Be Humble Now, Exalted Later

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday, the 18th of September, 2022, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Our YouTube streaming channel is: 

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.]

I’ve mentioned before how Jesus used parables to explain concepts to the people that they would otherwise have trouble understanding.  He took advantage of this practice quite often.  In fact, leading up to our scripture reading today, Jesus had been traveling through the cities and villages healing the people and teaching them, relating the kingdom of heaven to them through parables.

It was during this time that He told us to try our best to follow the narrow way, using part of the wedding feast that some of us learned about in our first movie night.  Once the Master of the house has locked the door, there’s no getting in.  Instead, the Master will say, “Get away from Me, for I don’t know you.”  The people would have gotten the point without further explanation.

All this leads up to the exchange we’ll look at today.  Jesus is back in Jerusalem now and has been invited to a dinner party at, of all places, the home of a Pharisee.  Now remember that the Pharisees constantly tried to trap Jesus, to catch Him doing something wrong.

Please listen and follow along to how Jesus interacted with the host of this dinner and with the other Pharisees and scribes in attendance.  The Apostle Luke recorded this for us in chapter 14 of his Gospel account, verses 1 through 14, and I’ll be reading from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible this morning…

1 One Sabbath day Jesus went to eat dinner in the home of a leader of the Pharisees, and the people were watching Him closely. 2 There was a man there whose arms and legs were swollen. 3 Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in religious law, “Is it permitted in the law to heal people on the Sabbath day, or not?” 4 When they refused to answer, Jesus touched the sick man and healed him and sent him away. 5 Then He turned to them and said, “Which of you doesn’t work on the Sabbath? If your son or your ox falls into a pit, don’t you rush to get him out?” 6 Again they could not answer.

7 When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, He gave them this advice: 8 “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? 9 The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!

10 “Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. 11 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

12 Then He turned to His host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” He said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. 13 Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”

--Luke 14:1-14 (NLT)

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for ensuring that even now, nearly 2000 years after Your Son walked this earth, we still have His teachings to learn from.  We may need a little help understanding the parables that Jesus used to reach the people, but we have His words and we have His examples and You give us insight and understanding into them all.  Thank You, gracious God, for saving all that is in our Bible for us!  Forgive us, please Father, when we fail to read and study Your word as we should.  Forgive us when we don’t take the time seek Your guidance and insight.  Please help us better understand the lessons in our Bible.  And Father, please protect us from Satan and from those who carry out his evil works.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand the message You have for us this day.  Remind us to be more humble, not only before our fellow man but especially before You.  This we pray in the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

Prolific writer and philosopher John Ruskin once said, "I believe the first test of a truly great man is his humility.  I do not mean by humility, doubt of his own power, or hesitation in speaking his opinion.  But really great men have a feeling that the greatness is not in them but through them; that they could not do or be anything else than God made them."

Inventor Samuel Morse was once asked if he ever encountered situations where he didn't know what to do.  Morse responded, "More than once, and whenever I could not see my way clearly, I knelt down and prayed to God for light and understanding."

Morse received many honors from his invention of the telegraph but felt undeserving: "I have made a valuable application of electricity not because I was superior to other men but solely because God, who meant it for mankind, must reveal it to someone and He was pleased to reveal it to me."

Throughout human history, many great people have shown true humility, giving all the credit for their successes and accomplishments to God.  Inventors, athletes, diplomats, physicians, innovators, and so many others humbled themselves before God and before man and did great things.  Some, like Ruskin and Morse, are famous for what they did, but many others we’ll never even know about.

And then we have the flip side: the proud.  They take personal credit for everything, even for stuff they had no hand in.  They might get away with it for a while, but eventually it will catch up with them, either in this life or the next.

The first six verses of our scripture reading may not seem to pertain to the subject of humility, but I think they do.  This dinner party was on the Sabbath, the holy day of rest.  We can find numerous instances in the Gospel accounts where the Pharisees accused Jesus, and sometimes His disciples, too, of breaking the Sabbath law by “working”.  Many of those were when He healed someone, often outside the Temple, on the Sabbath.  Once was even for the silly reason of His disciples plucking a few handfuls of grain to eat as they walked along between villages.

And yet, here was a Pharisee hosting a dinner on the Sabbath, one attended by other Pharisees and their scribes, the legal experts.  Anyone who has ever hosted a dinner, for even a few guests, knows how much work goes into it.  Whether the host does it or not, someone is having to do a lot of work to get it all ready and served.

So here were all these men, who frequently accused Jesus of breaking the Sabbath, enjoying the labors of someone breaking the Sabbath on their behalf!  Hypocrites all!  Jesus even point this out when He asks, “If your son or your ox falls into a pit, don’t you rush to get him out?”  Of course they would!  And of course they refused to answer.

These men were not at all humble, not in the least.  Jesus watched as they scurried around, each one trying to take one of the seats of honor nearest the head of the table.  So He spoke up and gave them a very good reason why they should choose one of the least desirable seats, at the foot of the table.  They won’t be embarrassed if asked to vacate their seat for someone of higher esteem, and instead may be honored by being told to move up closer to the host.  This is excellent advice!  I wonder how many took it.

Then Jesus offers a little insightful advice to the host.  Rather than inviting all his well-off friends and those in positions of rank and authority who would simply repay the favor at some point or another, he should invite those people who could never repay him, who are barely able to feed themselves, let alone put on a lavish feast.  Doing so will result in a reward from God in the next life.

And these are great, practical lessons for us as well.  We should never seek to be honored, but to honor God in all we do.  We should not act out of an expectation of being rewarded, but out of love and in service to God.  We should be humble now, in this life, so that we will be exalted by God in the next.

As I mentioned in our invocation, the call to exercise humility is given frequently in our Bible.  The Apostle Peter echoes Jesus' instruction to be humble when he quotes King Solomon as I did in our invocation, in chapter 5 of his 1st letter to the early church, the last part of verse 5 and verse 6…

5c “God opposes the proud

but gives grace to the humble.”

6 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time He will lift you up in honor.

--1 Peter 5:5c-6 (NLT)

The Apostle James, the brother of Jesus, also encourages humility, in verse 10 of chapter 4 of his letter to the early church, when he says…

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor.

--James 4:10 (NLT)

Be humble now and exalted later.   Perhaps the Apostle Paul says it best, in the 2nd chapter of his letter to the Philippians, verses 3 through 11...

3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.

