Who Will Enter?

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 27th of September, 2020, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Questioning authority seems to be the norm nowadays.  So many people appear to have little or no respect for those placed in a position of authority over us.  The result is usually hatred and distrust on all sides.  And this questioning of authority is not just between law enforcement and elements of the general public, but increasingly in all aspects of our daily lives, even within the church.

Much of it seems kind of ironic to me.  Consider the person who wants to attend an event at a private club, so they go and wait in line with everyone else.  When they finally get to the head of the line, just short of the door, there’s this big burly bouncer checking names off a list.  “Nope, sorry, you’re not on the list, you can’t come in.”  Do you think that person makes a fuss right there, perhaps picks a fight with the bouncer, or just walks away muttering and cursing under their breath?

Yes, we humans can be inconsistent in how we react to things, and especially we independent minded Americans, for whom questioning authority almost seems to be a God-given right.  But it’s not just us, and it is certainly not a new thing.  Jesus had His authority questioned often in His day.

Let me read to you one exchange between Jesus and the chief priests and elders of the people.  This discussion occurred the next day after Jesus had driven out all those who bought and sold in the temple, where He had overturned the tables of the money changers, proclaiming, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”.  Listen and follow along to what the Apostle Matthew recorded for us in the 21st chapter of his Gospel account, in verses 23 through 32, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

23 Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”

24 But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: 25 The baptism of John — where was it from? From heaven or from men?”

And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.” 27 So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.”

And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

28 “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ 29 He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. 30 Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?”

They said to Him, “The first.”

Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him."

--Matthew 21:23-32 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for all the examples You saved for us in our Bible of how we should react in almost any situation.  The religious leaders of Jesus’ day very often did not react in a manner pleasing to You, and Jesus rebuked them for it.  Yet through Your great mercy, He gave them every chance to do the right thing.  Thank You, Father, for giving us second chances to do right in Your eyes.  Please help us to learn from our mistakes and the mistakes we see others make.  Help us be more righteous and more pleasing in Your sight.  And Father, please protect us from all the effects of the coronavirus and all the troubles of the world around us.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us for this day.  We acknowledge Your authority as our Creator and Sovereign King.  Please help us take guidance, strength, and encouragement from Your Holy Spirit within us.  This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

English minister Alexander Maclaren once noted that...

The caricature of heaven as an eternity of idleness has no basis in Scripture.  Instead, the New Testament conception unites the two thoughts of being with Christ and of service for Christ.  This blending is definitely set forth in the last chapter of Revelation where we read of “those who serve Him, and see His face.”  Here the life of contemplation and the life of active service are welded together as being not only compatible, but absolutely necessary for completeness.  But remember that if there is to be service there, the exercising ground is here.  I do not know what we are in this world for unless it is to apprentice us for heaven.  Life on earth is a bewilderment unless we are being trained here for a nobler work which lies beyond the grave. 

And C. S. Lewis, in his book Mere Christianity, wrote:

"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."

We were made for another world.  We were created with something else in mind.  This place is not our home.  But it is our training ground, where we must prepare for that other world, that better place.  We will not be idle there, nor should we be idle now.  Instead, let us increase our service to our Lord here and now in preparation for an eternity of service and worship to come when we enter heaven.

In our scripture reading, the religious leaders confronted Jesus, asking by what authority He acted.  Rather than answering outright, He offered them a trade: “You answer my question, I’ll answer yours.”  Of course, being the cowards they were, they refused to answer Him, so He refused to address their question.  Instead, He launched into a lesson about who will be allowed entry into the kingdom of God.

He started out making it sound quite simple, asking which son had actually done the will of their father: the one that said he would not go to work, but eventually did, or the one who said he would go, but didn’t.  They answered correctly by saying the first son, and then Jesus had then.

They were the “second son”, who said they would do the will of our Father God, but really didn’t.  John the Baptist came preaching repentance and preparing the way for Jesus, just as their own prophecy foretold, yet they refused to listen, refused to believe.  But the very ones the priests and elders called sinners, they did believe.  They repented and accepted Jesus as Lord and were saved.  And still the religious leaders refused to believe.

Family, this is all about who will enter the kingdom of God, and who will be forever barred.  This was not the first nor the only time Jesus made this point, trying to get those to understand who most needed to.  In fact, Jesus kept trying to push home this truth in the same discussion with these leaders.

Picking up immediately following our message scripture, still in Matthew chapter 21 and continuing with verses 33 through 44, Jesus tells the chief priests and elders…

33 “Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 34 Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. 35 And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 37 Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39 So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

40 “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”

41 They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.”

42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

‘The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.

This was the Lord’s doing,

And it is marvelous in our eyes’?

43 “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it. 44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”

--Matthew 21:33-44 (NKJV)

Again Jesus poses a question to the religious leaders, this time asking how the vineyard owner will react to those who rented his land and then killed his own son.  He will destroy them, they answered, and turn the land over to others who will be more responsible for it.

They – these leaders - were the evil vinedressers.  They kept killing the servants sent by the owner of the vineyard, the true servants of God.  They were supposed to be the ones leading the people in the ways of righteousness, supposed to be good servants of God themselves, yet they refused His Son, and were indeed about to kill Him.  Therefore the kingdom of God will be forever taken from them and given to those more responsible, those who acknowledge and accept God’s Son as Lord.

These people who turned religion and service to God to their own advantage and gain will be forever barred from heaven.  This is a stark warning to all who would use the name of our Lord for their own gain in this life.

