The Light of Mankind

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 12th of July, 2026.  If all went well, a recording of the service may be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams for the older services or https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch3115/streams for later services.]

Most of you may not know, but we have a groundhog – or more likely a family of groundhogs – that have set up housekeeping here on our church campus, just on the hillside across from the Fellowship Hall.  Their burrows can be quite amazing and intricate, with upper levels and lower levels, some depressions to catch water to prevent flooding, and many hidden openings to allow for emergency escape.  But once they’re securely at home, they are in absolute, complete darkness.

That’s a condition most humans will seldom if ever experience, for we have lights all around us all the time.  There’s even a name for it: light pollution.  Quite frankly, being in complete darkness freaks me out a little.  I’m just too used to having some form of light in sight.

Of course, we humans aren’t as well equipped for the darkness as some of our animal counterparts.  Our night-vision is poor at best.  We stumble around in the darkness, smack up against walls and door frames, bump our shins on coffee tables, stub our toes on chair legs.  So it’s a good thing God gave us light.

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and void, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the water.

3 God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness.

--Genesis 1:1-4 (MEV)

That is how Moses described the beginning of all creation, in his Book of Genesis.  God gave life to His creation, speaking the words, “Let there be light.”  The Apostle John realized that the Word, the Logos, was with God all along.  Please listen and follow along to the beautiful opening of John’s Gospel account, as recorded for us in the first 14 verses of the 1st chapter of the book bearing his name, and I’ll be reading from the Modern English Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

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 created through Him, and without Him nothing was created that was created. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. 5 The light shines in darkness, but the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 This man came as a witness in order to testify concerning the Light, that all men through Him might believe. 8 He was not this Light, but was sent in order to testify concerning the Light.

9 The true Light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. 12 Yet to all who received Him, He gave the power to become sons of God, to those who believed in His name, 13 who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, the glory as the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.

--John 1:1-14 (MEV)

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for calling light into being, giving light to Your creation, bringing order to chaos.  And then, when we were stumbling around in the darkness of sin, You sent Your Light to all mankind, the true light that darkness can never overcome.  Still, though, we have trouble staying in the light.  There are aspects – things - of this world that we refuse to let go of.  But yet You still bless us, You still love us.  Thank You, Father, for having mercy on us.  Please help us be at least a little more deserving of Your love and grace.  Please help us be more like Jesus as we go through each day.  This we pray in the beautiful name of our Lord Jesus.   Amen.

Vision is the act or power of seeing things with our eyes.  Light bounces off an object and into our eyes, where our brains transform the information into an image that we associate with the object.  And there are many easily recognizable objects that we all associate with.  For instance, we all associate this object [*  hold up bible  *] as a book, or more specifically as a bible.  But vision is also the act or power of seeing ideas, of anticipating that which may come to be.

Film producer and writer Bob Logan notes that “vision is the capacity to create a compelling picture of the desired state of affairs that inspires people to respond.  It is that which is desirable, which could be, should be.  It is that which is attainable.  A godly vision is right for the times, right for the church, and right for the people.  A godly vision promotes faith rather than fear.  A godly vision motivates people to action.  A godly vision requires risk-taking.  A godly vision glorifies God, not people.”

Have you ever experienced a vision?  I know there are people who sometimes get a glimpse of what will soon happen.  I think I’ve been shown one or two very brief visions in my life.  Mine, though, were more like warnings, not necessarily glorifying God.

There are a number of incidents in our bible where a person is shown something – usually something quite remarkable - “in a vision”.  Their visions were fairly lengthy and very detailed.  The best example of this is the Apostle John’s Book of Revelation.  The entire sequence of what is to come was shown to John in a vision, when the end times and what follows was revealed.  And all of it is to glorify God as He concludes His plan for His creation.

Sometimes a person will envision what should be done to make this world a better place.  We just need to make sure any such vision glorifies God, and not any segment of His creation.

It should come as no surprise to a believer that John was talking about Jesus in the opening of his Gospel account.  John speaks of the creation of our universe, of the start of our history, of the beginning of time itself.  But Jesus, like God and the Holy Spirit, are outside of time, and have existed… well… forever.

Man, created in God’s image, quickly disobeyed Him, and became more and more rebellious and disobedient as time went by.  To reconcile His creation back to Himself, God gave us light once again.  Jesus became flesh and lived among us for a time, so that we could see His glory, so God could be glorified, so that we could be shown mercy and grace.  He became the light to guide us out of darkness.

In the 8th chapter of his Gospel account, John recorded the incident of the woman caught in the act of adultery being brought before Jesus and Him forgiving her of her sin, telling her to go and sin no more.  Afterwards, He addressed the Pharisees, as John saved for us in verse 12…

12 Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

--John 8:12 (MEV)

A little later, as Jesus prepared to heal a man born blind, He was asked whether the man or his parents had sinned, that he be born blind.  Jesus replied that neither had sinned, but rather the man was born blind so that the works and glory of God could be revealed.  John also recorded what Jesus said next, in chapter 9 verse 5 of his Gospel…

5 “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

--John 9:5 (MEV)

That’s two times in very short order when Jesus said, “I am the light of the world”.  And we know what it means when He repeats Himself, right?  It means that this is important for us to hear and understand.

“While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”  Of course, Jesus knew He would not be in this world forever, or even very much longer, so He prepared us to take up and share the light.  In chapter 5 verses 14 through 16 of his Gospel account, the Apostle Matthew saved the words Jesus spoke  during His Sermon on the Mount…

14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under a basket, but on a candlestick. 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 who is in heaven.”

--Matthew 5:14-16 (MEV)

Jesus has passed the torch to us.  He is no longer physically in the world, but the light of truth must still be shown, for the world hides its sins in darkness.  Jesus became flesh to be the Light of mankind, and now we must shine His light.  We must shine His light so that others just might see their way out of the darkness and be saved.  We must testify to the wondrous works of Jesus, attest to the power and authority of God, so that all people might believe.