6 Though He was God,
He did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7 Instead, He gave up His divine privileges;
He took the humble form of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When He appeared in human form,
8     He humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

9 Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor
and gave Him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

--Philippians 2:3-11 (NLT)

Most of this was in our congregational reading earlier.  The part I added encourages us not to be selfish or to spend time and effort trying to impress other people.  Instead, we should be humble, considering the interests and needs of others as much if not more than our own.

Jesus gave us many examples of humility through His parables and teachings.  But the greatest example He gave was through how He lived His life while on this earth.  Even though He was still God while in human form, He gave up His equality with God, He gave up all His divine privileges.  Instead, He took on the form of a slave, a servant, and was born as any human is born.  He humbled Himself in obedience to God the Father.  He died a criminal’s death upon that cruel cross, even though He was guilty of no crime, of no sin.

And then God raised Him from the dead and elevated Him to the place of highest honor: God’s own right hand.  At the name of Jesus when He returns, every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every voice will proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord.  All to the glory of God, our heavenly Father.  This is humility, and its reward.

So family, be humble now, and be exalted by God when we stand before Him.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for lifting Jesus to the place of highest honor.  His is the name above all names, our Lord and Savior.  Thank You, Father, for showing us how Your Son lived His mortal life so that we can learn from His example.  Father, too often we hesitate to put the needs of others ahead of our own wants and needs.  Sometimes we let pride get in our way of doing what is right.  Sometimes we’re too proud to get in there and do the dirty work that is needed to accomplish Your will.  Forgive us, Father, our moments of pride, our lapses in humility.  Forgive us when we seek credit for what we’ve done rather than give You all the credit that You so rightly deserve.  Please, loving Father, help us remember what You have told us in Your word.  Remind us that our true reward awaits us after this earthly life has ended.  Help us be humbly patient in this life.  And Father, please help us remain strong, faithful, and true through all that we face in this age.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, so many times during Your ministry You emphasized the importance of being humble.  And not only that, but You also exemplified humility in how You lived Your own life on this earth.  Thank You, Lord, for giving us so many great examples to live by.  Please, Lord, help us be more humble in all we do.  Please help us defer any expectation of reward until we stand before our Father God.  Forgive us when we hesitate to give God credit for what He allows us to do, for what He accomplishes through us.  Remind us that we are nothing, we could do nothing, if not for God.  And Jesus, please heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another.  Help us remain trusting and obedient no matter what we go through.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Coming Home

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday, the 11th of September, 2022, Homecoming Sunday at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Our YouTube streaming channel is: 

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.]

Our Lord Jesus’ ministry on this earth lasted only three years before He left us to go back to His heavenly home with His Father God.  During those three short years, He taught the people, both by His words and through His actions.  His actions included healing all manner of illnesses, curing folks of their diseases and disabilities, restoring sight and hearing and speech, even raising people from the dead.  In this He taught that He was not just an ordinary man, but a divine being sent from God, for no ordinary – or even extraordinary - man could do what Jesus did.

And Jesus taught with His words.  His best lessons were presented using word pictures.  Jesus spoke to the people in words they could understand, using examples they could relate to.  He told stories of farming and shepherding and fishing – occupations the people knew.  He told parables, because He knew even His closest disciples would have trouble understanding the truth of heaven and the ways of God.

One of those stories was about coming home.  He painted a word picture of a homecoming on earth, to illustrate our future homecoming in heaven.  Please listen and follow along to the words of Jesus as recorded by the Apostle Luke in chapter 15 of his Gospel account, verses 11 through 32, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. 13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’

20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

25 “Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’

28 “But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. 29 So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends. 30 But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’

31 “And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32 It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’”

--Luke 15:11-32 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for the promise of welcoming us home with open arms.  Even though we have sinned and not obeyed You as we should, even though we may not have used our lives as You would have had us do, You will still welcome us as Your children because of our faith and our acceptance of Your Son Jesus as our Lord.  Thank You, loving Father, for being so merciful.  Forgive us, please Father, when we fail to live in a manner pleasing to You.  Forgive us when we hesitate to give of ourselves in Your service.  Please help us be better sons and daughters.  Remind us that we are Yours and that we owe everything to You.  And Father, please protect us from Satan and from those who carry out his evil works.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand the message You have for us this day.  Show us the true meaning of the words Jesus spoke.  Give us just a glimpse of the home that awaits us.  This we pray in the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

Award-winning writer, filmmaker, travel guide and storyteller Phil Cousineau has looked at the joys and challenges of going home.  Are you familiar with the epic poem the “Odyssey” written by the ancient Greek poet Homer?  Cousineau tells us that the “Odyssey” is a story "about the awakening of a man who has not quite appreciated his wife, Penelope, and who has upset the gods who are wreaking havoc on his effort to get home again.  After his time with Circe, Odysseus goes down into the underworld to find Tiresias, the sage, who tells him: You can get home again but you will have to suffer.  The gods will make it difficult for you to do this. You will have to curb your desires and the desires of the men in your crew.  This is the psychological insight:  It’s your desires that have kept you from getting home again."

The “Odyssey” takes place just after the Trojan War, which lasted ten years.  Homer memorialized some of the heroes and exploits of that war in his other famous poem, the “Iliad”.  But in the “Odyssey”, Homer dwells on the trials of Odysseus as he struggles to make his way back home after the war, a journey that takes another 10 years.

One of the main themes in this story is homecoming, and in this case, how difficult it can sometimes be to make it home again.  Native North Carolinian, Thomas Wolfe, wrote a book titled, You Can’t Go Home Again, explaining that the home we find won’t be the home we remember.  Odysseus did finally make it home, and enjoyed a good homecoming, but his desires and lusts for the things of this world made that journey home a very difficult one.

Do our worldly desires make it difficult for us to look forward to going home?  Does our grasp of this world and all its charms result in our fear of death?  Family, this earthly tent must be destroyed before we can be given a new, permanent, heavenly one.

So we all know the story of the prodigal son.  And actually, we still see it played out today, especially in American society.  We have a lad who is too bored with the status quo.  The farm (or the factory or school or whatever he is supposed to be working at) holds no attraction.  He wants to go out and experience what the world has to offer.  So he hits up Dad for his share of the family inheritance and heads off to do just that.  And as do most people who suddenly come into wealth, he quickly burns through all the money and resources he was given.  He wasted it all on human, earthly pleasures.

Did you know that “prodigal” means “wasteful”?  The prodigal son wasted away everything.  Everything but the love of his father, that is.  When he finally saw the error of his ways and desperation set in, he returned home, expecting the worst, hoping to just be treated as one of the servants and given food and a decent place to rest.  Instead, he was greeted like a returning prince.  His father’s love had not diminished one iota.

