A Battleground

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 25th of August, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.  Today we also held our back-to-school service, asking the Lord's blessing over our students, teachers, and all school personnel, as well as their gear.]

I will admit that, at first glance, the scripture I am using for today’s back-to-school service may seem a poor choice.  But if you’ll keep an open heart and stick with me, I think you’ll see why it fits.

I want you to picture in your minds a battlefield where a great war is fought, a war for freedom from tyranny and slavery.  One great warrior emerges, a Judge of Israel.  I mentioned last week that God sent His Spirit to touch and help the Judges, giving Samson as an example.  Please listen and follow along to what the prophet Samuel recorded in his Book of the Judges, chapter 3, verses 5 through 11, reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

5 Thus the children of Israel dwelt among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 6 And they took their daughters to be their wives, and gave their daughters to their sons; and they served their gods.

7 So the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God, and served the Baals and Asherahs. 8 Therefore the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel, and He sold them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan-Rishathaim eight years. 9 When the children of Israel cried out to the Lord, the Lord raised up a deliverer for the children of Israel, who delivered them: Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. 10 The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord delivered Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand; and his hand prevailed over Cushan-Rishathaim. 11 So the land had rest for forty years. Then Othniel the son of Kenaz died.

--Judges 3:5-11 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You raised up a great warrior hero in Othniel by sending Your Holy Spirit to help him in battle.  Your servant Othniel delivered the people out of slavery.  Father, today we face a far greater enemy than the King of Mesopotamia.  Embolden us with Your Spirit that dwells within us, Father.  Give us the courage and strength we need in the battle ahead.  Speak to us now, Father, through Your Spirit, with the message we need to hear and heed.  This we pray in the holy name of Your Son Jesus, our Lord.   Amen.


Theologian G. K. Chesterton once noted that:  “Without education, we are in a horrible and deadly danger of taking educated people seriously.”

The great philosopher, Pete Seeger...  OK, so he was actually a folk singer, but Pete posed this question in an interview for Rolling Stone magazine:  “Do you know the difference between education and experience?  Education is when you read the fine print; experience is what you get when you don't.”


Both are indeed true.  We certainly gain experience when we ignore the fine print.  And even though it sounds humorous, I think Chesterton gave us a warning we should heed.  We are in danger of taking educated people, or at least some of them, too seriously.  And for that I’ll point directly at too many of our nation’s public schools and those of higher learning.

For decades now, we’ve sent our children off to prominent universities, only to have them taught that everything they learned at home is hogwash.  There is no God, Jesus was just a man, the entire universe sparked into being entirely by chance and in one big bang of energy and light, out of nothing.  We try to raise our kids right, and the professors tell them we had it all wrong.

And now that attitude is working its way into our public schools.  Case in point: a middle school in California recently handed out a little chart to incoming students that identified three genders:  make, female, and “other”.  And then they included “intersex” with “other”, whatever that is.

Family, we know that God created mankind in His own image and likeness.  Male and female He created us - no “other” nor “intersex”, just male and female.  But if things like this keep up, our children may not know the absolute truth of God and His creation.


I feel the Spirit led me to today’s scripture because we are at war, just as were the children of Israel.  And just like them, we are in a war of our own making, a war that is basically our own fault.  And when I say “our own making”, “our own fault”, I mean modern society, and yes, in a big way, even you and me.

The Israelis turned their backs on God, disobeyed His commands, carried on however they wanted, serving themselves and not God.  As Samuel put it, they did evil in the sight of the Lord.  So God allowed them to be taken into captivity by Mesopotamia.  For eight years the people languished in slavery before they finally remembered God and cried out to Him for help.

God took pity and sent Othniel to judge them, the son of Kenaz, nephew of Caleb.  God’s Holy Spirit touched Othniel, came upon him, and he delivered his people from captivity.  Samuel tells us that then the people, and even the land, enjoyed peace and rest for forty years… once they returned to God!


Family, just like those ancient Jews, we are in a war of our own making.  We have stood by and watched as Satan has taken control of the public sphere, from our courthouses to our seats of government to the schools where we send our children.  Our religious freedom is being stripped away from those public places and relegated to the privacy of our homes and churches.

We are in a war, and we are losing.  The Apostle Paul tells us what we need to do.  Listen to what he wrote in his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 6, verses 10 through 18…

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints...

--Ephesians 6:10-18 (NKJV)

We are at war, and I wonder how many of us realize we are sending our children into the battlefields.  We watch as our grandchildren march off to face an enemy whose cruelty and viciousness is unmatched in history.  Satan is hard at work in our schools, from elementary all the way through college, trying to sway young minds.  He attacks them relentlessly, making the absurd sound reasonable, telling our children that everything we taught them is silly.

We must prepare them for that fight.  We must ensure they have all the tools they need to return to the battlefields of school.  Paul tells us what we need to do.  We can’t leave it all up to preachers and Sunday School teachers and youth leaders.  The equipping of our youth must begin and be continually reinforced in the home.  They must be knowledgeable in God’s word, which they can’t learn at school.  They must understand the Gospel, the Good News of salvation available only through Jesus, and know just what it means to them.  The only offensive weapon Paul offers is the sword of the Spirit, the word of God.  It is crucial we train our children in its use, in its truth.


Othniel was the hero in the battle against Mesopotamia, delivering the people from slavery because God’s Spirit came to him, touched him, gave him strength and courage.  Satan now threatens to take our young ones into slavery, making them slaves of sin.  We must let the Spirit strengthen and encourage us and our children, for the fight we face is for the eternal souls of our youth.

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


Let us pray…  Father God, some of us don’t yet realize that we are at war, but unlike what Othniel faced, our war is spiritual.  Thank You, Father, for providing us the equipment we need for this spiritual warfare.  Thank You for Your Spirit to stand at our side in battle.  Please strengthen us and our children through Your Spirit so that we can withstand Satan’s attacks.

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

Lord Jesus, You know what we are up against in this battle because You faced Satan Yourself.  You also had God’s Spirit on Your side, and You used the sword of the Spirit, God’s word, to fight against the devil.  Thank You, Lord, for showing us how we too can stand in this fight.  Please help us to trust in the Spirit and take strength and courage from Him.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

And now, Heavenly Father, God of all wisdom and knowledge, we come before You this morning to ask Your blessings over our beautiful students, teachers, school staff, and their backpacks.   We give You thanks, Lord, for schools and classrooms, and for all the teachers and students and staff who will fill them each day.  We thank You for school supplies, both traditional and high tech.  But mostly, Father, we thank You for these Your children standing here today who have committed themselves to study and to learning and to teaching in the school year ahead.  Please bless our students with a thirst for knowledge, with an understanding of what they are shown and taught, and with respect for those who selflessly strive to teach them.