Share the love of our Lord by shining the light of truth.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for sending Your Son to redeem us.  Even when we were flailing around in the darkness of our sin, when we rebelled against You, You loved us enough to want us to be with You forever.  So You sent Jesus to stand for us and bear our punishment.  Thank You, Father, for so wonderful a gift.  Sadly though, Father, we still at times try to hide in the darkness, holding fast to our favorite sin.  And far too many times we are afraid to share the truth with others.  Please remind us that You allowed Your only Son to suffer a mortal death just so we might be spared eternal death.  Encourage and strengthen us to take up the light of Jesus so that others might see the path to righteousness.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment so that each of us can speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your and our Lord’s commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, thank You for coming into this world, for bringing the light of truth so that all might see.  You have always been with God and the Holy Spirit, but for a time You came in the flesh, as one of us, as the Light of mankind.  Then, when You returned to heaven, You left us with the task of carrying on Your work for You.  We are to shine Your light now, to share Your love, so that the lost may find their way to You.  Lord, You know we struggle to fully separate ourselves from the world.  We have trouble saying no to all the temptations, the nice shiny things Satan offers.  Please help us in this fight.

We also hesitate to approach people and tell them about You and all You have done.  Please help us be a witness of Your mighty deeds and love.  Please help us love as You love, loving selflessly, unconditionally, sacrificially.  Help us show Your love and God’s love as we reach out to others, sharing Your words and Your works, telling them all about You.  Help us carry out the mission You gave us, seeking the lost sheep and leading them to You.

Holy Spirit, 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.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this world might offer.  All this we pray in the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Now That We Are Free

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 5th of July, 2026.  Today's service also included the observance of Holy Communion with our Lord Jesus.  If all went well, a recording of the service may be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams for the older services or https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch3115/streams for later services.]

Did you happen to catch any of the televised fireworks displays or maybe a local show?  I heard that the one over Mount Rushmore was really fantastic, a grand show for our nation’s birthday.  I’ve always enjoyed a good fireworks show.  They’re all fun to watch.  But I think that even the greatest display they could ever put on, would only be a glimpse, a glimmer, of what it must have looked like when God said, “Let there be light!”

This year, and especially yesterday, we are celebrating our nation’s Semiquincentennial.  That 50-cent word comes from the Latin for half of 500 years.  And this year we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of our Declaration of Independence from British rule.

Now although we made this open declaration in 1776, the war for our independence dragged on for over seven more years.  And then a miracle happened – we won.  We did the impossible and defeated the most powerful military force on earth at the time.  And then we had to set about the business of forming a new nation and a new form of government.  Our Continental Army commander and first president, George Washington, gave all the credit to God for our victory.  Without God’s providence, we would have remained British subjects rather than citizens, free to determine our own fate.

Our forefathers fought a long and bloody war to secure our freedom from foreign rule, freedom from English tyranny.  We use that word “free” a lot, and not always in the correct context.  For there is nothing free in this life.  Everything comes with a price, a cost someone must pay.  A long time ago, long before our Revolutionary War, Jesus paid the price for our freedom from death and sin.  Christ Jesus broke our chains of sin and set us free.  Now what?

Please listen and follow along as the Apostle Paul reminds us of our freedom, as recorded in verse 1 and verses 13 through 26 of the 5th chapter of his Letter to the Galatians, and I’ll be reading from the Easy-to-Read Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

1 We have freedom now, because Christ made us free. So stand strong in that freedom. Don’t go back into slavery again.

13 My brothers and sisters, God chose you to be free. But don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do what pleases your sinful selves. Instead, serve each other with love. 14 The whole law is made complete in this one command: “Love others the same as you love yourself.” 15 If you continue hurting each other and tearing each other apart, be careful, or you will completely destroy each other.

16 So I tell you, live the way the Spirit leads you. Then you will not do the evil things your sinful self wants. 17 The sinful self wants what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against the sinful self. They are always fighting against each other, so that you don’t do what you really want to do. 18 But if you let the Spirit lead you, you are not under law.

19 The wrong things the sinful self does are clear: committing sexual sin, being morally bad, doing all kinds of shameful things, 20 worshiping false gods, taking part in witchcraft, hating people, causing trouble, being jealous, angry or selfish, causing people to argue and divide into separate groups, 21 being filled with envy, getting drunk, having wild parties, and doing other things like this. I warn you now as I warned you before: The people who do these things will not have a part in God’s kingdom. 22 But the fruit that the Spirit produces in a person’s life is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these kinds of things. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their sinful self. They have given up their old selfish feelings and the evil things they wanted to do. 25 We get our new life from the Spirit, so we should follow the Spirit. 26 We must not feel proud and boast about ourselves. We must not cause trouble for each other or be jealous of each other.

--Galatians 5:1,13-26 (ERV)

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for smiling on this nation for all these years.  You helped us gain independence from foreign tyranny, and You’ve seen us through so many really rough times.  Even now, when so many Americans have turned their backs on You, You still bless us.  Thank You for loving us this much, Father.  Please continue to bless us, to help us, to guide us in the way we should go.  Please help us be more like Jesus as we go through each day.  This we pray in the beautiful name of our Lord Jesus.   Amen.

Charles Colson, in his book Against the Night, writes that:

A poll sheds light on a paradox of increased religiosity and decreased morality, according to sociologist Robert Bellah.  His conclusion: “81 percent of the American people say an individual should arrive at his or her own religious belief independent of any church or synagogue.”  Thus the key to the paradox is that those who claim to be Christians are arriving at faith on their own terms - terms that make no demands on behavior.  A woman named Sheila, interviewed for Bellah's Habits of the Heart, embodies this attitude: “I believe in God,” she said.  “I can’t remember the last time I went to church.  But my faith has carried me a long way.  It's ‘Sheila-ism’.  Just my own little voice.”

Too often, religion can get in the way of following Jesus and serving God.  Especially when we formulate our own little religion.  Then we are free to do whatever we want, as long as we follow our own morality.  This attitude is growing and spreading in the US.  So many people now think anything is OK to do as long as it meets their agenda.  There’s no longer black and white, only shades of gray.  And as for God’s word, our bible, only the parts we like apply to us.  This is what we’ve done with our freedom.  I can only imagine the preaching Paul would level at us today.

If we listened to Paul, we would know what we should do now that we are free.  And we should also know what we should not do.  We should remain free and not go back into slavery to sin again.  We should not use our freedom to go on doing whatever we want to do, even though we know we are saved.  We should let the Spirit lead us and live in that way.  Paul even tells us the differences between living a sinful life and living by the Spirit.  The world won’t listen, but we Christians should.  Now that we are free, we must remain diligent to live as God would have us live.