Odysseus enjoyed a successful homecoming, and so did the prodigal son.  And I think it fair to say that both men let their earthly desires get in the way of coming home.  In the “Odyssey”, Odysseus is eventually reunited with his wife, Penelope.  In the parable of the prodigal son, the son is reunited with his loving father, who forgives and forgets everything the son has done.  They both made it home.

Family, our homecoming awaits us.  We not only have a new body to look forward to, but also a new place to live, something far different and better than this world we inhabit today.  Please listen to what Jesus tells us, as recorded by the Apostle John in his Gospel account, in chapter 14, verses 1 through 4 and 19 through 24…

1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.”

22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?”

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.”

--John 14:1-4, 19-24 (NKJV)

If we love Jesus, we will keep His word and His Father will love us, too.  His Father will adopt us and become our Father.  This is what happened when we accepted Jesus as our Lord and Master.  And they have a very special place ready and waiting for us for when Jesus returns to this earthly realm and calls His church home.

Family, we are prodigal sons and daughters.  We have all, at some time or another, wasted part of this wonderful life God has given us.  We’ve wasted opportunities to reach out to others, to serve our Lord by giving fully of ourselves. We’ve been mesmerized and drawn by the pretty, shiny, sparkling things of this world, pulled away from the things of heaven that really matter.

But our Father loves us.  He will still welcome us home when it is our time because we have accepted His Son as our Lord.  He will greet us with a broad smile, take us into His arms, and have a great feast prepared for us.  And He will say, “Welcome home, My child.”  Welcome home.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for a glimpse into what You have in store for us.  You promise that all who believe in Jesus as Your Son, Your Christ, and who follow His voice will be saved from eternal death and punishment.  And we believe, Lord; we believe.  Thank You, Father, for Your love and mercy.  Father, too often we fear what the future might hold.  We think of this world as our home and we set our anchor here.  We love You and believe You but sometimes we’re just afraid to let go.  Forgive us, Father, when we don’t put all our faith and trust in You.  Forgive us when we just can't loosen our grasp on the world, when we refuse to let go of earthly things that bring us pleasure.  Please, loving Father, help us remember that You love us no matter what we do.  Keep reminding us that our home is with You and Jesus, not here on this earth.  And Father, please help us remain strong, faithful, and true through all that we face in this age.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You told beautiful stories that the people could relate to so that they could better understand the things of heaven.  Thank You, Lord, for sharing these stories with us today.  Sometimes, though, we need a little help grasping the full meaning because our times and our ways are so different.  Please, Lord, help us see the pictures You painted with those words You spoke to the people.  Forgive us when we hesitate to let go of the things of this world.  Forgive us when we fail to give the things of heaven our top priority.  Guide us through this life as You guided Your disciples, so that we might better do our Father’s will.  Remind us that our true home is in heaven with You, and not on this earth.  And Jesus, please heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another.  Help us remain trusting and obedient no matter what we go through.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

A Living Sacrifice

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday, the 4th of September, 2022, Labor Day weekend at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Our YouTube streaming channel is: 

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.]

The ritual of blood sacrifice had been practiced by humans long before Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt.  For thousands of years, man has sacrificed animals, and even other humans, upon both makeshift and ornate altars to appease their gods.  In the Old Testament days of our Bible, especially in the Book of Leviticus, the Jewish people were instructed to make very specific offerings and perform very specific sacrifices for the forgiveness of their specific sins.  But a blood sacrifice was necessary for the full atonement of sin of the soul.

And then Jesus came into our world.  He who was without sin, the pure and Spotless Lamb, was given up as the last blood sacrifice needed for the redemption of mankind.  The author of the Letter to the Hebrews says, “By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”  (Hebrews 10:10 (NKJV))  “Once for all” – one time for all mankind.  No longer is a blood sacrifice needed for the atonement of our sin.

So where does that leave us?  What can we place upon the altar to please God?  Will grain or oil or even our money suffice?  Micah says no.  The prophet tells us that our Lord requires us to “do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly” with our God.  This requires a different kind of sacrifice, a living sacrifice.

Please listen and follow along to what our unknown author wrote in his Letter to the Hebrews, those Jewish believers in Jesus, from chapter 13 verses 1 through 8 and verses 15 and 16, and I’ll be reading from the New Living Translation of our Hoy Bible this morning…

1 Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. 2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! 3 Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.

4 Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.

5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,

“I will never fail you.

I will never abandon you.”

6 So we can say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper,

so I will have no fear.

What can mere people do to me?”

7 Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith.

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

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

--Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 (NLT)

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for offering up Your own Son as the last blood sacrifice needed for the atonement of our sin.  You sent Jesus to save us from our sin, to save us from ourselves.  Thank You, gracious God, for loving us this much.  Forgive us, please Father, when we fail to act in a manner worthy of Your love.  Forgive us when we hesitate to sacrifice even a little to please You.  Please help us act more justly, more righteously, in all we do.  Remind us that You require us to be forgiving and merciful, just as You have forgiven us and shown us great, undeserved mercy.  And Father, please protect us from Satan and from those who carry out his evil deeds.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand the message You have for us this day.  May the instructions in our scripture reading inspire us to act righteously in all our interactions with others.  Help us make those sacrifices that please You.  This we pray in the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

Every year in Alaska, a 1000 mile dogsled race known as the Iditarod, run for prize money and prestige, commemorates an original "race" run to save lives.  Back in January of 1926, six-year-old Richard Stanley showed symptoms of diphtheria, signaling the possibility of an outbreak in the small town of Nome.  When the boy passed away a day later, Dr. Curtis Welch began immunizing children and adults with an experimental but effective anti-diphtheria serum.  But it wasn't long before Dr. Welch's supply ran out, and the nearest serum was in Nenana, Alaska - 1000 miles of frozen wilderness away.  Amazingly, a group of trappers and prospectors volunteered to cover the distance with their dog teams!  Operating in relays from trading post to trapping station and beyond, one sled started out from Nome while another, carrying the serum, started from Nenana.  Oblivious to frostbite, fatigue, and exhaustion, the teamsters mushed relentlessly until, after 144 hours in minus 50-degree winds, the serum was delivered to Nome.  As a result, only one other life was lost to the potential epidemic.  Their sacrifice had given an entire town the gift of life.