Father God, please bless these teachers and staff in their endeavors.  Watch over them in their daily travels to and from school, in their classrooms and everywhere on school grounds.  Please grant them patience, wisdom, and a sense of humor to see them through each day.  Bless them with a wonderful imagination and creativity that they might make the learning experience exciting for our students.  Use them, Lord, to show our children Your love.  Guide them, that they might guide our youth in their travels through life.

Lord, please give all of these Your children health and well-being throughout the year.  Bless the food they eat each day that they be well nourished.  May they be guided by Your love in all they do.  May their faith increase each day that they may grow ever closer to you.  Shield them by Your Spirit that they may withstand the attacks Satan will inflict upon them.  And may their backpacks and bags serve as a constant reminder that the love and care of this congregation family surrounds and enfolds them each school day.

And Lord, may we as a church family understand and accept the responsibility of helping our children grow into righteous young men and women.  Help us show them Your way by the example we live.  May we constantly offer them love, support, encouragement, and prayer for their safety and success.  This we ask as we seek Your blessings, and this we pray in the glorious name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Touched By the Spirit

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 18th of August, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Last week I noted that before Pentecost, God was very particular about who He sent His Holy Spirit to.  We should also understand that during those times, the Spirit did not go to live within those special individuals, but to touch them, to strengthen them for the specific purpose God chose them to carry out, a specific task.  These chosen people were touched by God’s Spirit, but only for a time, for that purpose.

One of the earliest instances of this touching was recorded for us in the writings of Moses, and the purpose was to benefit Moses.  As the leader of the people, Moses was charged with seeing to all their needs, physical and otherwise.  He would judge their disagreements, listen to their arguments, determine between right and wrong.  And it was wearing him down.  So God decided to act and help him out.

Please listen and follow along to what Moses saved for us in his Book of Numbers, chapter 11, verses 16 and 17 and verses 24 and 25, reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

16 So the Lord said to Moses: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you. 17 Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone.”

24 So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord, and he gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tabernacle. 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did so again.

--Numbers 11:16-17, 24-25 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, throughout the history of man, You have touched people of Your choosing by sending Your Holy Spirit to them.  You had a specific task for each to carry out, and Your Spirit helped them do so, strengthening them for the purpose at hand.  And then at Pentecost You sent Your Spirit to live in those who believe in and follow Your Son Jesus.  We are Your chosen, Father, Your elect, and Your Spirit dwells within us.  Thank You for the guidance and strength He gives.  Show us the task You want us to carry out with Your Spirit’s help.  Speak to us now, Father, with Your message and make clear the purpose You have for our lives.  This we pray in the holy name of Your Son Jesus, our Lord.   Amen.


Charles Sell, in his book Unfinished Business, reported the following:

No more convincing evidence of the absence of parental affection exists than that compiled by Rene Spitz.  In a South American orphanage, Spitz observed and recorded what happened to 97 children who were deprived of emotional and physical contact with others.  Because of a lack of funds, there was not enough staff to adequately care for these children, ages three months to three years old.  Nurses changed diapers and fed and bathed the children.  But there was little time to hold, cuddle, and talk to them as a mother would.  After three months many of them showed signs of abnormality.  Besides a loss of appetite and being unable to sleep well, many of the children lay with a vacant expression in their eyes.  After five months, serious deterioration set in.  They lay whimpering, with troubled and twisted faces.  Often, when a doctor or nurse would pick up an infant, it would scream in terror.  27 of the children - almost one third - died the first year, but not from lack of food or health care.  They died of a lack of touch and emotional nurture.  Because of this, seven more died the second year.  In all, only 21 of the 97 survived, most suffering serious psychological damage.


We often overlook just how crucial the touch of another human is in our lives.  How much more so the touch of our heavenly Father, God.  I think we’ve seen the effect on those who rejected God’s touch.  We see it on the news following a mass shooting.  We see it in the violence in our neighborhoods.  We see it in depraved acts against innocent children.

The world needs to be touched by God’s Holy Spirit now, more than ever before.


I remember some years ago there was a TV show called “Touched By an Angel”, in which angels Della Reese and Roma Downey did God’s bidding by reaching out to people and helping them.  The premise was that being touched by an angel could change someone’s life.

And I agree that is certainly possible and true.  But the touch that can change a heart must come from God’s Holy Spirit.  Only He has the power to give new life, renewed life.  Only His touch can soften and change a heart.  But His touch must be recognized, acknowledged, accepted.  And then, great wonders can begin.

We can see this most clearly before Pentecost, and especially in the Old Testament, when God sent His Spirit to touch specific people for specific purposes.  The Spirit came to the Judges, those leaders and protectors of the Jewish people.  One in particular, Samson, was visited at least four or five times.  The prophet Samuel tells us how it began, in his Book of the Judges of Israel, chapter 13, verses 24 and 25…

24 So the woman bore a son and called his name Samson; and the child grew, and the Lord blessed him. 25 And the Spirit of the Lord began to move upon him at Mahaneh Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.

--Judges 13:24-25 (NKJV)

The Lord blessed Samson and the Spirit moved upon him, moved him, strengthened him for tasks that would have been impossible without the power of God’s Spirit at work.  And while God’s Spirit may not have lived within King David, the Spirit either touched David quite frequently or He was always at his side.  Listen to what David wrote in his 51st Psalm, verses 10 through 13...

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.

--Psalm 51:10-13 (NKJV)

David knew just how important it was to have the Spirit with him, helping him, so he pleaded with God not to take the Spirit away.  He also prayed to be upheld by and in the Holy Spirit, to be upheld in righteousness, so that he can help others be converted by the Spirit.  Only the Spirit can convict, only the Spirit can change a heart.


Some folks don’t believe that God or His Spirit “talks” to us.  And I’m not sure I’ve ever heard the Spirit’s “voice”, but I’ve certainly felt His touch, His gentle nudges as He tries to steer me along the right course.  I felt Him twice just this past week, as He showed me ways that I could help benefit the greater community.  Granted, they were very small ways, and they may never realize the results He showed me as possible.  Not all seeds fall on good soil.  But those that do will bear fruit and flourish.

It isn’t necessary for me to know the final results, only that I follow where I am led, and do what I am directed to do.  This is all the Spirit wants, that we follow His lead.  This is what God wants, and why He sent His Spirit to touch us, from the inside, every moment of our lives.