And how would God have us live?  I’m glad you asked.  None other than God Himself told us what He wants.  Hear what God said through His prophet Isaiah in the 58th chapter of the book bearing his name, verses 6 through 10…

6 “I will tell you the kind of day I want — a day to set people free. I want a day that you take the burdens off others. I want a day when you set troubled people free and you take the burdens from their shoulders. 7 I want you to share your food with the hungry. I want you to find the poor who don’t have homes and bring them into your own homes. When you see people who have no clothes, give them your clothes! Don’t hide from your relatives when they need help.”

8 If you do these things, your light will begin to shine like the light of dawn. Then your wounds will heal. Your “Goodness” will walk in front of you, and the Glory of the Lord will come following behind you. 9 Then you will call to the Lord, and He will answer you. You will cry out to Him, and He will say, “Here I am.”

Stop causing trouble and putting burdens on people. Stop saying things to hurt people or accusing them of things they didn’t do. 10 Feel sorry for hungry people and give them food. Help those who are troubled and satisfy their needs. Then your light will shine in the darkness. You will be like the bright sunshine at noon.

--Isaiah 58:6-10 (ERV)

God wants us to relieve the burdens of others.  He wants us to feed the hungry, to house the homeless, to clothe the poor and needy.  He wants us to stop causing trouble, to stop saying hurtful things, to stop falsely accusing people.

Sadly, we Christians don’t always do the things we should do, and too often do the things we should not do, as Paul once put it.  We forget that there is a cost for our freedom.  Our freedom from human tyranny requires constant vigilance and the willingness to stand up to evil forces.  Our freedom from sin and eternal death also requires us to be vigilant, that we do not fall back into our old sinful ways.

We fought a long, hard, harsh, bloody war to gain our independence from foreign rule.  We defeated a mighty force to become a free people.  But the freedom we should truly cherish and celebrate every day is our freedom from sin, bought by Jesus at great cost.  So now that we are free, we must keep fighting to remain free.

In just a moment, we will come to the table of our Lord to share in His last supper.  We will eat and drink as His disciples ate and drank.  And we will remember the great sacrifice He made on our behalf.  The Apostle Paul tells us not to approach this table unless we are right with God.  So please take the next few minutes to open our hearts to our heavenly Father, and repent of our sin.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for giving us the help we needed to secure our freedom, both from foreign rule and also from sin and eternal death.  You sent Your own Son to atone for our sin and to offer us salvation.  And You helped us defeat a mighty foe, England, and the mightiest foe, Satan.  Sadly though, Father, too many of us have forgotten how this nation was founded, how it all began.  And far too many now practice their own form of religion, one that may not include You.  Even we believers fail to live how You want us to.  Please remind us of all You’ve done for us.  Encourage us to listen to the words of Paul and Isaiah.  Help us remain free.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment so that each of us can speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your and our Lord’s commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, thank You for setting us free by giving of Yourself to atone for our sin.  You paid the price for our freedom, and now it’s up to us to stay free.  Lord, You know we struggle to shake off the chains of the world.  We have trouble living righteously all the time, at all times.  

We also find it challenging to approach people and tell them about You and all You have done.  Please help us be a witness of Your love and mercy.  Please help us follow Your example of impartial love, loving as You love, loving selflessly, unconditionally, sacrificially.  Help us show Your love and God’s love as we reach out to others, sharing Your words and Your works, telling them all about You.  Help us carry out the mission You gave us, seeking the lost sheep and leading them to You.

Holy Spirit, 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.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this world might offer.  All this we pray in the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Be the Difference

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 28th of June, 2026.  If all went well, a recording of the service may be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams for the older services or https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch3115/streams for later services.]

Did you ever see the movie “Caddy Shack”?  In it, the golf pro character played by Chevy Chase coaches a player to “be the ball”.  It’s a Zen-like statement the way it’s made in the movie, where the player is to see himself as the golf ball as it rolls toward the cup, guiding it in.

Of course, we can only be the ball in our imagination, but there a number of things in life that we can be.  We can be a leader.  We can be a role model.  We can be an instructor or a mentor or a best friend.  We can make a difference in someone else’s life.  And it may require very little of us.

On one of His visits to Jerusalem, Jesus stopped by the pool called Bethesda.  This was the place where a large number of sick people waited – the lame, the blind, the afflicted.  Legend had it that an angel would stir the waters, and the first one in the pool when that happened would be healed.  So the sick waited, and when the waters roiled, they all struggled to get in it first.

Jesus found a man there who had waited the longest.  And He healed him.  Now, this was on the Sabbath, when any labor, even that of healing someone, was not allowed.  So the Pharisees jumped into action, questioning the man, and then accusing Jesus.  This is all too familiar – Jesus performing a miracle and the Jewish religious leaders attacking Him for it.

Well, there was one time when we aren’t told of any repercussions to Jesus’ actions, and it occurred right after the incident at the pool.  Please listen and follow along as the Apostle John relates just one of the many miracles Jesus performed, as recorded in verses 1 through 14 of the 6th chapter of his Gospel account, and I’ll be reading from the Modern English Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

1 After these things Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a great crowd followed Him, because they saw His signs which He did for the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountain, and He sat there with His disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.

5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming to Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread that these may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.

7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for each of them to receive but a little.”

8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two small fish. But what are they among so many?”

10 Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, numbering about five thousand. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those who were sitting down; and likewise, they distributed the fish, as much as they wanted.

12 When they were filled, He told His disciples, “Collect the fragments that remain, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they collected them and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.

14 When those men saw the sign which He had done, they then said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

--John 6:1-14 (MEV)

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to make the greatest difference in our lives.  We could never be completely forgiven of our sin on our own.  Only through Jesus may we find salvation.  Thank You for having mercy on us.  Father, we know that both You and Jesus command us to love others, all others.  But we struggle to do so.  Too often we let our emotions overcome us and hatred enters our hearts.  So we thank You all the more, Father, for still forgiving us even when we lapse.  Please help us stay on the path of righteousness.  Remind us that Jesus came to make a difference and He left us with the command to do the same.  Help us be more like Him in our daily walk.  This we pray in the beautiful name of our Lord Jesus.   Amen.