Family, we are in dark times right now, made even murkier still by the height of the political season.  All around us, the truth is being stretched thin, evil intentions are being hidden.  And in some cases, true believers are being misled.  Some folks say they’ll do something, but never really intend to, while others promise they won’t do something, but then turn around and do it anyway.  Some do their best to silence the messenger, no matter what it takes.

We must stay strong in our faith.  We must understand what this wonderful book, our Bible, tells us and do what it says, following the examples of righteousness it holds for us.  This book, the words of God and our blessed Savior Jesus, this is the only thing we can put our full trust in.

Let’s do what Jesus tells us so we can enter heaven when our time comes, and not be forever barred.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, our Savior, the one true Son of God.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for our Bible.  Thank You for the words of encouragement and instruction it contains.  Help us, please Father, to trust in Your word.  Help us to act and react in righteous ways to all situations that confront us.  Help us to take courage in these troubling times, and not let all the turmoil overwhelm us and weaken our faith.  And Father, help us be more loving, more trusting, more merciful, and more kindhearted toward others in our daily walk.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You rebuked the religious leaders of Your day for not truly doing the will of God.  Time after time You used little stories to show them where they were going wrong.  But it never sunk in, they never listened.  Forgive us, Jesus, when we act too much like those leaders.  Forgive us when we try to bend our service to God to our own benefit.  Help us, please, to see ourselves in Your parables and fix the broken areas of our lives before we find ourselves barred from heaven.  Strengthen us, Jesus, through these times of great uncertainty.  And Lord, please heal the divisions between us, that creep in and separate us, even within Your church family.  Give us Your heart for loving others.  Help us to love one another as You love us, to see one another as You see us.  Help us remain faithful and obedient through the storms raging around us, concerned more with the needs of others than with our own wants and desires.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Working for God

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 20th of September, 2020, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Since I was sidelined a bit two Sundays ago, I wasn’t able to bring you my annual Labor Day offering.  Elder Jim Neese gave a wonderful message on Jesus’ “Interrupted Sermon”, but I still feel the need to address what the Holy Spirit put on my heart.

So today we’re going to talk about our labors in this life, in our daily walk.  And who better to lead the discussion than one of the greatest, hardest working, most faithful laborers in the early church: the Apostle Paul.

Please listen and follow along to what Paul has to say about working for God, in his letter to the Galatians, chapter 6, verses 1 through 10, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

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)

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for looking into the hearts of every person and discerning our true motives and intentions.  Thank You for ensuring that what is sown shall, in due season, be reaped.  You promise that those who sow goodness will be richly rewarded in Your timing, while those who sow evil will be punished.  Father, please help us to cleanse our hearts of all evil intention and hurtfulness.  Help us be more obedient to Your word and thus more pleasing in Your eyes.  And Father, please protect us from all the effects of the coronavirus and all the troubles of the world around us.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us for this day.  Lay the groundwork for all our future labors, that everything we do be pleasing in Your sight.  And please help us take guidance, strength, and encouragement from Your Holy Spirit within us.  This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

Some unknown wag once noted that there are three kinds of workers.  For example, when a piano is to be moved, the first kind gets behind and pushes, the second pulls and guides, and the third grabs the piano stool.

Now, let me say right up front that this church family is the hardest working I’ve ever seen or been associated with.  When there’s a job to be done, folks jump right in to help share the load.  But how many of us have experienced situations where too many “helpers” just grabbed the piano stool?  And how many times have we seen folks ride on top of the piano while others push and pull?

We can’t all carry the stool, and none of us should be going along for a free ride.  But as we push and pull and carry, let us remember that in all we do, let’s make our labors be for our Lord.  Let’s do the very best we can do, in everything we do.

In our scripture reading this morning, it may seem a little difficult to see how it applies to working for God, but there are many aspects to working other than physical labors.  At its heart, Paul is speaking more on spiritual labors rather than manual.

He begins by telling us it’s our duty to try to help another believer back onto the right path if they’ve gone astray, but to do so gently, kindly, with love.  He says we should bear one another’s burdens.  Now that can certainly mean to help each other with some physical chore if needed, but I believe Paul is more concerned about our spiritual burdens, those loads we carry on our hearts that can weigh us down.  We need to help each other with those loads, if for no other reason than to show our love for one another, as Jesus would have us do.

And then we get to the warning.  Do not be deceived.  Don’t let someone else put the wrong ideas in your head.  God is not mocked.  He cannot be fooled.  He can see into our hearts and He knows us.  He knows exactly what we are, which is not always what we say we are.  Those who do good will be rewarded and those who do evil will be punished; maybe not in this life but in God’s perfect timing.  So anytime we have the chance, we should do good.

Have you ever heard the expression that we should work to live, not live to work?  As a workaholic, too many times in my life I had a tough time remembering that.  Too many times my work, my job, became my life.  My labors were for the wrong things, the wrong reasons.

After the feeding of the 5000, the multitude chased after Jesus, seeking Him.  The Apostle John recorded what our Lord told them, in the 6th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 26 and 27…

26 Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

--John 6:26-27 (NKJV)

Jesus was speaking to me there, and to all of us, but I never heard His words until much later in life.  We shouldn’t waste our life working for things that perish, that rot and decay, that have no true value.  Instead, labor for that which is eternal.  Labor for our everlasting soul and eternity in heaven.

Still someone may ask why must we engage in this spiritual labor when we’re already having to work just to survive.  Why should we work for God?

The Apostle Luke, in the 1st two verses of the 10th chapter of his Gospel account, tells us that Jesus named His 12 disciples, and then…

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."

