now empty, John and Peter raced to the tomb to see for themselves.  And see they did, but I’m getting a little ahead of myself.

Please listen and follow along as I read all of chapter 20 from the Apostle John’s Gospel account, from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”

She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!”

She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’”

18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.”

So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

--John 20 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, today we celebrate our Lord’s defeat of death and His rising from the grave.  Father, You sent Your Holy Spirit to breathe life back into Your Son Jesus, to resurrect Him from that cold tomb.  He walked among us again, but still some refused to believe.  Thank You, Father, for giving Your elect the faith to believe in Jesus, to believe that He conquered death and rose from the grave, to believe that He truly is Your Son.  Please help us dispel any doubts and to more fully understand Your truth that is Christ Jesus our Lord.  Speak to us now, Father, and show us Your will.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray.   Amen.


In one of his lighter moments, Benjamin Franklin penned his own epitaph. He didn't profess to be a born-again Christian, but it seems he must have been influenced by Paul's teaching of the resurrection of the body. Here's what he wrote: The body of B. Franklin, printer, like the cover of an old book, its contents torn out, and stripped of its lettering and gilding, lies here, food for worms.  But the work shall not be wholly lost, for it will, as he believed, appear once more, in a new and more perfect edition, corrected and amended by the Author.


Franklin paints a wonderful word picture, describing an old, tattered book, pages missing, its cover faded and ravaged by time.  But he says it will appear yet again, in a new and more perfect edition, corrected and amended.

And of course, we are the “book” he envisions, our bodies.  All our imperfections now, in this life, will be corrected and amended into a new and more perfect form.  It’s called resurrection and the Author of all, the Creator of all, will make it happen.  Praise be to God!


So like I mentioned, Mary came back to where the disciples were all holed up out of fear…  And who can blame them - who wouldn’t be afraid?  If Jesus – now widely known throughout the land for his healings and teachings – could be arrested and put to death, what chance did they have if caught?

So Mary runs in, gasping for breath, all excited, and she’s trying to tell them what she just experienced.  She went to the tomb where Joseph of Arimathea had laid the body of Jesus, right before sunrise, and found it empty, the huge stone rolled away.  And worse, she didn’t know where her Lord’s body had been taken!

Of course that caught Peter’s attention, the disciple most noted for rash responses and impetuousness.  So he raced off to see what was going on, followed closely by John, who actually passed Peter and got there first.  At that point, none of them really understood what had happened, they didn’t truly believe all that Jesus had been trying to tell them.

So they enter the tomb and it’s empty, like Mary said.  Where the broken body of Jesus had been lying, now only the burial cloths remained.  And the small linen cloth that had been covering His face was found off to the side, neatly folded.

To understand the significance of that last piece, we need to look at the customs in that part of the world.  Then, and even today, when a diner was finished with their meal, they would crumple up their napkin and drop it on the plate, get up and leave.  But if they planned to return shortly to finish their meal, they would neatly fold their napkin and place it beside the plate.   Then the server would know they’re coming back and would not clear the table just yet.

So to us, the handkerchief lying neatly folded off to the side is Jesus telling us He is coming back, He is returning to finish God’s master plan.  John must have caught this subtle message, for verse 9 tells us that “he saw and believed”.

Mary peeks into the tomb and sees two angels who ask why she is weeping.  She answers, turns, and there stands the newly risen Jesus, but she doesn’t recognize Him.  He also asks why she weeps, and her response is the same as it’s been all along:  someone has taken the body of my Lord and I don’t know where they took it.  Jesus simply says her name, and instantly recognition sparks.  She saw Jesus, and believed.


So now Mary, Peter, and John have all seen enough to believe that Jesus lives again, that He has risen from the dead.  They relay this information to the other disciples, but we don’t know if they completely believed or not yet.  Jesus wants to leave no doubt, so He suddenly appears in their midst as they hide away in a locked room.  They saw, and believed.

But one of the original twelve was not present that day, and when the rest told him what had happened, he didn’t believe them.  Thomas refused to believe unless he could see Jesus with his own eyes.  He wouldn’t believe until he could feel the nail-scarred hands, touch the wound where the spear had been thrust into Jesus’ side.

So eight days later, when the disciples had once again locked themselves in, this time with Thomas present, Jesus popped in for another visit.  He looked at Thomas and said, “Here, touch My hands, touch My side, see for yourself, and believe.”  And sure enough, Thomas did, and believed.


So far, the common thread here is that each of these people - those closest to Jesus the past three years – each one had to see something, some proof, to believe that Jesus was indeed risen from the dead, and so was exactly who He said He was: the Christ.  Each needed proof, and fortunately for them He was still around to provide it.  But after He ascended back into heaven to be with His Father again, the physical proof went with Him.

What about us?  All we’re left with is what those folks who needed proof told us.  They were shown proof, but we have to take their word for it?  This is where faith comes in.  The author of the Book of Hebrews describes this gift from God in the first verse of his chapter 11…

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

--Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)

While the world sees “hope” as a dream that likely won’t be met, something to be longed for but not really expected, when our Bible says hope, it offers an expectation, a certainty, that what is longed for will indeed come to pass.  Even without proof, even without being seen.  After all, as I told the kids earlier, we can’t always believe everything we see.

Plus, what we see with our eyes is only temporary in nature, because it is of this world and this world is temporal.  The Apostle Paul, in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians, chapter 4, verses 17 and 18 explains this…

17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

--2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NKJV)

Mary and Peter and John and Thomas and the rest of the disciples and over 500 people in all physically saw, with their eyes, the risen Jesus.  They had their “proof”.  But what they saw was really only temporary for them, since Jesus soon ascended into heaven, body and all.

Thank God we have our faith!  We don’t need to see the risen body of Jesus to believe He conquered death!  Jesus knew we would believe even without proof, when He told Thomas, in verse 29 of our reading: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

John goes on to say that the risen Jesus did many other signs in the presence of witnesses that are not included in his Gospel account.  Those other signs were not recorded, because John saw no need of it.  Jesus already told him we would believe without needing to see.  We have our faith, we have our proof.

We have all that we need to believe.  Jesus is Lord, and He is risen!  In that beautiful name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Alleluia, Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You sent Your Son to offer us salvation, knowing full well how it would all turn out.  Forgive us, please Father, when we try to put our own wants and plans ahead of what You know needs to be done, just as Jesus knew what He had to do.  Thank You for loving us enough to give us chance after chance to accept Your Son and be saved.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, thanking You for Your many blessings, promising to turn from our sin, and asking for Your help as we do so…

Lord Jesus, You knew what was expected of You, how much You would suffer, yet You came anyway and carried out God’s plan to the very end.  You gave Your body, Your blood, Your life, for our sake, that we might be reunited with God.  Help us, please Lord, to believe in You and our Father God even when proof is not available.  Help us to exercise our faith and keep it strong.  Surround us with other believers so we might find greater strength to reach out and help others, to show them the path to salvation through belief in You.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Lord Jesus Christ, our Master and our Savior, the one true Son of God, in whom we place all our hope, all our trust, all our faith.  Amen.