History.com has a very interesting and informative article about this amazing delivery, this “Great Race of Mercy”.  The run, covering just over 674 miles of some of the harshest terrain imaginable, took only five-and-a-half days to complete.  And while 20 men and 150 dogs participated in the relay, the only fatalities were four dogs that died of exposure, giving their lives that others might live.  All the survivors experienced problems we could expect from extended exposure to sub-zero weather, near blizzard conditions, and treacherous footing.  These men and their dog teams made a huge sacrifice, without hesitation, so that the people of Nome, Alaska could live.

Our author in his letter to the Hebrew believers gives us a number of living sacrifices we can make.  We can continue to love each other as brothers and sisters.  And I believe there is a secondary message in this.  Siblings often quarrel, don’t they?  Brothers and sisters don’t always get along.  But they still love each other.  They’ll always be brothers, they’ll always be sisters.  This is how we’re supposed to be, we brothers and sisters in Christ.  We’re going to argue and quarrel and not always get along the best in the world.  But we are supposed to always love each other.  Yes, it may be difficult at times, but this is what brothers and sisters do.

Getting back to our list of living sacrifices, we should also show hospitality to strangers, especially since we don’t always know exactly who, or what, we’re dealing with.  And let’s not forget those in jail or prison, or those being unjustly mistreated.  We need to put ourselves in their place, as if we were there, feeling their pain as if in our own bodies.

Honor the institution of marriage – biblical marriage – and remain faithful to one another.  Don’t love money or the things money can buy, but instead be content with what we have.  Look at those who have done good in and with their lives, and follow their example.  And finally, offer a continual sacrifice of praise to God through Jesus.

Now around ten years before this letter was written, the Apostle Paul sent a letter to the church in Rome introducing himself and his doctrine.  Paul also spoke of sacrifice, in verses 1 and 2 of chapter 12 of this Letter to the Romans, when he said…

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice — the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

--Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)

We should give our bodies to God, making of ourselves a holy, living sacrifice.  Jesus gave His mortal life for us, but God is not asking this of us.  He wants us to give up our worldly behavior, the customs of the world, letting Him and His Holy Spirit transform us into the new person by changing how we think, how we view things.

One complaint that has often been levied against the church is that there seems to be no difference between Christians and anyone else.  If a non-believer encounters us, can they see that we are different from themselves or their peers?  No, they can’t, not if we haven’t yet let go of the world and its ways.  We have no choice other than to live in the world, but we don’t have to be of the world.

Most of us still have a lot of work to do in this area.  Me included.  We’re not complete yet, we’ve not quite reached the spiritual maturity Paul often speaks of.  We’ve a ways to go before becoming Christ-like.  But hopefully we are striving in that direction.  And giving of ourselves as living sacrifices goes a long way in achieving this.

The Apostle Peter, in his 1st letter to the early church, offers this encouragement in chapter 2, verses 4 and 5…

4 You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple. He was rejected by people, but He was chosen by God for great honor.

5 And you are living stones that God is building into His spiritual temple. What’s more, you are His holy priesthood. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.

--1 Peter 2:4-5 (NLT)

We are coming to Christ, becoming more like Christ.  Jesus is the living – and yes, He still lives – the living cornerstone of God’s temple.  And we are also living stones, stones that God is setting together as He builds His spiritual temple.  This is not a brick and mortar structure but a gathering of our spirits into the Kingdom of God, all in the name of Christ Jesus His Son.  So let us continually offer spiritual sacrifices that please our Father God.

Family, this may be Labor Day weekend, but we should never pause our labors for the Lord.  Making of ourselves a living sacrifice requires us to do the work He assigned us, making sacrifices as needed, even if it means sacrificing our leisure time.  Enjoy time with family and friends, but also offer up a sacrifice of praise to God.  And if the opportunity arises to show that we truly are different from the world, take it.  If the chance comes up to make a living sacrifice for someone else, to serve God by helping another, then jump on it.

Let’s give of ourselves, and please God.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for sending Your Son to this earth, that through His sacrifice we might be redeemed.  The blood of the Spotless Lamb washes us clean and atones for our sin.  Thank You, Father, for having mercy upon us poor sinners.  Father, too often we hesitate to offer ourselves to You as living sacrifices, giving of ourselves in Your service.  Too often we appear indistinguishable from the rest of the world.  Sometimes we think too much about our own wants and needs rather than the needs of others, even of our own brothers and sisters in Christ.  Forgive us, Father, during these times when we displease You.  Forgive us when we just can’t let go of the world.  Please, loving Father, help us remember Your word, to live by it.  Keep reminding us of the sacrifice that was made to free us from the shackles of sin.  And Father, please help us remain strong, faithful, and true through all that we face in this age.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You made the ultimate sacrifice – taking the beating we deserved and then giving of Your own mortal life for the atonement of our sin.  Thank You, Lord, for always obeying Your Father.  And thank You most of all for loving us so much.  Please, Lord, help us show You and our Father God our love by making of ourselves living sacrifices in service to You.  Please help us realize what it is, what we can do, that pleases God the most.  Forgive us when we hesitate to do what we should do.  Pick us up, and forgive us when we stumble over the things of this world.  Remind us that our true home is in heaven with You, and not on this earth.  And Jesus, please heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another.  Help us remain trusting and obedient no matter what we go through.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Of Trust and Faith

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday, the 28th of August, 2022, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Our YouTube streaming channel is: 

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.]

For the longest time, people thought that the Apostle Paul authored the Letter to the Hebrews.  I’ve even seen older print versions of our Bible that title the book, “The Apostle Paul’s Letter to the Hebrews”.  And while there are many resemblances to the style of what we know for sure to be Paul’s writings, there are also many dissimilarities in both style and theology.  For instance, Paul usually appeals to his own apostolic authority in his letters, but the author of Hebrews references that of others who were eye-witnesses of Jesus’ ministry.  At this point, I think it safest to say that only God knows for sure who actually authored this letter.

The intended readers are pretty obvious, though, being those Jews who had come to believe in Jesus as the Messiah.  And the overall theme of the letter is also pretty clear: the superiority of Jesus Christ and of Christianity.  The author sets forth the argument proving that Jesus is superior both in His person and in His priesthood.  And because of that superiority, we should have no problem putting all our trust in the Lord.  Our faith is based on this, that Christ Jesus is superior in His person and as our great High Priest.

The passage I’d like to look at this morning speaks of our faith using stories that the Hebrew converts would have been very familiar with.  And we today know those stories, too.