We have been and are still touched by the Spirit.  How should we react?  Do we ignore Him and hope He’ll leave us alone?  Are we fearful that we can’t do what He asks?  Are we troubled that we can’t figure out exactly what it is He wants us to do?  Or do we realize just how blessed we are to have been given such a wonderful gift?

We need to pray, Family, just as David did.  We need to pray for patience and courage and strength and understanding.  We need to pray for clarity into God’s will for our lives, for more light to be shed on the path the Spirit has set before us.  And mostly, we need to pray that God never take His Spirit from us.

Let us walk in the Spirit, as He leads.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, we who believe in and follow Your Son Jesus are so special to You that You sent Your own Spirit to not only touch us and strengthen us, but also to live within us and be our ever constant Helper and Companion, our faithful Guide.  Thank You, Father, for loving us and blessing us this much.  Please speak to us through Your Spirit and guide us in this life, guide us in the direction You want us to go, point us to the tasks You want us to accomplish.  And may You be glorified in all we do.

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

Lord Jesus, it was by Your request that God sent His Spirit to live in us, in all believers, to be our ever present Strength, our Guide, our Helper.  Thank You, Lord, for ensuring that we will never again be alone.  Please help us to follow as the Spirit leads us and accomplish the task that our Father God has set before us.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

The Spirit of God

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 11th of August, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

The Spirit of God…  I’ve noted before that evangelist Francis Chan often refers to Him as “the forgotten God” because we tend to not think about the third person of God as much as we do the Father and the Son.  We used to call Him the Holy Ghost, and some still do.

But God’s Holy Spirit is not a ghost, not just some disembodied wisp of what was once a life.  God’s Spirit is life itself, the bringer and giver of life!  And along with Jesus, the Spirit played a crucial role in the creation of our universe.  And I say “our” universe because God didn’t need it – He created it all for us.

Let’s go back to the very beginning of our existence, back to Genesis chapter 1, verses 1 through 4 and 26 through 28, reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.

And skipping ahead a few days…

26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the wild animals of the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves about on the earth.”

--Genesis 1:1-4, 26-28 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You created all that exists, that it might glorify You.  You created us, and gave us dominion over the rest of Your creation.  You breathed life into us and then gave Your own Spirit to live in those who believe in and follow Your Son Jesus.  Father, thank You for so wonderful a gift.  Thank You for the guidance, comfort, and companionship Your Spirit provides.  Please help us to always heed Your Spirit’s leadings and to glorify each and all of Your three persons.  Now speak to us this morning, Father, and imprint upon us the message we need to hear.  Give us clearer vision into Your will for our lives.  This we pray in the holy name of Jesus.   Amen.


Most of you know I was educated and trained in the sciences and worked as an engineer for much of my adult life.  Yet my scientific background and approach to looking at things around me never changed my firm belief in God as the Creator of all.  This mindset is not unique to me, but is shared by many in the science communities.  For instance, French Mathematician, Lecompte de Nouy, once examined the laws of probability for a single molecule of high dissymmetry to be formed by the action of chance.  De Nouy found that, on an average, the time needed to form just one such molecule that composes our terrestrial globe – our earth - would be about 10 to the 253rd power, or on the order of billions of years.

"But," de Nouy continued ironically, "let us admit that no matter how small the chance, it could happen - one molecule could be created by chance even against such astronomical odds.  However, one molecule is of no use. Hundreds of millions of identical molecules are necessary. Thus we either admit the miracle of Creation, or doubt the absolute truth of science."

And then there is philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, leading figure in the philosophy of existentialism and Marxism, who, as he neared the end of his life, told Pierre Victor: "I do not feel that I am the product of chance, a speck of dust in the universe, but someone who was expected, prepared, prefigured.  In short, a being whom only a Creator could put here; and this idea of a creating hand refers to God."


If we are to accept scientific facts while entertaining certain theories, then we should accept that some of those theories cannot be possible in the physical realm.  According to de Nouy’s research, such is the case for the theory that all of existence – and especially life - happened by chance.  I love his conclusion: we either admit that the creation of this universe was a divine miracle, performed by a Creator, or we disregard all scientific findings.

And then we have Sartre, not necessarily a scientist in the sense of physical nature but definitely a leading proponent of the study of societies and an early practitioner of social engineering.  Yet there was Sartre, knowing his end was near, realizing that his own existence did not come about by chance, but at the hands of a Creator, at the hands of God.


We don’t need science to explain or prove how the universe and all that is in it was created.  We need no proof of God – that’s what faith is all about.  God, in His three persons, set the wheels in motion that brought all there is into existence.  The Holy Spirit hovered over the face of the void, over the surface of the waters, awaiting God’s command.  And God the Creator spoke existence into being.

Jesus was there, too, active in our creation.  When God the Father said, “Let Us make man in Our own image, according to Our likeness”, He wasn’t talking to the angels, because in verse 27 of our reading we see that we were not created in the image or likeness of angels, but of God Himself!  This was God the Father, Jesus His Son, and God’s own Holy Spirit, all at work bringing the universe to life.


God’s Holy Spirit gives life, brings life, is life.  As we continue in this little series, we will see examples of the Spirit breathing physical life into men.  The best example is when the Spirit breathed life back into Jesus and raised Him from the dead.  The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Romans, chapter 8 verse 11, tells us that...

11 The Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead. If the same Holy Spirit lives in you, He will give life to your bodies in the same way.

--Romans 8:11 (NKJV)

The Holy Spirit not only gave life back to Jesus, but if He lives within us, He will give life to us as well!  And that brings up two important points.  The first is the Holy Spirit living within us.  God did not send His Spirit to dwell within mankind until the day of Pentecost, as we see in Acts chapter 2.  Before that, the Spirit only touched certain people as directed by God.  But since Pentecost, the Holy Spirit makes His home within those who believe in and follow God’s Son Jesus.  If we truly believe and accept Jesus as our Lord and Master, then God’s Spirit lives in us.

And the second point is as important as the first.  Because just as the Spirit gave life back to Jesus after His death, He will give life back to us after our death!  This is the promised resurrection, what Jesus promised us, the promise of our hope and faith.


God’s Spirit gives life, brings life, is life.  But neither God nor His Spirit are to be trifled with.  Listen to the warning God gave, shortly after creation, shortly before destroying most of life in the flood.  In Genesis chapter 6, the first part of verse 3, Moses wrote...

3 And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh.”

--Genesis 6:3a (NKJV)

The Spirit will not put up with our foolishness and disobedience forever.  We are mere flesh and blood, not yet immortal, not spiritual or divine - we can be destroyed.