--Luke 10:1-2 (NKJV)

And now we’ve gotten back to the harvest that Paul also mentioned.  But again, this is more about spiritual labor than physical.  Sure, the apostles were required to physically go out into the villages and cities, preaching the Gospel and proclaiming the kingdom of God, but their actual work was in spreading the Good News of salvation, in reaching out to those whose hearts might be softened enough for the Holy Spirit to enter and do His work.  Their labor was to affect the spirit of mankind.

And if Jesus thought that 70 was not enough workers in His time, how many more are needed today, when the world seems headed toward ruin?  How many more people desperately need to hear about Jesus, to get to know Him personally?  There’s a lot of work to do, and it up to us – Jesus’ church – to do it.

In your bulletin, you’ll see a little exercise I had Dama include.  It talks about our labor for the Lord.  It is a labor of love, and not done in vain.  And it is for eternal things, as Jesus instructs us.

Take a few minutes when you get home and read the referenced scripture for each point.  Let God speak to you, through His Holy Spirit, and tell you what He would have you do for Him.  Let’s work for what is eternal.  Let’s get to work for God.

In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, our Savior, the one true Son of God.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for offering us an eternal reward for working for You, for our labors on Your behalf.  Help us, please Father, to do what is pleasing in Your sight.  Help us to not grow weary in our labors.  Help us to take courage in these troubling times, and not let all the turmoil overwhelm us and weaken our faith.  And Father, help us be more loving, more trusting, more merciful, and more kindhearted toward others in our daily walk.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You specifically sent Your followers out to cities and villages in advance of Your own visits.  Their mission was to prepare the people for Your coming.  Their job was to spiritually ready them for what lies ahead.  This, too, is the mission You have set before us, Your followers, Your disciples in this present age.  We are to prepare the people spiritually for the day when You return to set the world right again.  Our job is to work for You, for the Kingdom of God, for that which is eternal.  We are to rescue the perishing, opening their spirit to You.  Forgive us, Jesus, when we don’t feel up to the task.  Forgive us when we grow weary or when we hesitate out of fear of what others may think of us, or do to us.  Help us, please, to remain strong in our faith and steadfast in our efforts.  Give us Your strength to get through these times of uncertainty.  And Lord Jesus, please heal the divisions between us, that creep in and separate us, even within Your church family.  Give us Your heart for loving others.  Help us to love one another as You love us, to see one another as You see us.  Help us remain faithful and obedient through these troubling times, concerned more with the needs of others than with our own wants and desires.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Homecoming

 

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 13th of September, 2020, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Today is homecoming for Pilgrim Reformed Church, when our relatives or others who have moved on to other churches might return and join us for the day.  Normally, we would all go down to the Fellowship Hall after the service and enjoy a big family lunch together.  And then tonight we would kick-off our revival services, which holds special meaning to me because the first time I ever came to Pilgrim was when my friend and mentor Rev. John Bigelow invited me to come speak at revival in 2011.  Unfortunately, the current pandemic has put an end to all that.  But we can still “come home” to Pilgrim, if not in person then in our hearts.

Let us remember, though, that nothing on this earth is home – not the structures we live in nor even this beautiful family house.  Our true home, our final and eternal homecoming, awaits us.

Please listen and follow along to the insight that the Apostle Paul shares with us regarding homecoming, in his 1st letter to the Thessalonians, chapter 4, verses 13 through 18, and I’ll be reading from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible…

13 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with Him the believers who have died.

15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet Him ahead of those who have died. 16 For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. 17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. 18 So encourage each other with these words.

--1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NLT)

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for the promise and the assured hope of eternal life with You in paradise.  Thank You for the faith to know that Jesus is Your Son and to accept Him as our Lord.  Father, please help us to stay true to Jesus, serving Him in all we do, as we await the day of our great homecoming.  And Father, please protect this church family from all the effects of the coronavirus and all the troubles of the world around us.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us for this day.  Assure us of our reward for faithfully serving You and Your Son Jesus.  Help us keep our faith ever strong through the storms of this life.  And please help us take guidance, strength, and encouragement from Your Holy Spirit within us.  This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.

Inspirational speaker Tim Hansel wrote in his book “Holy Sweat” about a close friend who attended his 40-year high school reunion.  His excitement grew and grew as the date of the reunion neared.  He looked forward to seeing all the friends he once knew, to see how much they had changed, to hear of their accomplishments, as well as seeing all the places he knew as a youth.  His wife became equally enthused as he spoke on and on of those halcyon days.  The night before they left out for the trip, he pulled out his old yearbooks and read all the silly comments and good wishes from those friends so long ago.  And he wondered how many of them had encountered Jesus Christ, who had so profoundly changed him.

When they returned from the trip, he seemed almost despondent when Tim picked them up from the airport.  He called the reunion “one of the saddest experiences of my life”.  In 40 years, no one had changed.  Sure, they had gained weight, they were wearing different styles of clothes, they had different jobs, but where it really mattered, down inside, no one had changed.  No one had become a new creation.  No one knew Jesus as their Lord and personal Savior.

On the drive home, he turned to Tim and said, "I never, never want that to be said of me, Tim.  Life is too precious, too sacred, too important.  If you ever see me go stagnant like that, I hope you give me a quick, swift kick where I need it -- for Christ's sake.  I hope you'll love me enough to challenge me to keep growing."

Tim’s friend was a changed man, a new creation, because of his personal encounter with Jesus.  The Apostle Paul speaks of this in his 1st letter to the church in Corinth, which I’ll read a little later.  But the man was saddened, even despondent, to learn that none of his old friends had yet undergone that transforming experience.  He asked that Tim give him a swift kick if he ever grew complacent in his faith, in his walk through life.