Please listen and follow along to what our unknown author wrote in his letter to the early Hebrew believers in Jesus, from chapter 11 verse 29 through chapter 12 verse 2, and I’ll be reading from The Living Bible version this morning…

11:29 The people of Israel trusted God and went right through the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground. But when the Egyptians chasing them tried it, they all were drowned.

30 It was faith that brought the walls of Jericho tumbling down after the people of Israel had walked around them seven days as God had commanded them. 31 By faith — because she believed in God and his power — Rahab the harlot did not die with all the others in her city when they refused to obey God, for she gave a friendly welcome to the spies.

32 Well, how much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah and David and Samuel and all the other prophets. 33 These people all trusted God and as a result won battles, overthrew kingdoms, ruled their people well, and received what God had promised them; they were kept from harm in a den of lions 34 and in a fiery furnace. Some, through their faith, escaped death by the sword. Some were made strong again after they had been weak or sick. Others were given great power in battle; they made whole armies turn and run away. 35 And some women, through faith, received their loved ones back again from death. But others trusted God and were beaten to death, preferring to die rather than turn from God and be free — trusting that they would rise to a better life afterwards.

36 Some were laughed at and their backs cut open with whips, and others were chained in dungeons. 37-38 Some died by stoning and some by being sawed in two; others were promised freedom if they would renounce their faith, then were killed with the sword. Some went about in skins of sheep and goats, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in dens and caves. They were hungry and sick and ill-treated — too good for this world. 39 And these men of faith, though they trusted God and won His approval, none of them received all that God had promised them; 40 for God wanted them to wait and share the even better rewards that were prepared for us.

12:1 Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up; and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us.

2 Keep your eyes on Jesus, our leader and instructor. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy He knew would be His afterwards; and now He sits in the place of honor by the throne of God.

--Hebrews 11:29-12:2 (TLB)

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for giving us so many examples of how faith is rewarded.  It is by our faith that we are saved – sometimes in this life but definitely in the next when we will be spared eternal punishment and instead will be with You forever in paradise.  Thank You, gracious God, for giving us the faith to believe, the faith to keep striving in this life.  Forgive us, please Father, when we fail to exercise our faith.  Forgive us when we hesitate to share our faith with others who may be in dire need of understanding what faith can do for them.  Please help us reach out to those in need of being saved.  Remind us that we are all fallen and in need of a Savior.  And Father, please protect us from Satan and from those who carry out his evil works.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand the message You have for us this day.  Show us how our faith builds and strengthens our trust.  Encourage us as we place all our trust in You.  This we pray in the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

Sadly, we also don’t know the author of this little poem about trust, but it goes like this:

Trust Him when dark doubts assail thee,

Trust Him when thy strength is small,

Trust Him when to simply trust Him

Seems the hardest thing of all.

Trust Him, He is ever faithful,

Trust Him, for His will is best,

Trust Him, for the heart of Jesus

Is the only place of rest.

That speaks volumes, doesn’t it?  When we start having doubts, when our strength fails us, when doing so seems like the hardest thing we could do… that is the time to put all our trust in Jesus.  He is ever faithful, always doing what He says He will do.  And He truly is our only place of rest, especially in this world filled with turmoil and unrest.

Trust fully in Jesus.  We won’t be disappointed or abandoned.

Our passage spoke a lot about faith, but just what is faith, from a Biblical viewpoint?  Our author explained this a little earlier in this letter, as he opened the chapter that I began reading from.  In chapter 11 and verse 1 of this Letter to the Hebrews, our author writes…

11 What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead.

--Hebrews 11:1 (TLB)

The certainty that what we hope for, what we long for, is there up ahead, even though we can’t see it.  A slightly different version calls faith the evidence of things unseen.  I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “blind faith” somewhere along the line.  Faith is blind.  We can’t see tomorrow, but we are certain – absolutely certain – Jesus will return some bright tomorrow and call His church home.

This is faith.  And through faith we gain so much.  Faith allows us to trust in the one in Whom we have faith, Who gives us faith.  And faith gives us strength when things seem hopeless.

Listen to what the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth in the 1st chapter of his 2nd letter to the Corinthians, verses 8 through 10…

8 I think you ought to know, dear brothers, about the hard time we went through in Asia. We were really crushed and overwhelmed, and feared we would never live through it. 9 We felt we were doomed to die and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us, for He can even raise the dead. 10 And He did help us and saved us from a terrible death; yes, and we expect Him to do it again and again.

--2 Corinthians 1:8-10 (TLB)

Paul and his companions thought their time was up, that they were doomed and about to die.  So through their faith, they put everything in God’s hands.  They put all their trust in God and He saved them.  God saved them in this life, and we know He spared them everlasting punishment in the next.

If we trust in God, trust in Jesus, our faith will be rewarded.  Wise King Solomon understood this, for in Proverbs chapter 3, verses 4 through 6, he tells us…

4-5 If you want favor with both God and man, and a reputation for good judgment and common sense, then trust the Lord completely; don’t ever trust yourself. 6 In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success.

--Proverbs 3:4-6 (TLB)

In this day and age, I think we might only find favor with godly, righteous men when we put all our trust in the Lord.  The world thinks we’re crazy for believing in God and Jesus, or even in heaven and hell.  They only put faith in themselves and other people, in things they can see, things that can be proved.  We know their faith is misplaced.  We see them being led down the wrong path.  When we put all out trust in God and put Him first, He will lead us in the way we should go, and reward us for our faith.

Our faith is a gift from God.  It’s up to us whether to take advantage of that gift or not.  If we use our faith, exercise it by doing what God would have us do, we will see how easy it really is to put all our trust in the Lord, and we will be rewarded for our efforts.  We will be rewarded for our faith.  Our reward may or may not come in this life, but definitely in the next.

I like to think we receive rewards in this life, too, for I and I believe many of you have been in a situation like Paul and his traveling companions, when all seemed lost and death loomed near.  And then God reached out and snatched us from the very jaws of doom and saved us.