Again God warns us, this time through His prophet Isaiah, in the 1st verse of chapter 30 when He says...

1 “Woe to the rebellious children,” says the Lord,
“Who take counsel, but not of Me,
And who devise plans, but not of My Spirit,
That they may add sin to sin."

--Isaiah 30:1 (NKJV)

The human race is rebellious against our Creator.  We will take counsel from those we consider wise or knowledgeable, or even from those we simply admire, all the while ignoring what God tells us in His word.  We dream up and devise all manner of schemes and plans, without seeking the advice of or direction from the Holy Spirit, God’s Spirit.  We add sin to sin.  How much longer will the Spirit strive with us?


God’s Holy Spirit gave us life, and He can take it away.  If He lives within us, if we truly believe in Jesus as the Son of God and in our hearts accept Him as Lord and do as He bids us, then the Spirit will give us new life after we leave this earth, this life behind.  But for many, that’s an awfully big “if”.

It’s easy to believe in Jesus as God’s Son.  The demons believe that.  Satan knows it to be true.  The hard part, and what makes all the difference, is that our belief must guide our obedience.  We must truly and fully accept Jesus as Lord and Master as well as Savior, doing as He commands us, living as He led us to live by His own example.

The time to fully commit is now, before the final day of harvest.  Surrender to Jesus, surrender to the Spirit of God.  And live again.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, there is no greater gift You could give mankind that Your own Spirit as our personal Guide and Companion.  Thank You, Father, for sending Your Holy Spirit to live in us.  Thank You for helping us find our way when we are lost.  Please speak to us through Your Spirit and guide us in this life.  Please forgive us when we ignore the direction Your Spirit gives.  Help us be more obedient.

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

Lord Jesus, it was by Your request that God sent His Spirit to live in all believers, to be our Guide, our Helper and our constant Companion.  Thank You, Lord, for so beautiful a gift.  Please help us to sincerely follow Your commands and do as You would have us do.  Show us where and how we can best serve You.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

One Body and One Spirit

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 4th of August, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Over the last few weeks we've been looking at what it means to work our Lord's fields, what our part is in this labor, and what some of the rules are that we should follow if we choose to participate.  We also saw how the early church answered this job posting, and some of the rewards for their labors.

Today I would like to conclude this little series and at the same time begin another.  And we'll let the Apostle Paul provide the reference.  Please listen and follow along as I read from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, beginning in chapter 3 with verse 14 and going through to chapter 4 verse 6, from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

3:14 For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height — 19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, encourage you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

--Ephesians 3:14-4:6 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, when we acknowledge Jesus as Your Son and accept Him as our Lord and Master, You adopt us as Your own children.  Father, thank You for bringing us into Your great family.  Thank You for making us heirs of Your kingdom with Jesus.  Please help us do our part in serving You and supporting our extended family, Your family.  And Father, speak to us, speak to our minds and our hearts, that we may hear Your message this day.  Give us a better understanding of Your will for our lives.  This we pray in the holy name of Jesus.   Amen.


The great evangelist D. L. Moody was preparing to have a campaign in England.  An elderly pastor there protested, "Why do we need this ‘Mr. Moody’?  He's uneducated, inexperienced.  Who does he think he is anyway?  Does he think he has a monopoly on the Holy Spirit?"  A younger, yet perhaps wiser pastor rose and responded, "No, but the Holy Spirit has a monopoly on Mr. Moody."

And speaking of ‘Mr. Moody’, he once opened an address before a large audience by holding up a drinking glass and asking, "How can I get the air out of this glass?"  One man shouted, "Suck it out with a pump!"  Moody replied, "That would create a vacuum and shatter the glass."  After numerous other suggestions Moody smiled, picked up a pitcher of water, and filled the glass.  "There," he said, "all the air is now removed."  He then went on to explain that victory in the Christian life is not accomplished by "sucking out a sin here and there," but by being filled with the Holy Spirit.


God’s Holy Spirit indeed held a monopoly on Dwight Moody.  The devil certainly had no chance of getting a piece of Moody, otherwise the great evangelist would never have been able to reach so many people and bring them to the truth, to Jesus.

But what about us?  Does the Holy Spirit have a monopoly over us, or does the world still control a portion of our lives?  Are there still air pockets that we haven’t allowed the Spirit to completely fill?  And why is this even important to us?

Well, for one thing, God’s Holy Spirit works under the full power of God Himself.  Giving the Holy Spirit full reign in our lives is critical for us if for no other reason than the power He wields.  Just last week we read what happened after Peter and John were released from custody when they were arrested for healing a lame man in the name of Jesus!  The Apostle Luke recorded for us just a small taste of the Holy Spirit’s power, in chapter 4 of the Book of Acts, verse 31...

31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

--Acts 4:31 (NKJV)

The whole place shook.  That’s certainly a good reason for us to keep the Holy Spirit on our side, isn’t it?


I think our scripture reading from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians also provides at least part of the answer to that last question of why is all this important.  I chose this passage because it makes a nice bridge between the job we have in serving our Lord and perhaps the greatest reward of our labors: God’s indwelling Spirit.

In this, Paul prays to God that He would strengthen us for our labors with might through His Holy Spirit.  He prays that we might be able to comprehend the love of Christ, even if we can’t understand why He would love us so.  And he prays that we be filled with the fullness of God, filled to fullness by God’s Holy Spirit.

For our part, Paul encourages us to walk worthy of our calling, to be worthy of what God has called us to do.  And how are we to act, while doing this work?  With all lowliness and gentleness, with great patience and long-suffering.  We are to bear each other up, support one another in love.  And we are to strive to maintain the unity of the Holy Spirit, for we are one body – the body of Jesus – and one Spirit – God’s Holy Spirit – lives within each of us!  One body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God who is God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all!


Large families have always been beneficial for agrarian, agricultural societies because it takes a lot of hands to successfully work a farm.  A few weeks ago we saw where Jesus said the fields are white and ripe and ready for the harvest, but the laborers on His farm are few.  So He raised a family to help do all the work.

Each of us here this morning is part of that family, the largest family in the world, the family of Christ Jesus, adopted by our Father God.  We are each members of this church family called Pilgrim.  And our church is part of the greater body of Christ left on earth to do His work.

So we’re not alone in our labors, neither as a church nor as individuals.  We have plenty of company and we can work together.  We have brothers and sisters who are already out in the fields right now, working for our Lord.  Some are planting the seed of God’s word, some are watering and working the soil, helping those new to the faith as they grow and mature.