In his book, The Americanization of Edward Bok, Edward Bok, one-time editor of the Ladies' Home Journal, tells a story about his grandfather, who lived in Denmark. It seems the grandfather had been commissioned by the King of Denmark to lead a band of soldiers against pirates who were playing havoc with shipping along a certain coastal area. The elder Bok set up his headquarters on a lonely, rocky, desolate island just off the coast, and after a few years was able to clear the pirates out of the area.

Upon returning to the mainland Bok reported to the King. The King was very pleased and offered Bok anything he wanted. All he wanted, he told the King, was a plot of land on the island where he had just lived and fought for so many months. They told him the island was barren. Why would he want to live there? "I want to plant trees," was Bok's reply. "I want to make the island beautiful." The King's aides thought he was crazy. The island was constantly swept by storms and high winds. He would never be able to get a tree to grow there.

Bok, however, insisted, and the King granted him his wish. He went to live on the island, built a home, and finally was able to bring his wife to it. For years, they worked industriously, persistently, planting trees, shrubs, grass. Gradually the vegetation took hold, the island began to flourish. One morning they arose to hear birds singing. There had never been any birds on the island before.

Eventually the island became a showplace and now is visited by thousands of tourists each year. When he died the grandfather requested that the following words be inscribed on his tombstone: "Make you the world a bit more beautiful and better because you have been on it."

Success, first and foremost, requires attempt, and oftentimes repeated attempts.  We’ll never know what we can achieve if we don’t try.  We’ll never reach great heights if we don’t aim high.  We’ll never know how many souls we might help lead to Jesus if we’re too afraid, timid, or shy to share our witness with others.  Making a difference requires action, not wishful thinking.

Our scripture reading this morning is the Apostle John’s version of the event we call the Feeding of the Five Thousand.  Now, note that Jesus told the disciples to “Make the people sit down”, but that John reported “So the men sat down”.  All four of the Gospel writers said basically the same thing, that five thousand men sat down and ate.

But were only men present that day?  Matthew specifically states that, “Those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.”  So there were also women and children present, and they ate, too.  I’m sure not all men brought the wife and kids along, but still there was probably close to ten thousand souls that enjoyed a meal thanks to that boy and his meager offering.

Of the four Gospel writers, only John and Matthew actually walked with Jesus and witnessed His actions,   While Matthew included one detail the others left out, John did, too.  John is the only one to let us know that the two small fish and the five barley loaves came from a boy there in the crowd, one of the uncounted children.  He was probably a local and I bet that was the meal for his family.  Yet he willingly offered what little he had.  And look what Jesus did with it!

A boy, whose name we’ll never know, put what little he had in the hands of Jesus, and over five thousand people were fed.  He made a difference not by what he had, not by what he brought with him, but by what he did.  Jesus was able to take what the boy offered and multiplied it to where there was more than needed, more than just enough.  It’s not what we have to offer than makes a difference, it’s the simple act of offering it.

The Apostle Matthew recorded Jesus as He began His greatest, most important sermon, His Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus opened the sermon with what we call The Beatitudes, which I think we can treat as a good way to start making a difference.  Please hear what Matthew recorded for us in the first 12 verses of the 5th chapter of his Gospel account…

1 Now seeing the crowds, He went up on a mountain. And when He sat down, His disciples came to Him.

2 And He began speaking and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn,

for they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek,

for they shall inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful,

for they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they shall be called the sons of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when men revile you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be very glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in this manner they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

--Matthew 5:1-12 (MEV)

All these blessings come from our service to Jesus.  By our faith, we believe in Him, and by our belief, we serve Him.  Our service may result in our persecution, for there are people who hate the truth, who hide from the light.  Our spirits may weaken for a bit.  We may hunger and thirst for God’s comforting touch.  But we will be blessed.  And we will inherit heaven.

The young boy only had five loaves of barley bread and two small fish, yet he offered them up to help feed the people.  He only had a little, but he was willing to give it all.  In Jesus' hands, that little became more than enough.  Even if we can only do a little, only give a little of ourselves, in Jesus' hands, our little can become more than enough.

This Independence Day, let's begin not only making a difference in the world around us, let's be the difference.  Help put an end to all the hateful, hate-filled rhetoric that is splitting our nation apart.  Replace hate with love.  Replace violence with service.  Let's make the world a bit more beautiful and better because we've been in it.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for all the lessons saved for us in our bible.  You inspired the men and women who recorded Your words, and the words and actions of Your Son and His followers.  Sadly though, Father, we don’t spend as much time reading and studying our bible as we could, as we should.  Please remind us that this is our book of basic instructions before leaving earth.  It is important for us to learn the lessons within its pages.  Please help us understand its words and meanings.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment so that each of us can speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your and our Lord’s commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, thank You for showing us that no matter what or how little we have to offer, You can make great use of it.  All we have to do it give it to You, give of ourselves in Your service, and You’ll do the rest.  Thank You for again showing us that sometimes love requires a measure of sacrifice.  We know that we struggle to love all others, and find it most difficult to love the people who hate us.  

We also struggle to approach people and tell them about You and all You have done.  Please help us be a witness of Your love and mercy.  Please help us follow Your example of impartial love, loving as You love, loving selflessly, unconditionally, sacrificially.  Help us show Your love and God’s love as we reach out to others, sharing Your words and Your works, telling them all about You.  Help us carry out the mission You gave us, seeking the lost sheep and leading them to You.

Holy Spirit, 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.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this world might offer.  All this we pray in the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Our Father

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Father's Day, Sunday morning, the 21st of June, 2026.  If all went well, a recording of the service may be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams for the older services or https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch3115/streams for later services.]

Father’s Day comes but once a year.  A dear friend of mine used to disagree with that.  She’d always say, “Every day is Father’s Day”.  I don’t know what her personal experience might have been in this area, but I figured she was referring to the stereotypical father who would come home from work, plop down in his easy chair, and wait for supper to be set on the table.