God is good.  Jesus saves.  Have faith, and trust in the Lord.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our blessed redeemer.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for giving us the faith to believe even in what we cannot see.  Our faith allows us to put all our trust in You, for You are ever faithful.  Thank You, Father, for so wonderful and precious a gift.  Father, too often we let our faith grow weak or even go dormant.  Sometimes we fail to act on our faith, exercising it, using it, sharing it with others.  Sometimes we just feel hopeless, yet we still do not give everything over to You.  Forgive us, Father, when our trust waivers.  Forgive us when we begin to fear the unknown instead of trusting You to get us through anything.  Please, loving Father, help us be as courageous and trusting as Paul in our journey through this life.  Keep reminding us that we are in Your hands, and that our future is secure.  And Father, please help us remain strong, faithful, and true through all that we face in this age.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You are ever faithful.  Everything You ever said would happen did, so we can put all our trust and faith in You and Your word.  You are the Son of God; You are God.  In You we glory.  Please, Lord, continue to guide us in the path we must walk.  Please help us remember and understand the examples You gave us by how You lived Your own life.  Forgive us when stray off that straight and narrow path.  Remind us that our only way to the Father is through You, through our belief in You and our acceptance of You as our Lord.  And Jesus, please heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another.  Help us remain trusting and obedient no matter what we go through.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

The Four Horsemen

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday, the 21st of August, 2022, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Our YouTube streaming channel is: 

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.]

The Apostle John was an old man, imprisoned on the island of Patmos for preaching the Gospel and for his testimony about Jesus.  One particular day – our Bible says it was the Lord’s day – John was in prayer, in the Spirit, when he heard a voice coming from behind him, a voice like the sound of thunder.  “Write in a book what you see”, the voice commanded, “and send it to the seven churches that are in Asia.”

Now we know from the Apostle Paul’s writings that letters and communications sent to one church were passed around and read by many.  And we know that these were also saved for us today.

This book, then, is the revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave to show the servants of Jesus what must shortly take place.  We simply call it the Book of Revelation, for in it, the end of the age is revealed.

The opening chapters of the book put forth the authority under which it was written, and that authority was Jesus Himself.  And He addresses each of those seven churches in turn, letting them know where they have pleased Him, and where they have failed.

And then Jesus Himself appears, taking a more active role in the revelation.  He is seen by John as the Spotless Lamb, sacrificed for the redemption of mankind.  And He is seen as the only one worthy to open the seals that hold the fate of mankind.

Please listen and follow along to what the Apostle John was shown and what he recorded in the 6th chapter of this Book of Revelation, verses 1 through 8, and I’ll be reading this from the New English Translation of our Holy Bible…

1 I looked on when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a thunderous voice, “Come!” 2 So I looked, and here came a white horse! The one who rode it had a bow, and he was given a crown, and as a conqueror he rode out to conquer.

3 Then when the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come!” 4 And another horse, fiery red, came out, and the one who rode it was granted permission to take peace from the earth, so that people would butcher one another, and he was given a huge sword.

5 Then when the Lamb opened the third seal I heard the third living creature saying, “Come!” So I looked, and here came a black horse! The one who rode it had a balance scale in his hand. 6 Then I heard something like a voice from among the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat will cost a day’s pay and three quarts of barley will cost a day’s pay. But do not damage the olive oil and the wine!”

7 Then when the Lamb opened the fourth seal I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come!” 8 So I looked and here came a pale green horse! The name of the one who rode it was Death, and Hades followed right behind. They were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill its population with the sword, famine, and disease, and by the wild animals of the earth.

--Revelation 6:1-8 (NET)

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for revealing to us what we can expect to see as our world begins its decline.  You truly blessed us in that our Bible has been kept and saved for us for all these centuries.  Thank You, gracious God, for making sure that we and our children and their children have Your word, Your instructions, and Your warnings to live by.  Forgive us, please Father, when we fail to spend more time in Your word.  Forgive us when we hesitate to believe all that we read.  Please help us understand how important our Bible is to us.  Remind us that it contains examples and instructions we need to follow, as well as signs that show us what to expect next.  And Father, please protect us from Satan and from those who do his bidding, trying to divide us and tear apart Your family of believers.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand the message You have for us this day.  Help us be better prepared for what is to come.  Help us keep our faith strong and vibrant in the days ahead.  This we pray in the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Redeemer.   Amen.

Pollster George Gallup, in his book Religion in America, wrote that, "The belief that Jesus Christ will return to earth someday is held by 62 percent of all Americans."

That book was published in 1987 - 35 years ago.  I wonder what the numbers would be today.  My guess is that a lesser percentage hold to that belief.  But even 35 years ago, nearly four out of every ten Americans did not believe in the second coming of Jesus.  And if they did not believe in His return, then they certainly didn’t believe He would judge everyone who ever lived.

Well, family, Jesus is coming back, and He will judge us all for what we have done, and not done, in our life.  Those who don’t believe it, who won’t believe it, will be horribly disappointed to learn the truth.

We’ve all heard of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.  They are prominent figures even in the secular world, even among those who won’t believe anything else in the Bible.  They signify the end times, the coming of the end of the world, the destruction of all we know, the beginning of the end.  We believers know their arrival to be a sign of our Lord’s return to set things right.

Jesus opened the first seal and a white horse appeared.  It’s rider carried a bow and was given the crown of a conqueror and he rode out to conquer.  For most of the church’s history, this rider was thought to be Jesus Himself, conquering death and spreading the Gospel across the land.  But for the last few hundred years, many have come to believe this is the Antichrist, let loose in the world to conquer as many lost souls as he can.  And many believe the rider simply signifies war in general, that has plagued mankind for all his history and for all the death and destruction it brings.  When we look at the destructive nature of the other three horsemen, this rider being the Antichrist, or simply war itself, is far more likely.  This is a conqueror of mankind, the very symbol of military conquest, the first destructive force let loose upon the world.

The second seal is opened and a fiery red horse is revealed.  Its rider is given a large sword and granted permission to take all peace from the world.  Imagine a world without peace, with people literally butchering one another, violence everywhere, nowhere to be safe, nowhere to find peace.  Sounds a little like some of our larger cities today.

The third seal is opened and a black horse comes in, its rider carrying a balance scale to measure out meager resources.  This is famine, where food shortages will drive up the cost of everything we need to survive.  Have you checked prices in the grocery store lately?

The Lamb opens the fourth seal and a pale green horse appears.  Death rides upon this horse, and Hades, the resting place of the dead, follows close behind, ready to snatch up the dead.  This is the only rider given a name, and the only rider carrying nothing in his hands.  Death needs no weapon, for he is given authority to kill a fourth of the earth – man and beast – through any means he wishes, even using the wild animals of the earth.

Death and destruction, famine and disease, all let loose upon the earth.

There have been many, many times over the last two thousand years when people have looked at the current events and the signs and proclaimed that the end is near.  And each time they’ve been wrong.  The Apostle John himself noted that the events he reported would happen shortly.  Of course, “shortly” to God could easily be thousands and thousands of years to man.  So the end still may come soon.