I think we need to do the same, and ask someone to watch over us, ready to kick us back into action.  And maybe we need to apply a few kicks here and there ourselves, where needed, and with great love.  We’ve been changed.  Let’s not slide back to our old ways.

Homecoming…  That word stirs up warm, comforting memories for most of us, memories of those times when all the individual families within the church would come together as one, to sit down and eat together, to laugh together, to catch up on each other’s lives.

Sadly, we can’t do that today, not without risking spreading a horrible disease.  But the word “homecoming” should still elicit warm, comforting thoughts, because God has promised us a great and beautiful homecoming that will surpass any we’ve ever know.  Jesus gave us a very broad clue to this homecoming, as recorded by the Apostle John in his Gospel account, chapter 14 verses 1 through 3…

1 “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me. 2 There is more than enough room in My Father’s home. If this were not so, I would have told you.  I am going to prepare a place for you. 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am."

--John 14:1-3 (NLT)

Did you catch that promise, that hint?  Jesus said, “When everything is ready, when it’s all set up and the timing is just right, I will come and get you so that you will always be with Me.”  He’s talking to the church, and He’s talking about returning to take the church home.  He’s talking about our homecoming.

And He reiterates this promise a little later on, with more detail and an overtone of warning.  The Apostle Matthew recorded this for us, in the 24th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 29 through 31…

29 “Immediately after the anguish of those days,

the sun will be darkened,

the moon will give no light,

the stars will fall from the sky,

and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

30 And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send out His angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather His chosen ones from all over the world — from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven."

--Matthew 24:29-31 (NLT)

Jesus will come on the clouds in all His might and glory.  He will send out His angels and they will gather His chosen ones – His church – from the farthest ends of the earth and of heaven.  And He will take us home.

In the little story at the start, I told of a man who had been profoundly changed by his encounter with Jesus.  The same could be said of the Apostle Paul, profoundly changed by his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus.  Through the special insight Jesus gave him, Paul knew that each person truly touched by Christ would be changed.  He spoke often in his letters of our becoming a new creation when we accept Jesus as Lord.  And in his 1st letter to the Corinthians, chapter 15, verses 50 through 54, he tells us why that change is necessary…

50 My friends, I want you to know that our bodies of flesh and blood will decay. This means that they cannot share in God’s kingdom, which lasts forever. 51 I will explain a mystery to you. Not every one of us will die, but we will all be changed. 52 It will happen suddenly, quicker than the blink of an eye. At the sound of the last trumpet the dead will be raised. We will all be changed, so that we will never die again. 53 Our dead and decaying bodies will be changed into bodies that won’t die or decay. 54 The bodies we now have are weak and can die. But they will be changed into bodies that are eternal. Then the Scriptures will come true,

“Death has lost the battle!"

--1 Corinthians 15:50-54 (CEV)

We who believe, we faithful followers of Christ Jesus, will be changed.  We will be magnificently clothed for our great homecoming.  These frail bodies, irreparably damaged by sin, will be replaced with bodies that sin cannot stain, bodies that will no longer break down, bodies that will not rot or decay.  We’ll be outfitted for everlasting life with Jesus.  And we’ll enjoy the very best homecoming ever.

Let’s keep our faith strong, and our service to our Lord.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Master, our Savior, the one true Son of God.  Amen.

Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for our gift of faith.  Through this we may believe in Your Son Jesus and obey His voice, and be granted eternal life in heaven.  Help us, please Father, to exercise our faith and keep it strong.  Help us to trust in Your word and Your promises.  Help us to take courage in these troubling times, and not let them overwhelm us and fill us with doubts.  And Father, help us be more loving, more trusting, more merciful, and more kindhearted toward others in our daily walk.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, so often during Your ministry on earth, You promised great rewards to those who will believe in You and serve You to the end.  On those promises we place all our hope and trust.  Forgive us, Jesus, for those times when our faith is weak.  We seem under constant assault these days from Satan and his forces.  Help us, please, to be remain strong in our faith.  Give us Your strength and help us through these times of uncertainty.  And Lord Jesus, please heal the divisions between us, that creep in and separate us, even within Your church family.  Give us Your heart for loving others.  Help us to love one another as You love us, to see one another as You see us.  Help us remain faithful and obedient through these troubling times, concerned more with the needs of others than with our own wants and desires.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Show Some Faith

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 16th of August, 2020, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Last week I read the first 20 verses from the 15th chapter of the Apostle Matthew’s Gospel account, where Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for putting their traditions and man-made commandments ahead of God.  In that passage, He also left us with some things to think about, especially as regards how we should live as Christians.

This morning I’m going to pick up from where I left off, as Jesus gives us a little lesson on faith.  Please listen and follow along as I continue in chapter 15 of Matthew’s Gospel account, with verses 21 through 28, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

21 Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”

23 But He answered her not a word.

And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”

24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”

26 But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”

27 And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

--Matthew 15:21-28 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You have given us this wonderful gift of faith, but it is up to us to choose how to use it.  We can exercise it and keep it strong, or we can let the trials of our times fill us with doubts and questions, eroding our faith.  Father, please help us to stay strong and vigilant in our faith.  Help us to place all our trust in You, rather than in our own knowledge or abilities.  Help us to show and share our faith with others.  And Father, please protect this family from all the effects of the coronavirus and all the troubles of the world around us.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us for this day.  Show us how important our faith is to us, how a strong faith can lift our spirits even during the most trying times and the darkest of days.  Help us keep our faith ever strong through the storms of this life.  And please help us take guidance, strength, and encouragement from Your Holy Spirit within us.  This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


Let me quote a few people much more famous than I on matters of faith:

From St. Augustine:  "God does not expect us to submit our faith to Him without reason, but the very limits of our reason make faith a necessity."