There was a time when the fathers went off to work each day while the mothers stayed home and managed the house - doing the cleaning and cooking, looking after the kids, that sort of stuff.  This pretty much began to change even in my youth, when many families needed two incomes to get by.  Nowadays, most mothers and fathers share roles.

Still, though, I’d have to concur that every day is Father’s Day, for there is no better job than being a father.  And it’s a crying shame when a man abandons his family, forsaking his kids and their Mom.

Fortunately for us, we have a good Father who will never abandon us, never forsake us, never give up on us.  He constantly looks after us, sees to all our needs, gives us so much, and wants nothing more than for us to live with Him forever.  His name is God, and while He lives in heaven, His home is with all of us, all the time.  And all He asks of us is to believe in and love His Son, following Him as we go through this life.  He set us apart from the rest of the world for this very purpose.  We are sanctified and blessed.

In the 8th chapter of his letter to the church in Rome, the Apostle Paul stresses the power in being sanctified, in being set apart for God's purpose.  He also speaks to how we should respond to being sanctified.  Please listen and follow along as the Paul tells us how we should now live, in verses 9 through 17 of the 8th chapter of his letter to the Romans, and I’ll be reading from the Contemporary English Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

9 You are no longer ruled by your desires, but by God's Spirit, who lives in you. People who don't have the Spirit of Christ in them don't belong to Him. 10 But Christ lives in you. So you are alive because God has accepted you, even though your bodies must die because of your sins. 11 Yet God raised Jesus to life! God's Spirit now lives in you, and He will raise you to life by His Spirit.

12 My dear friends, we must not live to satisfy our desires. 13 If you do, you will die. But you will live, if by the help of God's Spirit you say “No” to your desires. 14 Only those people who are led by God's Spirit are His children. 15 God's Spirit doesn't make us slaves who are afraid of Him. Instead, we become His children and call Him our Father. 16 God's Spirit makes us sure that we are His children. 17 His Spirit lets us know that together with Christ we will be given what God has promised. We will also share in the glory of Christ, because we have suffered with Him.

--Romans 8:9-17 (CEV)

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for adopting us into Your family and calling us Your children.  And thank You for being such a good father, not only seeing to our needs but giving us even more, blessing us every day.  Father, we have all the instructions we need, right here in our bible, telling us how to live righteously.  But we struggle to do the things we know we should do.  Too often we find it difficult to not do the things we know we shouldn’t do.  So we thank You all the more, Father, for forgiving us when we stray and giving us another chance to get things right.  Please prod us to spend more time in our bible.  Remind us of how important it is that we live this life in a righteous manner.  Help us be more like Your Son Jesus each day.  This we pray in the beautiful name of our Lord Jesus.   Amen.

Dr. George Rekers, in the magazine Homemade, notes that,  “A positive and continuous relationship to one's father has been found to be associated with a good self-concept, higher self-esteem, higher self-confidence in personal and social interaction, higher moral maturity, reduced rates of unwed teen pregnancy, greater internal control and higher career aspirations. Fathers who are affectionate, nurturing and actively involved in child-rearing are more likely to have well- adjusted children.”

Our Father in heaven is affectionate, nurturing, and actively involved in our lives.  What is our relationship with Him?  Is it positive and continuous?  Or is it just for an hour or two on Sunday mornings?  Does it weather all storms, or does it give way to doubts when troubles rise?  Let’s make a commitment to work on and strengthen our relationships with our heavenly Father.

Paul starts right out by saying that now that we are sanctified, we are no longer ruled by our desires.  I wish I could be as confident of this as Paul.  I think that even we believers, at times, let our desires get the better of us.  They may not totally rule us, but they sure can take control sometimes.  And I think Paul understood this, too.  After all, he’s the one who, just a little earlier in this letter, said, “I don't understand why I act the way I do. I don't do what I know is right. I do the things I hate.”

So yes, we struggle with doing what is right, even though we’ve been sanctified, even though our Father sent His own Spirit to live in us and guide us.  This is how much God loves us, that He sent His Spirit to help us do what is right.  By His Spirit within us, we know we are children of God, and we can call Him Father, Daddy, Abba.

When we read of the birth of our Lord, it’s clear that while Joseph raised Him as his own, he was not Jesus’ real father.  Jesus had no earthly father.  Maybe this is why He tells us we only have one father, and it’s not who most people think.  The Apostle Matthew recorded Jesus telling us who our father is, in verse 9 of the 23rd chapter of his Gospel account, when Jesus said…

9 “Don't call anyone on earth your father. All of you have the same Father in heaven.”

--Matthew 23:9 (CEV)

On Father’s Day, we celebrate and honor our earthly fathers, and it is right that we should do so.  But Jesus is trying to emphasize that by our adoption into the family of God, we all have the same Father now, and it is God, our heavenly Father.  And this is why we pray, “Our Father, Who art in heaven…”.  This, of course, is the start of the model prayer that Jesus gave us.  The Apostle Luke reported this in the first 4 verses of the 11th chapter of his Gospel account…

1 When Jesus had finished praying, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his followers to pray.”

2 So Jesus told them, “Pray in this way:

‘Father, help us

to honor Your name.

Come and set up

Your kingdom.

3 Give us each day

the food we need.

4 Forgive our sins,

as we forgive everyone

who has done wrong to us.

And keep us

from being tempted.’”

--Luke 11:1-4 (CEV)

The Contemporary English Version of our bible has this worded a little differently that the King James Version we may be more used to, but the context is the same.  And they both stress how God, through Jesus, wants us to know we can call Him our Father.

It should be obvious that all of this is to our benefit, in this life and in the next.  I mean, who could possibly have a better father than Almighty God?!?  But it also carries with it a bit of obligation on our part.  Primarily in this regard, Jesus says we should show love just as our Father loves.  The Apostle Matthew recorded Jesus telling us who we should love, and why, in verses 43 through 48 of the 5th chapter of his Gospel account, during Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount…

43 "You have heard people say, 'Love your neighbors and hate your enemies.' 44 But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. 45 Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And He sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong. 46 If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for this? Even tax collectors love their friends. 47 If you greet only your friends, what's so great about this? Don't even unbelievers do that? 48 But you must always act like your Father in heaven."

--Matthew 5:43-48 (CEV)

It seems kind of natural for children, especially little boys, to want to do the things their Dads do.  How many of you guys wanted to shave while watching your Dad shaving?  Jesus is telling us to act like our heavenly Dad.