We’re one big family, one body.  Paul speaks of this in his 1st letter to the Corinthians, chapter 12, verses 12 through 14, when he says...

12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free — and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.

--1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (NKJV)

Christ Jesus – now, today, the post-incarnate Jesus – is one body but composed of many members.  And for any body to work correctly, its members must all do their job.  We are that one body.  We were baptized by the same Spirit into one body, no matter our race or ethnicity or country of origin or station in life.  Paul says we have all been made to drink of that one Spirit - He was poured into us.  Like the example Moody used with the water filling the glass, we are filled by the Spirit.

We are one body, the body of Christ Jesus, tied together by one Spirit, the Spirit of God.  And we are not alone.  Not only are other members of this great family - this body - working alongside us, Jesus also promised to be with us until the end of the age.  God’s own Holy Spirit is in us, is with us all.

So what’s holding us back?  What are we afraid of or worried about?  We are one body and one Spirit.  Let’s get out there and join our brothers and sisters in service to our Lord, empowered by the Spirit within.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we bow in prayer to You, as one family and in one Spirit.  Thank You, Father, for sending Your Holy Spirit to live in us, uniting us.  Thank You for adopting us into Your larger family, making us brothers and sisters of Jesus.  Please lead us to love and help one another as a family should.  Please forgive us when we don’t follow the guidance of Your Spirit within us.  Help us to always show Jesus in all we do.

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

Lord Jesus, there were so many things You tried to teach us while You walked among us.  The most important were that we love and help one another and that we go out and make disciples for You, teaching them all You said and did, and all You still do for us.  Thank You, Lord, for trusting us to carry on Your work here on earth.  Please encourage us, strengthen us, and help us as we labor in Your fields.  And help us bring more workers for the harvest.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

Be Bold!

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 28th of July, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Three weeks ago we saw the help wanted sign Jesus posted in our scripture.  Then the following week, we read through the job description a little.  Last week we looked at what it means to truly work the fields.  Today we'll see how the early church responded to the job offer.

All of our scripture this morning will come from the Apostle Luke’s Book of the Acts of the Apostles, because it gives us our best description and picture of the early church.  Please listen and follow along as I begin with Acts chapter 4, verses 23 through 31, from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said:

‘Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things?
26 The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the Lord and against His Christ.’

27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

--Acts 4:23-31 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, when Peter and John returned to their disciple brothers, they were all so joyful that they lifted their thanks to You in prayer.  They recognized Your authority and control and asked You for the boldness to continue the work Jesus left them.  Father, thank You for saving this scene for us, this example of how we can turn to You for help in our own labors.  Please help us to be bold, too, as we try to share the Good News of salvation with others.

Now speak to us, Father, speak to our minds and our hearts, that we may hear Your message this day.  Give us clearer vision into Your will for our lives.  This we pray in the holy name of Jesus.   Amen.


Michael Cocoris, in his book, Evangelism, A Biblical Approach, shared a short lesson provided by an English preacher who was challenged by his monarch:

Hugh Lattimer once preached before King Henry VIII.  Henry was greatly displeased by the boldness in the sermon and ordered Lattimer to preach again on the following Sunday and apologize for the offence he had given.  The next Sunday, after reading his text, he thus began his sermon: "Hugh Lattimer, dost thou know before whom thou are this day to speak?  To the high and mighty monarch, the king's most excellent majesty, who can take away thy life, if thou offendest.  Therefore, take heed that thou speakest not a word that may displease.  But then consider well, Hugh, dost thou not know from whence thou comest, upon Whose message thou are sent?  Even by the great and mighty God, Who is all-present and Who beholdeth all thy ways and Who is able to cast thy soul into hell!  Therefore, take care that thou deliverest thy message faithfully."  He then preached the same sermon he had preached the preceding Sunday, and with considerably more energy.


Henry the 8th is mostly remember for his many wives, but also for the huge disagreement he had with the Pope in Rome which led to the English Reformation and the founding of the Church of England, of which Henry appointed himself as head.  Evangelist Hugh Lattimer also knew that, as king, Henry held the power of life and death over his subjects, including Hugh.

But Hugh also knew that God is truly the ultimate authority, who holds our very soul, our eternal life in His hands.  So Hugh made the bold move to serve and please God rather than his earthly king.


Let me give you a little background on this morning’s scripture reading.  Peter and John had entered the temple where a crippled man cried out to them for money, for charity.  The man was in his 40's and had been lame since birth.  Having no money to give, they healed him instead.  Our Bible tells us more than 5000 people witnessed this and believed what Peter preached about Jesus.

Of course, all of this enraged the Jewish leaders, who had Peter and John arrested and brought before them.  But they really had nothing they could hold against the disciples, so they forbade them to preach or heal in the name of Jesus anymore, then let them go.

And we read what followed.  The disciples all came together in prayer, giving thanks and asking for boldness to continue their efforts.  And the whole place shook as the Holy Spirit moved among them.


Much like Hugh Lattimer, Peter and John were bold in healing the lame man and preaching in front of that great mass of witnesses, all in the name of Jesus.  The Jewish leadership had surely thought they’d put an end to all this Jesus stuff, but here were His followers, carrying on in His place.

From all this we can see that speaking out for Jesus may carry certain risks in this world.  Paul was quite familiar with those risks.  Almost immediately after his conversion, while he was still known as Saul, the persecutor of the church, he began to preach the truth of Jesus.  When he went with Barnabas to Jerusalem, the rest of the disciples feared him and were not willing to give him a chance at first.  Hear how Luke recorded this incident, in chapter 9 of the Book of Acts, verses 26 through 30...

26 And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28 So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. 29 And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. 30 When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.

--Acts 9:26-30 (NKJV)

The risks of being bold were great in those early days.  Peter and others of the disciples were arrested again, and this time thrown in prison.  But an angel of the Lord let them out during the night and told them to go preach in the temple.  They did just that the next morning, and were arrested once more, again charged with preaching and healing in the name of Jesus after being told not to.  Peter answered that charge quite succinctly, as seen in chapter 5 of Acts, verse 29...

29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.”

--Acts 5:29 (NKJV)

Like Hugh Lattimer, Peter proclaimed that it is far better to speak for God, faithfully delivering His message, since He holds our eternal life in the balance, than to speak what man wants to hear, even if that man holds our earthly life in his hands.


The disciples were released, but only after being beaten and yet again ordered not to speak out in the name of Jesus.  How did they respond?  Listen to what Luke tells us in Acts chapter 5 verses 41 and 42...