New Testament scholar J. G. Machen said, "The more we know of God, the more unreservedly we will trust Him; the greater our progress in theology, the simpler and more childlike will be our faith."

One of the "founders" of the Reformed Church, John Calvin, shared this comforting thought:  "Faith is not a distant view but a warm embrace of Christ."

Thomas Carlyle wrote, "A man lives by believing something, not by debating and arguing about many things."

And finally, evangelist George Muller adds, "Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible.  There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible.  Faith begins where man's power ends."


“Faith begins where man's power ends."  Mankind has come a long way in the last 2000 years in what we can do.  We’ve extended life with medical wonders.  Our scientific investigation of God’s creation has provided much benefit to all of humanity, and much grief as well.  We’ve walked on the moon, and destroyed whole cities.

Yet with all we can do now, we do not even come close to the power God can wield.  In fact, with all our advancements, there is still so little man can do.  And that is why we need God, that is why we constantly seek His help, that is why we must keep our faith vital and strong.


At the end of chapter 14 and into the first half of chapter 15 of Matthew’s Gospel account, Jesus is in Gennesaret, a town not far from Capernaum on the coast of the Sea of Galilee.  But then in verse 21, the start of our scripture reading this morning, we see that Jesus has gone from there to the region around the cities of Tyre and Sidon.

Two things are notable here.  The first is that this was not a short trip.  This region is along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, about 50 miles east of Galilee.  And remember that Jesus and His followers traveled mostly on foot.

But the point more pertinent to today’s message is that the area is in Syria, a Roman province in that day.  Both Tyre and Sidon were prosperous port cities and both were filled with pagan temples and shrines.  This was Gentile country, and the woman Matthew referred to as being “of Canaan” would have been a Gentile.  Which is why Jesus responded to her somewhat coldly, saying that He was sent only to save the lost sheep of Israel.

But this woman was not your usual pagan worshiper.  She cried out earnestly to Jesus, acknowledging Him as being from the house of David, from which the Jews knew the Messiah would come.  Matthew points out that she worshiped Jesus and called Him “Lord”, each time she spoke to Him, pleading with Him for mercy.  It was not for herself that she sought help, but for her daughter, who was severely demon-possessed.

Jesus seems to be testing the woman, prodding her.  His second response to her persistent pleas seems equally cold: “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”  In this, Jesus is saying that His mission is to offer salvation and help to the children of Israel.  To do this for a pagan, who did not believe in the one true God, would be like taking the bread out of the children’s mouths and throwing it to the dogs.

But the woman shows that she knows who she is asking help of, that she recognizes and understands that Jesus is sent from God.  She responds that the bread need not be taken from the children, for the dogs will lick up the merest crumbs that fall from their master’s table.

Still she persisted, even though she had just effectively been called a dog.  Someone filled with pride would not have stood for such an insult, yet this humble woman simply stated that Jesus need not take anything away from the Jews.  She knew that she was not deserving of the blessing promised to Israel in scripture.  She is only asking for any overflow of His mercy and blessings on them that she might receive for her daughter.

Jesus saw how great her faith truly was, and granted her request, healing her daughter.


Matthew recorded another incident I’d like to mention, of Jesus healing someone based on faith.  Jesus had just healed the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years and raised a ruler’s daughter back to life.  Then He is approached by two blind men.

Listen to how Matthew described this in chapter 9 of his Gospel account, verse 27 through the first part of verse 30…

27 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, “Son of David, have mercy on us!”

28 And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”

29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened.

--Matthew 9:27-30a (NKJV)

What is different here?  Rather than saying something like, “Your faith has made you whole” or “by your faith you are healed”, like He often did, Jesus told these men that they would be healed according to their faith.  The amount and effectiveness of their healing would be measured by the strength of their faith!  No faith – no healing; great faith – great healing.  Obviously both had great faith, for both were healed and their eyes opened.


All this points to our need to show some faith.  We don’t want to let all the troubles and worries of this time lessen our trust in our heavenly Father.  God has given us the faith to believe that Jesus is His Son and our Lord.  And He rewards our holding on to that faith with adoption into His family and life eternal in paradise.  In his 31st Psalm, verses 23 and 24, King David tells us…

23 Oh, love the Lord, all you His saints!
For the Lord preserves the faithful,
And fully repays the proud person.
24 Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the Lord.

--Psalm 31:23-24 (NKJV)

God preserves the faithful – He keeps us as His own.  And He fully repays the proud, doling out justice to those who would bring harm to the faithful.

So we should be of good courage and not fret and worry so much, for God will strengthen our hearts.  Let us put all our hope and trust in the Lord.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Master, our Savior, the one true Son of God.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for our gift of faith.  Through this we may believe in Your Son Jesus and obey His voice, and be granted eternal life in heaven.  Thank You for loving us this much.  Help us, please Father, to exercise our faith and keep it strong.  Help us to trust in Your word and Your promises.  Help us to take courage in these troubling times, and not let them overwhelm us and fill us with doubts.  And Father, help us be more loving, more trusting, more merciful, and more kindhearted toward others in our daily walk.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, so many times during Your ministry on earth, You granted healing to people because of their great faith.  And that healing was based on their faith, the measure of their faith.  Forgive us, Jesus, for those times when our faith is weak.  We seem under constant assault these days from Satan and his forces.  Help us, please, to be remain strong in our faith.  Give us Your strength and help us through these times of uncertainty.  And Lord Jesus, please heal the divisions between us, that creep in and separate us, even within Your church family.  Give us Your heart for loving others.  Help us to love one another as You love us, to see one another as You see us.  Help us remain faithful and obedient through these troubling times, concerned more with the needs of others than with our own wants and desires.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

Watch Your Mouth!