God is impartial.  He makes the sun to rise on the good and the evil.  He sends the rains to those who do good and to those who do wrong.  He pours His love over all the earth.  And He wants all of mankind to be with Him forever.

This is God’s love, our Father’s love.  And this is the love He wants us to show others… even our enemies, even those who hate us, even those who would harm us if they could.  We can show our love by honoring our Father’s wishes and helping others come to know Jesus, so that they can also be with God forever.  So that they can call Him Father, too.

Fathers, let’s enjoy our special day and cherish the ones who made us fathers.  And let’s all celebrate our fathers.  For most of us here today, our Dads only live in our memories, but we can still honor him.

Happy Father’s Day to Dads everywhere, and an extra thank you to those men, like Joseph, who accepted the role of father to a child not their own.  And let’s not forget those mothers who also served as fathers for their children.  Happy Father’s Day to you all!

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

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for giving us fathers.  They protect us, provide for us, and show us how to do things.  Sadly though, Father, not all men who father children are very good fathers.  Please remind all men of the great importance of being a good father to their children, of being a great Dad even to a child not of their own blood.  You are a great Father, and a great example for all men.  You provide for all our needs and then give even more.  You love us even when we are unlovable.  You forgive us even when we refuse to forgive.  Please help us follow Your example of impartial love.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment so that each of us can speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your and our Lord’s commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, thank You for reminding us that we believers are all children of God.  We all have the same Father in heaven.  And He loves us all.  Thank You for showing us that we should act like our heavenly Father with respect to others, and how we should act in our daily walk.  We know that we struggle to love all others, and find it most difficult to love the people who hate us.  Please help us remember that our love should be impartial, just as is God’s love.  Please help us love as You love: selflessly, unconditionally, sacrificially.  Help us show Your love and God’s love as we reach out to others, sharing Your words and Your works, telling them all about You.  Help us carry out the mission You gave us, seeking the lost sheep and leading them to You.

Holy Spirit, 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.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this world might offer.  All this we pray in the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Show Kindness

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 14th of June, 2026.  If all went well, a recording of the service may be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams for the older services or https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch3115/streams for later services.]

We know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, but then His parents took Him to Egypt to escape the killing of all male children under two years of age that Herod ordered.  When Herod died and they returned to Israel, they settled in Nazareth, in the region of Galilee.  There, the boy grew into a man, often teaching in the synagogues of the region.

In the 4^th chapter of his Gospel account, the Apostle Luke tells us that Jesus left Nazareth after the residents there attempted to put Him to death for His preaching, when He proclaimed that He fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah regarding the Messiah.  He relocated to the city of Capernaum, along the shore of the Sea of Galilee.  It is there that He established and headquartered His ministry.

And when I say it was His headquarters, I mean it is where He and His disciples would return to from their many travels.  For during His ministry, Jesus and His disciples walked all over Israel, even into Samaria, Syria, and Tyre.  They walked everywhere.  Our bible doesn’t say it, but I bet they depended on the kindness of the people they interacted with for help with finances and meals.

 

Once, after one of their journeys of teaching and preaching and healing, they returned to Capernaum where some friends brought a crippled man to Jesus to be healed.  Jesus did this by telling the man his sins were forgiven, to the consternation of the Pharisees who witnessed it.  As Jesus and His disciples were walking back to their meeting house, they passed by a tax collector’s booth.  Please listen and follow along to what happened next, as recorded by the Apostle Matthew in verses 9 through 13 of the 9^th chapter of his Gospel account, and I’ll be reading from the Easy-to-Read Version of our Holy Bible again this morning…

9 When Jesus was leaving, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the place for collecting taxes. Jesus said to him, “Follow Me.” So he got up and followed Jesus.

10 Jesus ate dinner at Matthew’s house. Many tax collectors and others with bad reputations came and ate with Him and His followers. 11 The Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with these people. They asked His followers, “Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and other sinners?”

12 Jesus heard them say this. So He said to them, “It is the sick people who need a doctor, not those who are healthy. 13 You need to go and learn what this Scripture means: ‘I don’t want animal sacrifices; I want you to show kindness to people.' I did not come to invite good people. I came to invite sinners.”

--Matthew 9:9-13 (ERV)

 

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for marshaling all the events in Jesus’ life and ministry to teach us how we should act and react in similar situations.  Jesus cared about the people and showed how much You care, too.  Father, You want us to be kind to other people, no matter how they might treat us.  But this is hard for us.  Too often our feelings get in the way, our pride gets the better of us.  When someone hurts us, we want to hurt them back.  So we thank You all the more, Father because You forgive us and keep loving us, giving us chance after chance to do better.  Please help us be more faithful in following Your word and showing Your love.  Remind us that it’s our job to love others, to show kindness toward them.  Help us be more like Your Son Jesus in our walk through this life.  This we pray in the beautiful name of our Lord Jesus.   Amen.

 

The little Bits and Pieces magazine once told that,  “Mamie Adams always went to a branch post office in her town because the postal employees there were friendly.  She went there to buy stamps just before Christmas one year and the lines were particularly long.  Someone pointed out that there was no need to wait in line because there was a stamp machine in the lobby.  ‘I know’, said Mamie, ‘but the machine won't ask me about my arthritis.’”

It costs little to show kindness to another, but can bring great reward.  Very often, showing a little kindness can go a long way in winning loyalty.

Today in the Word magazine reported that, “British statesman and financier Cecil Rhodes, whose fortune was used to endow the world-famous Rhodes Scholarships, was a stickler for correct dress - but apparently not at the expense of someone else's feelings.  A young man invited to dine with Rhodes arrived by train and had to go directly to Rhodes's home in his travel-stained clothes.  Once there he was appalled to find the other guests already assembled, wearing full evening dress.  After what seemed a long time Rhodes appeared, in a shabby old blue suit.  Later the young man learned that his host had been dressed in evening clothes, but put on the old suit when he heard of his young guest's dilemma.”

An act of kindness when none was really necessary.  A man in Rhodes' position could just as easily have ordered his young guest to go clean up and change.  Instead, he showed kindness by lowering his own image to more closely mirror that of his guest.  Humble kindness is a trait we all should adopt.