41 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

--Acts 5:41-42 (NKJV)

Of course, since God is good, there are rewards for those willing to take the risks of doing the job Jesus assigned us.  We already heard how over 5000 people came to Christ after Peter and John healed the lame man and they heard Peter speak the truth of Jesus.  Listen also to what Luke tells us resulted from all this risk-taking, in Acts chapter 9, verse 31...

31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

--Acts 9:31 (NKJV)

Sometimes we are able to realize our rewards during this life, but sometimes not until the next.  The disciples all suffered greatly in this life, even as they carried out Jesus’ work with boldness.  But Luke tells us that one result of their efforts was that all the churches in the region enjoyed a period of peace and were uplifted by the Holy Spirit.  Not only that, but they grew, in the number of individuals within the churches and in the number of churches being created.  And it all started with two men being bold enough to speak and act in the name of Jesus, no matter the personal cost.


A common complaint among churches today is that we are aging out, our numbers are shrinking.  Young people are not coming in, not staying even after being raised in the church.  But I have to ask, are we going out to them, as Jesus commanded us?  Are we living our lives the way our Bible tells us we should so that others can see Jesus in our actions?

Are we speaking out for truth, for justice, for Jesus?  It’s easy to sit back and complain.  It takes courage to go out and make things happen.  Now is the time for boldness.  Be bold, family, be bold!  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You are the Creator of all, and none can stand against You.  Thank You, Father, for granting us salvation through our belief in Your Son Jesus.  Now please give us the boldness to put our belief into action.  Please forgive us when we are too timid or afraid to speak out, to tell others just what Jesus means to us.  Help us be more bold in our interactions with others.

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

Lord Jesus, before You left this earth to return to Your Father in heaven, You gave us a job to do.  You commissioned us to go out and tell all the world about You, sharing with them all that You said and did.  Thank You, Lord, for promising to always be with us.  Please stand by our side and help us carry on the work You began.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

Working the Fields

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 21st of July, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Two weeks ago we saw the help wanted sign that Jesus posted in our scripture.  Last week we read through the job description a little.  This week we'll take a closer look at what it means to work the fields in a manner that Jesus would find good and acceptable.  And what better way to know what Jesus would want than to hear it from His brother, James.

Listen to what James wrote regarding what I like to think of as some of the rules of working the fields for our Lord.  This comes from the 2nd chapter of James’ letter to the early church, verses 1 through 13, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. 2 For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, 3 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” 4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?

5 Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? 6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. 

--James 2:1-13 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Lord Jesus, just like everything in this life, there are rules to follow even when doing Your work.  We must be mindful that what we do in Your name will be seen as righteous by our Father God.  Father, thank You for guiding us in our labors.  Please help us to be strong and courageous and impartial in our work.  And speak to us, Father, speak to our minds and our hearts, that we may hear Your message this day.  Give us clearer vision into Your will for our lives.  This we pray in the holy name of Jesus.   Amen.


There's a wonderful story from long ago about a Chicago bank that once asked for a letter of recommendation on a young Bostonian being considered for employment.  The Boston investment house could not say enough about the young man.  His father, they wrote, was a Cabot; his mother was a Lowell.  Further back was a happy blend of Saltonstall’s, Peabody’s, and other of Boston's first families.  His recommendation was given without hesitation.  Several days later, the Chicago bank sent a note saying the information supplied was altogether inadequate.  It read: "We are not contemplating using the young man for breeding purposes.  Just for work."


The Chicago bank didn’t care so much about who the young man was, but about what he could do.  And so it is with God, who is not so much a respecter of persons, but accepts those from every family, nation, and race who fear Him and work for His kingdom.  The Apostle Peter first noted this as recorded by the Apostle Luke in his Book of the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 10, verses 34 and 35…

34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him."

--Acts 10:34-35 (NKJV)

If God, the Almighty Creator of everything, shows no partiality, shouldn’t we follow His example?  Early on, Peter was quite prejudiced against the Gentiles.  He thought since Jesus was a Jew that only Jews should have the opportunity of knowing Jesus and being given eternal life.  God showed him just how wrong he was.

In reading the Old Testament, we can see that God had intended for the Jews to minister to the Gentiles all along.  Instead, they got too hung up on the law and on themselves.  God tried to remind them of what was truly important.  Listen to what He said through His prophet Micah in chapter 6 verses 6 through 8 of his book…

6 With what shall I come before the Lord,
And bow myself before the High God?
Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,
With calves a year old?
7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
Ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,
My own child for the sin of my soul?

8 He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

--Micah 6:6-8 (NKJV)

Burnt offerings, animal sacrifices, offerings of oil…  Will any of these atone us of our sins?  No, not even if we were to sacrifice our own child.

What does God expect?  That we do what is right in His eyes.  That we do what is just and right.  That we show love and mercy.  That we are humble in our walk through this life, in our daily dealings.

The great prophet Isaiah gave a similar warning to us.  Hear what God spoke through his prophet in the 1st chapter of the Book of Isaiah, verses 10 through 17…

10 Listen to the Lord, you leaders of “Sodom.”
Listen to the law of our God, people of “Gomorrah.”
11 “What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?”
says the Lord.
“I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of fattened cattle.
I get no pleasure from the blood
of bulls and lambs and goats.
12 When you come to worship me,
who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony?
13 Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts;
the incense of your offerings disgusts me!
As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath
and your special days for fasting—
they are all sinful and false.
I want no more of your pious meetings.
14 I hate your new moon celebrations and your annual festivals.
They are a burden to me. I cannot stand them!
15 When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will not look.
Though you offer many prayers, I will not listen,
for your hands are covered with the blood of innocent victims.
16 Wash yourselves and be clean!
Get your sins out of my sight.
Give up your evil ways.
17 Learn to do good.
Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.
Defend the cause of orphans.
Fight for the rights of widows."

--Isaiah 1:10-17 (NLT)

God is sick of the burnt offerings, the blood sacrifices that His people make without thinking, without feeling.  It isn’t the acts He is tired of, but the manner in which they are carried out, with all the pomp and ceremony.  They are meaningless if they have no meaning to the people doing them.

Instead, what does God want?  That we cleanse ourselves of our sins and get them out of His sight.  That we repent, give up our evil ways and do what is good and right.  That we seek justice, not just for ourselves but for everyone.  That we help the oppressed and stand up for those who are unable or afraid to fight for themselves.


God sacrificed His own Son on our behalf.  He sacrificed the spotless Lamb, once for all time, to atone us of our sin.  He said we don’t need to offer any more sacrifices, but instead we are to be merciful, to defend the defenseless, to act in a righteous manner in all things.