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 9th of August, 2020, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Washington Irving once noted that, "A tart temper never mellows with age, and a sharp tongue is the only edged tool that grows keener with constant use."  James, the brother of Jesus, wrote that, "The tongue is a small thing, but what enormous damage it can do."

Our words can indeed be powerful tools.  Once given voice, they can linger for days, weeks, years.  Once spoken, they can never be unsaid.  So we should be careful what we say, and how we say it.

Jesus had a little chat one day with some Pharisees, His disciples, and some folks who listened in.  He cautioned about the words people speak, and the things people do, and the impact they can have.  Listen and follow along to this discussion as recorded by the Apostle Matthew in the 15th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 1 through 20, and I’ll be reading this from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, 2 “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.”

3 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— 6 then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:

8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
9 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

10 When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: 11 Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.”

12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

13 But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.”

15 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”

16 So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding? 17 Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. 20 These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

--Matthew 15:1-20 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You gave us the ability to communicate with one another, and the emotions that we might feel what others feel.  Too often, Lord, we communicate without feeling.  Too often, especially when we are hurting, we strike out fully intending to hurt others.  Father, please help us to stop and think before speaking.  Help us to understand the impact our words may have on others.  Help us to temper our emotions with love.  And Father, please protect this family from all the effects of the coronavirus and all the troubles of the world around us.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us for this day.  Show us how much an impact our words can have, and how to use them to lift people up rather than put anyone down.  Help us take guidance, strength, and encouragement from Your Holy Spirit within us.  And Father, may the words of my mouth and the meditation of all our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer.  This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


There once was a minister who took his little child to a circus.  The clowns there were particularly good and the last one of them was a little fellow wearing a very wonderful high hat.  While he was bowing elaborately to a dignified woman, his hat fell off and an elephant sat on it before he could retrieve it.

The clown gestured wildly at the elephant, but the beast sat still.  He waved and shouted again and again, but the elephant never budged.  Angrily the clown stepped behind the elephant and kicked with all his strength… and hopped away with a sore foot in his hands but no hat.

Then, frantic with anger, the little clown turned back to the elephant and tried to lift him off the hat.  Defeated and in complete despair, the clown sat down and started to eat peanuts.  The elephant, quite interested in peanuts, got up, ambled over, and begged for one!

This was a powerful illustration for that minister.  He realized that he'd just witnessed a spiritual object lesson: You can't accomplish anything for God by crabbing and kicking at the world (or your spouse, child, neighbor or co-worker!).  Try motivating with kindness rather than anger.


There’s an old saying that goes well with that little tale.  You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.  We need to invest more in sugar and honey so we can sweeten our actions and our words.  We will attain far better results in our endeavors by being polite and respectful than by being bitter and hateful in our dealings with others.


When I was a boy, too often I'd let my mouth run wild before engaging my brain and my mother would say, "You'd better watch your mouth, young man!"  And that is exactly what popped into my head when the title for this message came to me.  “Watch your mouth!”  Trouble is, I’d already said something bad, something hurtful, and I could only apologize - I couldn’t take it back.

But this message from our Bible is about more than watching what we say, or what we do, for that matter.  It’s also about why we say and do those things, where the impetus comes from.  The source of all we do is our heart, and that’s what sometimes needs to be fixed.


The Pharisees were complaining to Jesus about the habits of His followers, not observing Jewish religious rituals and ceremony.  Jesus shot back that their ritualistic traditions were pulling them away from God!  He quoted Isaiah that the people were merely giving lip service to God and not really honoring Him.  What was in their hearts was not God, but only concern for their man-made doctrines and commandments.

They complained that the disciples did not follow the hand-washing ritual (which did not really clean hands).  Jesus responded that it isn’t what goes into a person through their mouth that makes them a sinner in God’s eyes, whether their hands are “clean” or not.  It’s what comes out of the mouth that makes the person filthy.

And what comes out of the mouth originates in the heart, the epicenter of our emotions.  From our hearts, our emotions, come lusts, evil thoughts, contemplations of murder and mayhem, lies.  From our hearts come the actions and words that define us, that show who we truly are.


The Apostle Paul, having received special insight from Jesus, gives us the same warning – to watch what we do and say.  In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul describes how Christians should live.  In chapter 4, verses 1 through 3 and 25 through 32 of his Epistle to the Ephesians, Paul writes…

1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil.

28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, He has identified you as His own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

--Ephesians 4:1-3; 25-32 (NLT)

Now as we read this, we’re probably all thinking, “I’m not a liar, I’m not a thief.”  But don’t we sometimes stretch the truth a little, especially if the harsh truth might hurt someone we love?  Or maybe we don’t speak out when we should, which is really a lie of omission.  And how often have we stolen from God when we spend time on other pursuits rather than giving it to Him?

Paul begs us to lead a life worthy of our calling as children of God, worthy of being followers of Christ Jesus.  We should be humble and gentle, patient with each other, making allowances for each other’s faults.  Get rid of all anger and bitterness and hatred and rage.