 

Jesus healed a man by forgiving his sins and the Pharisees got angry.  He had a meal with some tax collectors and others that were considered sinners, and the Pharisees got angry.  Pretty much anything and everything Jesus did angered the religious leaders.  And they weren’t at all kind in their anger.

We have no record of how the Pharisees reacted to their little scripture lesson that night, but I doubt they took it very well.  These were the leaders of the people in religious matters.  They should have been more than familiar with the scripture Jesus quoted.  By the way, that particular passage comes from the prophet Hosea in the 6^th chapter and 6^th verse of the book bearing his name.  I would think that being told what they should have been aware of and practicing would have embarrassed them and made them mad.  God wanted them to be kind, but they just couldn’t force themselves to do so.

 

The prophet Micah penned his book sometime after Hosea wrote his, and it’s possible that what Hosea spoke from God influenced Micah’s writings.  Please hear how Micah echoed and expanded on Hosea’s words, reminding us of the role of kindness in our everyday dealings, as he wrote in verses 6 through 8 of the 6^th chapter of his book of prophecy bearing his name…

6 What must I bring when I come to meet with the Lord?

What must I do when I bow down to God above?

Should I come to Him with burnt offerings

and a year-old calf?

7 Will the Lord be pleased with a thousand rams

or with ten thousand rivers of oil?

Should I offer Him my first child to pay for my wrongs?

Should I sacrifice my very own child for my sins?

8 Human, the Lord has told you what goodness is.

This is what He wants from you:

Be fair to other people.

Love kindness and loyalty,

and humbly obey your God.

--Micah 6:6-8 (ERV)

 

What is goodness?  What does God expect of us?  He expects us to be fair to other people, to love kindness and loyalty, and to humbly obey Him.  Isn’t this love?  Aren’t being fair and kind and loyal all signs of love?

 

Let’s look at one more way we can show kindness and love.  Please hear the instruction of wise King Solomon as he tells us how we should act in verses 8 & 9 of the 31^st chapter of his Book of Proverbs…

8 Speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves. Help people who are in trouble. 9 Stand up for what you know is right, and judge all people fairly. Protect the rights of the poor and those who need help.

--Proverbs 31:8-9 (ERV)

 

Speak for those who are given no voice.  Help those in trouble.  Stand up for what is right.  Judge fairly.  Protect the rights of the powerless.  Be fair and love kindness.

One translation of Micah’s words says we should do justly and love mercy.  This is what Solomon means.  And all of this is what Jesus commands when He tells us to love others.  Showing kindness is showing love.

Let’s go out there and be kind, be merciful, and be forgiving.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

 

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for loving us and forgiving us even when we disobey Your command.  We know what we’re supposed to do, but too often we just don’t.  You’ve set us apart to believe in and follow Your Son, but we just can’t seem to let go of the world and its ways.  Too often we look and act just like everyone else, with nothing to distinguish us from the non-believers.  Thank You, Father, for having mercy on us, even when we aren’t very merciful, for forgiving us when we are less than forgiving.  Father, we know we are guilty of sin.  We know we disobey You.  Please help us remember how Jesus treated people so that we can follow His example.  Remind us of what You expect of us.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment so that each of us can speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your and our Lord’s commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, thank You for freeing us from our sin and offering us eternal life.  Thank You for seeing how thick-headed we are but loving us anyway.  And thank You for showing us how we should act and react with others in our daily walk.  We know we can be a stubborn people, refusing to show kindness when it would be easy to do so, hesitating to forgive someone who really needs forgiveness.  Please help us remember that none of us are perfect, that we all need to be shown kindness at some point or another.  Please help us love as You love: selflessly, unconditionally, sacrificially.  Help us show Your love and God’s love as we reach out to others, sharing Your words and Your works, telling them all about You.  Help us carry out the mission You gave us, seeking the lost sheep and leading them to You.

Holy Spirit, 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.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this world might offer.  All this we pray in the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

 

Judge Not!

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered at Pilgrim Reformed Church on Sunday morning, the 7th of June, 2026.  If all went well, a recording of the service may be available on our YouTube streaming channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch1992/streams for the older services or https://www.youtube.com/@pilgrimreformedchurch3115/streams for later services.]

I have a guilty pleasure to admit: I really enjoy watching Judge Judy on TV.  Judge Judy Sheindlin is a no-nonsense, wise-cracking judicator of televised cases that are kind of similar to what you’d see in a small claims court.  She has a bailiff and, in the later version, a court recorder and an assistant, who happens to be her granddaughter.  And she really was a family judge before she retired.

It’s amusing and quite pleasing to watch her tear into the foolish people who come before her with claims or defenses that are utterly outlandish.  One of her favorite sayings in such instances is, “Don’t pee on my leg and tell me it’s raining.”  But she is an entirely impartial judge, listening attentively to both sides, asking succinct, probing questions, and then rendering a well-reasoned and explained verdict, often providing heartfelt counseling to one or both of the parties.  In other words, she does what a judge is supposed to do in matters of human law.

I’ve mentioned before that the Apostle Paul wanted to visit the church in Rome, but never got around to it.  Reading between the lines of his opening letter to the church, it is apparent that this is not one he started.  But he was anxious to go see them, so he opened his letter with an introduction and a prayer.  And then he delivered a powerful lecture on how all people do wrong in the sight of God.

In our scripture reading this morning, Paul continues this message by noting that many people who consider themselves good are also doing wrong.  Please listen and follow along to the Apostle Paul’s directive in the first 11 verses of the 2nd chapter of his Epistle to the Romans, and I’ll be reading from the Easy-to-Read Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

1 So do you think that you can judge those other people? You are wrong. You too are guilty of sin. You judge them, but you do the same things they do. So when you judge them, you are really condemning yourself. 2 God judges all who do such things, and we know His judgment is right. 3 And since you do the same things as those people you judge, surely you understand that God will punish you too. How could you think you would be able to escape His judgment? 4 God has been kind to you. He has been very patient, waiting for you to change. But you think nothing of His kindness. Maybe you don’t understand that God is kind to you so that you will decide to change your lives.