We are to conduct any and all business dealings with honor, respectfully, honestly, humbly, as if dealing directly with God.  We are to treat all people with love, as Jesus loves us.  We are to show no partiality, no concern for race or language or country of origin, no special consideration to the rich or the poor or because of one’s station in life.

In his 2nd letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul says that if we are truly in Christ, then we are a new creation, the old has passed away and been replaced by the new.  This means that once we accept Jesus as Lord, we aren't supposed to just keep doing things the way we've always done them!  It’s no longer business as usual.  And in his letter to the Ephesians, Paul tells us to be kind to one another, be tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgives us.

All of these are our rules for working the fields for our Lord.  In all things, we must act in love, showing the love of Jesus, dealing honestly, setting aside our pride in true humbleness, being merciful even to those who would do us harm, standing up for those who can’t stand on their own.  Because we cannot show other people Christ Jesus if they can’t see Him in us!  Let everyone who sees you see Jesus in action.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, to You, we are all the same.   We are all a part of Your creation.  You place no value on what the world thinks important.  You are impartial.  Thank You, Father, for loving us all the same and giving us all the same chance if we would only believe.  Please give us the strength and the courage to get out there and work Your fields before the great harvest comes.  Please forgive us when we are fearful or hesitant to do so.  Please strengthen us and encourage us in our labors.

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

Lord Jesus, even in Your day the harvest was great and ripe for the picking.  You chose men to help You in that harvest, and then, as You prepared to leave this earth once again, You assigned Your church the mission of carrying on Your work.  Thank You, Lord, for giving us the opportunity to serve You.  Please be with us and help us continue what You began.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

Planting and Harvesting

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 14th of July, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

It’s summertime and we’re in the midst of the growing season.  The ground is prepared and seeds are planted in the spring.  Many crops are harvested in the fall, and the land rests through the winter.

But summertime is a busy time as the fields are cultivated and kept free of undergrowth.  Plants are watered when the rain doesn’t fall.  Some of the crops are picked and enjoyed by many.  It’s a lot of work, but it’s all to bring forth fruit.

Listen to what the Apostle Paul wrote about bringing forth fruit in the 1st chapter of his letter to the Colossians, verses 1 through 14, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 

2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; 7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit. 

9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 

--Colossians 1:1-14 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, Your word in our Holy Bible is not only our user’s manual for this life, it is also a seed, a seed that can bear glorious fruit.  Thank You, Lord, for Your word.  Please help us to plant that seed in others, to carefully tend to it and help it grow.  Help us be faithful gardeners in Your fields.  Now speak to us this morning, Father, that we may hear Your message this day.  Write it upon our hearts.  Give us clearer vision into Your will for our lives.  This we pray in the holy name of Jesus.   Amen.


Henry Abbey, an American poet who lived in the latter half of the 19th and into the 20th century, penned this little poem:

What do we plant when we plant the tree?
We plant the ship that will cross the sea,
We plant the mast to carry the sails,
We plant the planks to withstand the gales —
The keel, the keelson, and beam and knee —
We plant the ship when we plant the tree.


The tallest, mightiest tree starts out as a tiny seed.  When we plant that seed, what we expect to harvest is not only a tree, but what can be made from that tree.  Maybe we envision a simple bench, a roomful of furniture, a house, or even a ship.  But a tree takes a long time to grow, and sometimes the one who planted the seed is not the one who harvests the tree, nor the one who uses the wood to create those marvelous things.

And the same is true for when we plant the seed of Truth, the seed of God’s Word, the seed of the Gospel.  What we hope to harvest is not a Bible, but a believer, a new follower for Jesus.  But we have to understand that it can often take a long time for that seed to take root and grow.  We may not see the harvest in our lifetime.  But that shouldn’t keep us from planting the seed.


Last week we saw the help wanted sign Jesus posted.  This week we'll look a little at what the job entails.  Paul gives us a very good idea of the kinds of fruit we can expect to see by showing us the Colossians.  They have great faith in Jesus Christ, and love for all the saints.  Their hope is laid up in heaven, not based on earthly things or mortal endeavors.  And then comes the kicker.

They are bearing all this fruit because of the seed that was planted in them earlier, and not by Paul but by a fellow minister of Christ, Epaphras.  Paul also notes that this is all pleasing to our Lord: being fruitful in every good work, increasing in the knowledge of God, seeking greater wisdom and spiritual understanding.  Epaphras planted the seed, and Paul is seeing the fruit from that seed.


Seeds are amazing things.  One tiny seed can produce a dandelion, which in turn will produce dozens of seeds, each becoming another dandelion.  So it can be with the seed that is the Gospel, the Word of God.

Someone planted a seed within each of us present here this morning, or we wouldn’t be here.  I don’t know of anyone in the US that hasn’t heard about Jesus somewhere along the line, that they would just happen to walk into a church on a Sunday morning to see what was going on.  Someone worked the soil and planted a seed in us.  Maybe it was our father or mother or some other relative.  Maybe it was a teacher or a friend.

Someone planted a seed that bore harvest when we accepted Jesus.  Someone cultivated and watered the plant.  For some of us, maybe that plant is still growing, hasn’t quite yet quite ripened.  For most, though, the fruits of that planting are visible, the fruits of the Holy Spirit within us – love, joy, peace, gentleness, patience, faithfulness, self-control.

The person who first planted that seed may not have been around for the harvest, but that’s OK.  Jesus says it’s OK.  Listen to His words in the 4th chapter of the Apostle John’s Gospel account, verses 34 through 38…

34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.”

--John 4:34-38 (NKJV)

Jesus says that His sustenance, His food, is to do the will of God who sent Him, to finish His work.  Shouldn’t ours be as well?  Jesus sends us out to finish His work and that should be our primary goal in this life, working His fields.

Jesus also says it doesn’t matter if we are the one who first plants the seed or who later gathers the fruit.  Both the sower and the reaper have entered into the same work, to produce a harvest.  And Paul tells us that both the sower and the one who tends the garden will be rewarded.  Listen to what he wrote in his 1st letter to the Corinthians, chapter 3, verses 5 through 11…

5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

--1 Corinthians 3:5-11 (NKJV)

In this case, it is Paul who planted the seed, and then Apollos came along and tended the garden.  Someone planted a seed within you that is now bearing fruit.  I am helping cultivate the garden, tending the plant that has sprung forth from that seed.