If we follow Paul’s instructions, we won’t have to worry about what may come out of our mouth.  Our love for one another, when true, will drive nothing but good words and actions from our hearts out of our mouths and through our hands.


Love one another.  Care about one another.  Try to feel what the other person is feeling, to understand what they are going through.

The words we choose to say can make a huge difference in how the listener will react.  Our words and our actions can make a huge difference in another person’s life.  Let’s do all we can to make that a very, very positive difference.  Let’s watch our mouth.

In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, our Savior, the one true Son of God.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for the words of encouragement and instruction You left for us in our Bibles.  Thank You for breathing Your inspiration and insight into them, that they might edify us and give us pause to reflect upon how we are living.  Help us, please Father, to better feel what those we interact with may be feeling.  Help us to stop and think about the impact our words might have before we give them voice.  And Father, help us be more loving, more trusting, more merciful, and more kindhearted toward others in our daily walk.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You command us to love one another and to make disciples, more followers of You and Your truth.  When we truly love someone, we want to lift them up, to help them out, to encourage them.  But too often, Father, our words do more damage than good.  Too often we let bitterness spill out of our hearts, filling our words, which pour out of our mouths like a raging torrent.  Forgive us, Jesus, for our weaknesses.  Help us, please, to be a positive influence in the life of another.  Give us the wisdom and mercy to make an impact for good, rather than for harm.  Give us Your heart for loving others.  And Lord Jesus, please heal the divisions between us, that creep in and separate us, even within Your church family.  Help us to love one another as You love us, to see one another as You see us.  Help us remain faithful and obedient through these troubling times, concerned more with the needs of others than with our own wants and desires.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

It's Time to Confess

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 2nd of August, 2020, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

In my opinion, it would be difficult to find anyone who proclaimed that Jesus is Lord and the Son of God any more than did the Apostle Paul.  Nor can I easily think of anyone who suffered more for his service to the Gospel.  Last week I mentioned just some of the ordeals, trials, beatings, and hardships he endured.  But no matter what happened to him, Paul never failed to confess that Jesus is Lord.  He loudly proclaimed the Gospel everywhere he went and to everyone he encountered.

Such was certainly the case when it came to the church in Rome.  It is unlikely that Paul actually founded the church in Rome, but he had every intention of going there and visiting the brethren of that widely known church.  And he did indeed finally make it to Rome, but only as a prisoner.

While in Corinth, Paul wrote a letter to those Romans, partly as a form of introduction ahead of his planned visit, and in which he explained justification by faith.  Listen and follow along to what Paul wrote about confession in the 10th chapter of his letter to the Romans, verses 1 through 13, and I’ll be reading this from the New Living Translation of our Holy Bible…

1 Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. 2 I know what enthusiasm they have for God, but it is misdirected zeal. 3 For they don’t understand God’s way of making people right with Himself. Refusing to accept God’s way, they cling to their own way of getting right with God by trying to keep the law. 4 For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in Him are made right with God.

5 For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. 6 But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth). 7 And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” 8 In fact, it says,

“The message is very close at hand;
    it is on your lips and in your heart.”

And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in Him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on Him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

--Romans 10:1-13 (NLT)

Let us pray…  Father God, You sent Your Son to Your chosen people of Israel, to offer them salvation first.  And Jesus sent Paul first to the Jews, to tell them the Good News and try to get them to believe.  But so many refused to accept Jesus as Your Son, the Messiah.  Many of the Gentiles did believe, though, and we are blessed to be counted among them.  Father, please help us to always proclaim Jesus as Lord, just like Paul did.  Help us to be fearless in our confession of faith.  Grant us Your strength and the courage to let the world know just what Your Son means to us.  And Father, please protect this family from all the effects of the coronavirus and all the troubles of the world around us.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us for this day.  Show us how to let others know about our Lord Jesus.  Help us take guidance, strength, and encouragement from Your Holy Spirit within us. This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


Four preachers met for a friendly meal.  During conversation one preacher said, "Our people come to us and pour out their hearts, confessing certain sins and needs to us.  Let's do the same.  Confession is good for the soul."  In due time all agreed.  One confessed he liked to go to movies and would sneak off when away from his church.  The second confessed to a fondness for smoking cigars and the third one confessed that he liked to play cards.   When it came to the fourth one, he wouldn't open up.  The others pressed, him saying, "Come now, we confessed ours.  What is your secret or vice?"  Finally he answered, "My vice is gossiping, and I can hardly wait to get out of here."


Confession is good for the soul.  I bet you’ve all heard that somewhere along the line.  It usually implies admitting to a sin or some other wrongful act.  And indeed, that’s part of the dictionary definition for the verb “confess”.  But another part is simply to admit something as true, to own up to the truth.  When we confess to doing something wrong, we admit to the truth of our deed.

That word “confession” often brings two images to mind.  One is the repentant person in the confession booth of a Catholic church seeking absolution of their sin from the priest.  And the other is the person arrested for a crime, finally admitting to their guilt, with the detective saying, “OK, it’s time to ‘fess up”.  Our little story had elements of both.  But there is another act of confession I’d like to look at this morning that also deals with admitting the truth.


God knows everything we’ve ever done and will ever do, so our confession of wrongdoing is not for His benefit, but for ours, so that we will realize and acknowledge that we’ve done something He does not approve of.  This type of confession does not of itself save our eternal soul, but it does show that we believe in God and are trying to be better in His eyes.  Which leads to the confession I’m talking about.

Paul explains it quite clearly, I think, in verses 9, 10, and 13 of our scripture reading:  “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.  For ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”  By admitting the truth, by openly confessing that Jesus is Lord, we are assured of our salvation.