And I can’t help but feel that it will be sooner, rather than later.  Can’t we see some of these horses riding across our world today?  War, famine, disease, violence and mayhem running rampant through our streets.  The cost of everything we need to survive going up and up, getting closer to out of reach of many.  Has Jesus already opened the first four seals?

You may want me to answer that question with a resounding, “No”, but instead I have to say, “Maybe”.  Maybe we are now in the times that were shown to John, as God prepares to send His Son back to the earth.  It is true that we are not to know the day or the hour when Christ will return, but our Bible is our best source of information in all things, especially as regards Jesus.  Listen to the warning Jesus Himself gives, as saved for us by the Apostle Matthew in the 24th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 1 through 8…

1 Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. 2 And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.” 

--Matthew 24:1-8 (NKJV)

Nation has risen against nation, kingdom against kingdom, all throughout human history and again now, today, with the threat of the whole world possibly being engulfed into war.  Food shortages, deadly diseases, and natural disasters plague mankind and the whole earth.  And these are only the beginning of sorrows.  There are more seals to be opened, more bowls to be poured out, more calamity to befall mankind.

But remember that Jesus says not to let any of this trouble us.  For all these things must come to pass!  All these horrors must occur.  All these lives must be lost.  For this is the will of God and His righteous plan must be worked through to its finish.

We who believe should be encouraged by the signs of the times, not fearful.  We who believe that Jesus will return to the earth should see what is going on around us as a signal that our Lord’s second coming may be rapidly approaching.

Yes, He will judge us all, the good and the bad.  But we who believe and have accepted Jesus as Lord will be spared eternal damnation.  We will be allowed to live forever in paradise with our Lord and Master, with our God.  The troubles and woes we experience today will vanish once Jesus calls His church home.

So let the four horsemen ride.  It only means that our Lord’s return is approaching.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for again for all You have given us in our Bible.  This is our user’s manual, our guidebook, passed down through the generations, preserved for thousands of years so that we can read and benefit from it today.  Thank You, Father, for this wonderful blessing.  Father, too often we just don’t spend enough time studying our Bible.  Sometimes we have trouble understanding what You are trying to tell us in a given passage.  Sometimes we just don’t like what we read because it points out our failings.  Forgive us, Father, when we ignore the warnings You left for us.  Forgive us when hesitate to share what we know of Your teachings with others.  Please, loving Father, help us be more obedient.  Keep reminding us that we are Your children, under Your care and Your instruction.  And Father, please help us remain strong, faithful, and true through all that we face in this age.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You are the Spotless Lamb, sacrificed upon the cross for the atonement of our sin.  Of all the kingdom of God, only You are worthy to open the seals of mankind’s fate.  Only You are worthy to judge the world.  Please, Lord, may we be worthy of Your love and sacrifice.  Please help us weather the storms of these difficult times we live in, patiently awaiting Your return.  Forgive us when our faith falters, when all the craziness of the world starts to eat away at our armor.  Remind us that all we are experiencing must happen for God’s plan to be fulfilled.  And Lord Jesus, please heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another.  Help us remain trusting and obedient no matter what we go through.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

The Law of the Land

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday, the 14th of August, 2022, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Please note that there was no service on August 7th due to illness in the church.  Our YouTube streaming channel is: 

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.]

The earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus effectively began with His baptism in the River Jordan by John, who we call the Baptist.  From the river, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness, there to be tempted for forty days and forty nights by Satan, and to resist all temptation.  Next we are told that Jesus called His first four disciples – four fishermen: brothers Andrew and Simon and brothers James and John – promising to make them fishers of men.

And then Jesus went throughout all the land, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and illness among the people.  Everywhere He went, crowds quickly gathered and followed Him.  At one point, He led them all up onto a mountainside.  There, with His disciples at His feet and the multitude before Him, Jesus began to teach them all.

Please listen and follow along to a short passage of our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, as recorded for us by the Apostle Matthew in the 5th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 17 through 20, and I’ll be reading this from the Contemporary English Version of our Holy Bible…

17 "Don't suppose I came to do away with the Law and the Prophets. I did not come to do away with them, but to give them their full meaning. 18  Heaven and earth may disappear. But I promise you not even a period or comma will ever disappear from the Law. Everything written in it must happen.

19 "If you reject even the least important command in the Law and teach others to do the same, you will be the least important person in the kingdom of heaven. But if you obey and teach others its commands, you will have an important place in the kingdom. 20 You must obey God's commands better than the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law obey them. If you don't, I promise you will never get into the kingdom of heaven."

--Matthew 5:17-20 (CEV)

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for giving us Your law.  By this we can clearly know when we are doing something that displeases You, we can discern when we are being disobedient, we can recognize when we sin.  And then, because we were never really capable of fully obeying Your law, You sent Your own Son to fulfill Your law, that through Him and His blood sacrifice we might be atoned of our sin and disobedience.  Thank You, gracious God, for giving us another chance.  Forgive us, please Father, when we still struggle to do what is right in Your eyes.  Forgive us when we think Your law no longer applies to us now that we have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus.  Please help us remember what Jesus said regarding Your law.  Remind us of how important it is for us to obey Your commands, even as we believe unto Your Son for our salvation.  And Father, please protect us from Satan and from those who do his bidding, trying to divide us one from another.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind and one purpose in our love, worship, and service, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit within us and better understand the message You have for us this day.  Imprint Your law into our minds and upon our hearts that we may never again fail You in our disobedience.  This we pray in the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Redeemer.   Amen.

Dr. Phil Williams of the Dallas Theological Seminary once noted that, "The law is the light that reveals how dirty the room is, not the broom that sweeps it clean."  That’s a pretty good word picture, I think.  The law is a light that shines into the corners to show us where we need to clean things up a bit, not the tool used for cleaning.

We have laws to show us what is good and acceptable behavior.  A well-ordered society depends upon adherence to the laws of the land.  If we break the law, there are consequences.  Basically, we have laws so that we can try to live together peacefully.  It doesn’t always work that way, because not everyone abides by the law all the time.  And in some small or large way, we all pay the price when anyone breaks the law.

Of course, every now and then, it seems like there is someone who is just untouchable, who can get away with doing pretty much anything they want and there are no consequences for them.  Well, I can promise you that while they may be able to sneak their way around man’s laws, they’ll never be able to fool God.  Listen to what the Apostle Paul had to say about this, in the 2nd chapter of his letter to the church in Rome, verses 12 through 16…

12 Those people who don't know about God's Law will still be punished for what they do wrong. And the Law will be used to judge everyone who knows what it says. 13 God accepts those who obey His Law, but not those who simply hear it.