But it’s not up to just me, or my fellow pastors.  Each of us here can plant seeds, each one of us can tend to gardens, each one of us can help pull weeds.  Because weeds will grow up in rich soil.  Anything can be built upon a firm foundation.  We have to do what we can so that only the fruits of the Spirit grow and flourish, so that no other building but Christ Jesus be erected upon the foundations set in place by the Word of God.  The load is lighter when shared, and in this case, the rewards will be equally shared, no matter which labor we help with, once the great harvest is completed.


Be a planter of seeds.  Keep the garden clear of weeds and pests that might damage the growing plant.  Water and tend the garden and help it grow.  Watch the fruits as they come forth and flourish.  And some sweet day we will all share in the wonderful harvest.

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


Let us pray…  Father God, spreading Your truth should be just as important to us as our physical food, just as it was to Jesus.  Thank You, Father, for Your word, saved for us in our Bible.  Please give us the courage to share the Good News of salvation You offer through Your Son Jesus with others.  Please forgive us when we are fearful or hesitant to do so.  Please help us work Jesus’ fields, preparing for the great harvest to come.  Strengthen us, encourage us in our labors.

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

Lord Jesus, nothing was more important to You than to finish Your Father’s work.  Thank You, Lord, for caring enough about us to see God’s work through.  Please help us be good and faithful gardeners, too, whether it is in planting the seeds or tending the fields.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior.  Amen.

Help Wanted

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 7th of July, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

“Help Wanted…  Inquire Within”

Have you ever seen a sign like that posted in a store window?  The store already has some employees, but business is good so they need more helpers.  Did you know that Jesus once put out a Help Wanted sign?  Well, figuratively speaking, perhaps.

Listen and follow along to what the Apostle Luke recorded in his Gospel account, chapter 10, verses 1 through 11 and verses 16 and 17, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. 2 Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. 4 Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road. 5 But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house. 8 Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. 9 And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’"

16 "He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”

17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”

--Luke 10:1-11, 16-17 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You give us Your word in our Holy Bible, everything we need to get through this life and be prepared for our next, eternal life.  Thank You, Lord, for Your great kindness and mercy.  Please help us to study and better understand Your word, and what it really means to us.  Now speak to us this morning, Father, that we may hear and follow Your message this day.  Give us clearer vision into Your will for our lives.  This we pray in the holy name of Jesus.   Amen.


The sign in the store window read: NO HELP WANTED. As two men passed by, one said to the other, "You should apply -- you'd be great."

An exasperated farmer was once heard to exclaim, "The hardest thing about milking cows is that they never stay milked."


Some jobs are easier than others, but all jobs need to be done, and they should be done right.  One often overlooked way we can serve God is in how we perform jobs, especially our normal, daily tasks.  Martin Luther once noted, "The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays, not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors.  The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship."

In his letter to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul tells us, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men...” [Colossians 3:23 (NKJV)]  Whatever it is we do, we should do it the best we can, just like we are doing it for God.


In our scripture reading, Jesus tapped seventy of His disciples and sent them out in pairs to the cities He Himself planned to visit.  Did you know that Billy Graham followed that same example for his crusades?  Rev. Graham would send two of his people into each city on the schedule to do all the advance work in preparing for his visit.  Maybe this is why he was so successful in bringing people to Christ through those crusades, because he closely followed the example of Jesus.  This should serve as a pretty big hint to us all, to do things as Jesus did.

So Jesus sent them out with specific instructions, chief among which was to pray to God for more helpers.  In this Jesus was not only looking to be able to offer salvation to more of the people, but also to increase the number of true disciples that would help bring even more to Him, to redemption and salvation.

The harvest is great, there are so many out there in the world that need to know Jesus as Lord, as their personal Savior, yet there are so few willing to tell them about Him.  And family, if there were not enough workers in Jesus’ day, the odds are stacked even greater against Him now, in this present age.  There are literally billions of people on this earth who may never have even heard of Jesus, or if they have, they don’t know Him, they don’t follow Him.

Of course, little has changed in mankind’s history.  Genesis chapter 8 verse 22 tells us there will be a need for harvest as long as the earth exists.  After the flood, God made this promise…

22 “While the earth remains,
Seedtime and harvest,
Cold and heat,
Winter and summer,
And day and night
Shall not cease.”

--Genesis 8:22 (NKJV)

Yes, God was talking about the physical harvesting of crops, but doesn’t the same hold true for the spiritual harvest as well?  We can see countless references in our Bible of the acts of sowing and reaping being applied to the daily actions and spiritual nature of man.  In Galatians chapter 6 verses 1 through 10, Paul speaks of the harvest that sin produces…

1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load.

6 Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches.

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

--Galatians 6:1-10 (NKJV)

What we sow, we will reap, and not only of the flesh, but of the spirit as well.  If we play with fire, we will be burned.  The question is, do we want to be burned forever?  Do we want our loved ones or our friends to burn forever?

Jesus wants us to help sow His seed now, the seed of truth and righteousness, because there is a great harvest to come.  In Matthew chapter 13, Jesus warns that the final harvest will be at the end of the age, when the angels will reap the non-believers, the lawless, from the earth and cast them into the eternal furnace of fire.  We want to make sure we are among the wheat, and not the tares, the weeds.

Jesus asks that we help prepare others for this harvest.  He sends us out as lambs among wolves.  He commissions us to spread the Good News of salvation, to make more disciples and laborers, before it is too late.


In just a few moments, we will be celebrating our Lord’s last meal as we join together in the holiest of Christian sacraments: Holy Communion.  In his 1st letter to the church in Corinth, Paul cautions us not to come to our Lord’s table in an unworthy manner.  We must examine ourselves, judge ourselves, to be sure we are right with God before we can partake of the body and blood of Jesus.  Otherwise, Paul says, we will be just as guilty of Jesus’ death as those who had Him nailed to a cross.

If we’re holding a grudge, get rid of it now.  If we’re harboring hatred or misgivings, now is the time to cleanse our hearts of them.  Let us take these next moments to pray and repent.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You bless us so richly, and You blessed us most by sending Your Son to us, to die for us so that we might live.  Thank You, Father, for so great a gift.  Please forgive us when we take that gift for granted.  Forgive us when hesitate to do as Jesus commands.  Please help us as we labor in His fields.  Strengthen and encourage us to continue His work.

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

Lord Jesus, it is our greatest desire that when our time on this earth passes and we come to You in our eternal home, that You will welcome us with the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”  Thank You, Lord, for giving us the opportunity to serve You as You prepare for the great harvest to come.  Please help us carry out the mission You set before us, to bring more people into the family of God before the day of that harvest.

This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord, our Master, our Savior.  Amen.