5 But you are so stubborn! You refuse to change. So you are making your own punishment greater and greater. You will be punished on the day when God will show His anger. On that day everyone will see how right God is to judge people. 6 He will reward or punish everyone for what they have done. 7 Some people live for God’s glory, for honor, and for life that cannot be destroyed. They live for those things by always continuing to do good. God will give eternal life to them. 8 But others are selfish and refuse to follow truth. They follow evil. God will show His anger and punish them. 9 He will give trouble and suffering to everyone who does evil — to the Jews first and also to those who are not Jews. 10 But He will give glory, honor, and peace to everyone who does good — to the Jews first and also to those who are not Jews. 11 God judges everyone the same. It doesn’t matter who they are.

--Romans 2:1-11 (ERV)

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for all the instructions for righteous living contained in our bible.  Father, we know we should be more diligent in following those instructions.  And we know we don’t always do so.  So we thank You all the more for still loving us even when we disappoint You.  Please help us be more faithful in following Your word and showing Your love to others.  Remind us that it our job to love others, not to judge them.  Help us be more like Your Son Jesus in our walk through this life.  This we pray in the beautiful name of our Lord Jesus.   Amen.

In his book, Christianity Today, Stephen Brown wrote:  “It was F.B. Meyer, I believe, who once said that when we see a brother or sister in sin, there are two things we do not know:  First, we do not know how hard he or she tried not to sin.  And second, we do not know the power of the forces that assailed him or her.  We also do not know what we would have done in the same circumstances.”

At a pastor's conference in Spokane, WA, Chuck Swindoll told of being at a California Christian camp. The first day there a man approached him and said how greatly he had looked forward to hearing Dr. Swindoll speak and his delight at now finally being able to realize that desire. That evening Swindoll noticed the man sitting near the front. But only a few minutes into the message the man was sound asleep. Swindoll thought to himself that perhaps he was tired after a long day's drive and couldn't help himself. But the same thing happened the next few nights, and Dr. Swindoll found his exasperation with the man growing. On the last night the man's wife came up and apologized for her husband's inattention to the messages. She then explained that he had recently been diagnosed as having terminal cancer and the medication he was taking to ease the pain made him extremely sleepy. But it had been one of his life-long ambitions to hear Dr. Swindoll speak before he died, and now he had fulfilled that goal.

It's easy to judge someone when we don't agree with them.  It's easy to judge someone when we don’t like their actions or words, when they make us angry.  It's easy to jump to conclusions when we're unaware of their circumstances.  We should probably be careful not to hurt ourselves when we make that jump.

Paul opens our passage this morning with the rather sarcastic question, "So do you think that you can judge those other people?"  When he says "those other people", he means all the sinners he discussed in the first chapter, all those who disobeyed and rebelled against God.  In other words, all human beings.  In the third chapter, Paul will clearly and specifically state that all people sin - all people.  But he also addresses this here, when he points out that, "You too are guilty of sin."  Which, of course, refers to anyone reading or hearing his words, including us today.  We are guilty of the same things we judge other people of, in one way or another.  We have an expression for that: it's the pot calling the kettle black.

OK, so no, we're not murderers.  But Jesus, in His Sermon on the Mount, said that getting mad at someone is the same as murdering them.  Who among us has never been angry with someone else?  We need to remember that any sin is disobedience to God's word, and we have all been disobedient at some time or another.

Then there's the scary statement: God judges all people who disobey Him, and that includes us as well.  If we weren't so stubborn, we could change and be obedient if we truly realized how good and kind God is to us, how quickly He is willing to forgive us and give us another chance to do right.  Nonetheless, we will be judged, we will be punished just as will those who we judge.  For God judges everyone the same.  It doesn't matter who they are.

Now Paul was merely reinforcing what Jesus had already said about judging other.  Please hear what Jesus had to say about this in what we call His Sermon on the Plain, as saved for us by the Apostle Luke in verses 36 through 38 of the 6th chapter of his Gospel account…

36 “Give love and mercy the same as your Father gives love and mercy.

37 “Don’t judge others, and God will not judge you. Don’t condemn others, and you will not be condemned. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give to others, and you will receive. You will be given much. It will be poured into your hands — more than you can hold. You will be given so much that it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you.”

--Luke 6:36-38 (ERV)

If God didn't love us and have mercy on us, we would die in our sin and suffer eternal damnation and torment.  But He does love us, and He showed His love by sending His Son to redeem us.  And all we have to do is repent and follow Jesus.

If we don't judge others, God will not judge us.  If we don't condemn others for what we see as their sinful ways, God won't condemn us for our sinful ways.  If we forgive others, we will be forgiven.

The things is, we don't need to judge or condemn anyone else.  Jesus says they judge themselves, then condemn themselves by their own actions and words.  We just need to forgive others and show mercy.  For what we give will be given us, what we show will be shown us, and more.

Don't judge, don't condemn, just forgive.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for loving us and having mercy on us, even when we sin.  We have this bad habit of judging others for the things they do, when we do the same things ourselves.  We jump to conclusions without giving the benefit of a doubt.  And then we wonder why You don’t punish them right there on the spot.  Thank You, Father, for having mercy on us, even when we aren’t very merciful, for forgiving us when we are less than forgiving.  Father, we know we are guilty of sin.  We know we disobey You.  Please help us remember that any time we point a finger at someone else, there are four other fingers of our own hand pointing right at us.  Help us be more merciful in our dealings with others, less judgmental, more forgiving.  Remind us of what You expect of us.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment so that each of us can speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your and our Lord’s commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, thank You for taking our sin upon Yourself.  Thank You for seeing our disobedience but loving us anyway.  And thank You for offering us Living Water and eternal life if we only believe in and follow You.  But Lord, we can be a stubborn people, refusing to show mercy to all, hesitating to forgive.  Sometimes we jump to conclusions, giving no benefit of a doubt.  Please help us remember that we have our own sins to deal with so we don’t need to worry about the sins of anyone else.  Please help us love as You love: selflessly, unconditionally, sacrificially.  Help us show Your love and God’s love as we reach out to others, sharing Your words and Your works, telling them all about You.  Help us carry out the mission You gave us, seeking the lost sheep and leading them to You.

Holy Spirit, 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.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this world might offer.  All this we pray in the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.