14 Some people naturally obey the Law's commands, even though they don't have the Law. 15 This proves that the conscience is like a law written in the human heart. And it will show whether we are forgiven or condemned, 16 when God appoints Jesus Christ to judge everyone's secret thoughts, just as my message says.

--Romans 2:12-16 (CEV)

Everyone will be judged according to God’s law, whether they are aware of it or not.  You’ve probably heard the expression, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse.”  Well, ignorance of God’s law does not excuse anyone from obeying it.

But the great thing is that some people just naturally obey God’s law even if they don’t know it.  His law is already written into our hearts by His Holy Spirit when we accept Jesus as Lord.  Our conscience is the voice of the law speaking directly to us, warning us when we do wrong.  With Christ Jesus as our Lord, we are forgiven.  Without Him, we are condemned.

And this last is clearly evident as Jesus concludes His Sermon in chapter 7 of Matthew’s Gospel account, in verses 21 through 23 when our Lord says…

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’"

--Matthew 7:21-23 (NKJV)

“Depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness, for I never knew you.”

How harsh and terrible an indictment is that, coming from the lips of the One who could save you from eternal pain and punishment?  “Get away from me.  You had every chance in this world to obey the law, and yet you purposely chose to disobey it, to ignore it, to do just the opposite and engage in a life of breaking God’s law.  You are judged ‘Guilty’.”

Every organization ever formed by man has its own set of laws, even the nuclear family.  The kingdom of God has laws just like any other land, like any nation on earth.  In this case, though, God gave us the law so we would know when we sin, when our actions, our words, our deeds are not righteous, not pleasing in His sight.

What does it mean to reject His Law, but to reject that we are sinners, to ignore that we sin in the eyes of God?  Are we even capable of keeping God’s law in its fullness?  No, otherwise there would have been no need for Jesus to sacrifice Himself to redeem us.

But if nothing else, God is forgiving and understanding.  Listen to the reassuring words Paul gave the Romans in the 3rd chapter of his letter to their church family, in verses 19 through 22…

19 So the judgment of God lies very heavily upon the Jews, for they are responsible to keep God’s laws instead of doing all these evil things; not one of them has any excuse; in fact, all the world stands hushed and guilty before Almighty God.

20 Now do you see it? No one can ever be made right in God’s sight by doing what the law commands. For the more we know of God’s laws, the clearer it becomes that we aren’t obeying them; His laws serve only to make us see that we are sinners.

21-22 But now God has shown us a different way to heaven — not by “being good enough” and trying to keep His laws, but by a new way (though not new, really, for the Scriptures told about it long ago). Now God says He will accept and acquit us — declare us “not guilty” — if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like.

--Romans 3:19-22 (TLB)

Jesus came to fulfill the law, to give it its full meaning, not to abolish it or change it in any way.  To "fulfill" means to carry out; to perform or do, as a duty; to obey or follow; to satisfy, as requirements or obligations; to develop the full potential of.  Jesus satisfied all the requirements of God’s law on our behalf, as a duty to God.

Some day He will return to this earth to judge us all.  He will be looking to see if God’s law has been written on our heart.  He will know if we have done our level best to obey God’s commands, or if we have ignored them and engaged in lawlessness.

Breaking God’s law will bring dire consequences.  Let’s do our best to obey it.  For this is the law of His land.

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

Let us pray…  Almighty God, thank You for giving us a simple and clear set of rules to live by.  You did not want to see us condemned by our inability to keep Your law, so You sent Your Son Jesus to meet the obligations of the law for us.  Thank You, Father, for loving us enough to give us another chance.  Father, too often we tend to ignore the parts of Your law that are too difficult for us, or that we just don’t want to try to keep.  Sometimes we knowingly, arrogantly disobey You.  Forgive us, Father, when we forget that we are sinners, redeemed only by Your love and grace and the precious blood of Jesus.  Forgive us when we get all wrapped up in ourselves and our own little world and ignore Your command to love others as we love ourselves.  Please, loving Father, help us be more obedient.  Keep reminding us that we are not our own, but are always at Your mercy.  And Father, please help us remain strong, faithful, and true through all that we face in this age.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You through Your Spirit within us, promising to be more obedient to Your commands, and seeking Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You came to fulfill God’s law, to do what we are not capable of doing.  In You, in our belief in You, our acceptance of You as Lord, we find fulfillment in God.  Please, Lord, remain at our side, hold our hand, and guide us through the treacherous waters of this life.  Please help us see and recognize when our behavior is not pleasing to God.  Forgive us when we stray from the straight path You set for us.  Remind us that we too will be judged when our time on this earth is over.  And Lord Jesus, please heal the hurts that separate and divide us one from another.  Help us remain trusting and obedient no matter what we go through.  Help us keep our focus on the things of heaven and the needs of others rather than on anything this life might offer.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Listen to the Voice

 

[The following is a manuscript of my very short devotional delivered on Sunday, the 31st of July, 2022, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was our 5th Sunday service of music and singing.  Our YouTube streaming channel is: 

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.]

In the 4th chapter of his book of Deuteronomy, Moses is warning the children of Israel about a time in the near future when they will be sinning grievously against the Lord.  Because of their arrogance and disobedience, they will suffer God’s wrath.  And then they will turn back to Him, seeking forgiveness.

Please listen to what Moses says in verses 29 through 31, from the New American Standard Bible…

29 But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. 30 When you are in distress and all these things happen to you, in the latter days you will return to the Lord your God and listen to His voice. 31 For the Lord your God is a compassionate God; He will not abandon you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.

--Deuteronomy 4:29-31 (NASB)

As I look around the world today, and even here in our local community, I can’t help but feel that we are beginning to suffer the same fate as those Israelis Moses was trying to warn.  We have become arrogant, we humans.  We are very disobedient of God’s commands.  And I’m sure our sin grieves Him.  He did not send His Son to free us just so we could fall back into slavery to sin!

We need to return to the Lord, we here in these United States.  We can’t truly be that shining city on the hill, the beacon of hope to all the world, until we turn back to God.  To do so, we just need to seek Him again, search for Him with all our heart and all our soul.  We need to listen to His voice, and He will guide us through the storm and back to safety.  Just listen to His voice, and obey His word.

Let us pray…  Father God, speak to us now that we may hear Your still, small voice.  Speak to us and guide us in the path we must walk.  Father, we are here to worship You.  May the words and songs from our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.  All this we pray in the blessed name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.