One synonym for “to confess” is “to profess”.  You may have heard our Apostles’ Creed referred to as our profession of faith.  When we profess our faith, we openly declare it, affirm it, acknowledge it for anyone to hear.  This is the confession Paul writes of, and not only to the Romans, but also to his young protégé.  In his 1st letter to Timothy, chapter 6, verses 11 through 14, Paul writes…

1 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing...

--1 Timothy 6:11-14 (NKJV)

So you see, even Jesus confessed the Gospel.  He would not answer any of Pilate’s questions or accusations, but He did admit to the truth, the truth of who He was and why He was here.  Paul said that Jesus witnessed the good confession.  When we confess that Jesus is Lord, believing it in our hearts and professing it for others to hear, we are witnessing to Jesus and what He means in our lives.


Paul said that our heartfelt confession of Jesus assures our salvation.  Jesus confirms this and takes it a bit further.  In chapter 10 of his Gospel account, verses 32 and 33, the Apostle Matthew records Jesus saying...

32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”

--Matthew 10:32-33 (NKJV)

When we admit the truth of Jesus to our fellow man, affirm and profess our belief in Him as the Son of God and our Lord, He will put in a good word for us to God.  But if we deny Jesus in front of others, He will disavow us to God.

Sadly, too many people fall in that second category, denying Jesus in their actions and words, refusing to accept Him in their hearts and in their spoken words.  And this is why we need to openly confess our belief, so that they might somehow listen and give the Holy Spirit an opening to show them the truth.


Remember that Paul said we must truly believe in our hearts that which we confess about Jesus.  It isn’t enough just to give lip service.  We must truly believe what we are confessing.  And we must hold tight to that belief, that confession, no matter what we may be facing.  After all, Jesus knows what we are going through.  He endured much of the same, and so much more, during His time on earth as one of us.  The author of the letter to the Hebrews put it like this, in chapter 4, verses 14 through 16...

14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

--Hebrews 4:14-16 (NKJV)

Jesus is our great High Priest who suffered on our behalf, who can sympathize with our weaknesses because He shared them for a span.  So let us openly declare our belief in Jesus as our Lord, the Son of the one true God.  Let us boldly profess our love for Him and our constant need of His love and mercy.  Let us hold fast to that confession, even as we call upon the name of our Lord.  For by this we are saved, and by God’s grace, others may be saved also, just by seeing the strength of our conviction.  Now, perhaps more than ever before, it’s time to confess.

In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord, our Master, the one true Son of God.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for sending Your Son to us as one of us, so that He could better sympathize with our own human frailties and weaknesses.  Thank You for allowing us to believe in Him and accept Him as our Lord.  Thank You for the faith You give us.  Help us, please Father, to not only hold fast to our faith, but to also profess before others, with the prayer that they too may be led to believe.  Help us be strong and courageous in our confession and our witness to Jesus as Christ.  And Father, help us be more trusting, more loving, more merciful, and more kindhearted toward others in our daily walk.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You command us to love one another and to make disciples, more followers of You and Your truth.  One way we show our love is in helping others to find their way to You, in making disciples.  And one way we can make disciples is by confessing You as our Lord.  Our public profession can make a huge difference in the eternal life of another.  Help us, please Lord, to boldly proclaim that You are the Son of God, and to let others know that You are our Master and our Savior.  Give us courage and strength in our confession no matter our circumstance.  And Lord Jesus, please stop the conflicts in our society.  Heal the divisions that creep in and separate us, even within Your church family.  Help us to love one another as You love us, to see one another as You see us.  Help us remain faithful and obedient through these troubling times, concerned more with the needs of others than with our own wants and desires.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

In All Things

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning the 26th of July, 2020, at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  This was an abbreviated service, also streamed live, due to constraints put in place from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our YouTube streaming channel is:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDIz4WuP8igQstkEOq1AMTg.  Look for the video of our recorded services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

We’re going through a lot of hardship these days, aren’t we.  Well, before we think we have it too tough, let’s remember the Apostle Paul, and all that he endured.  In his 2nd letter to the Corinthians, he noted that he had been whipped by the Jews five times, receiving 39 lashes each time.  He was beaten with rods three times and stoned once.  Three times he was shipwrecked and spent a day and a night in the deeps.  He adds, "in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness...", besides the other things that came upon him daily.

But through it all, Paul never lost his faith in the Lord, never wavered in his trust of God.  Like the psalmist, Paul knew where his help and strength came from.

Listen and follow along to what Paul wrote to his beloved church in Philippi, the good folk who provided him with financial support while he was in prison.  This is from the 4th chapter of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, verses 4 through 13, and I’ll be reading from the Modern English Version of our Holy Bible this morning…

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let everyone come to know your gentleness. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with gratitude, make your requests known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will protect your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think on these things. 9 Do those things which you have both learned and received, and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.

10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me. Regarding this, you did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11 I do not speak because I have need, for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. 12 I know both how to face humble circumstances and how to have abundance. Everywhere and in all things I have learned the secret, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things because of Christ who strengthens me.

--Philippians 4:4-13 (MEV)

Let us pray…  Father God, we rejoice in You, in knowing You and in knowing Your love.  Sometimes though, Father, this life just throws so much at us that we become overwhelmed by it all.  Father, please help us see Your hand at work in our lives no matter what our situation.  Help us know contentment with what You provide, not being covetous of what others may have.  Grant us You peace, oh God.  And Father, please protect this family from all the effects of the coronavirus and all the troubles of the world around us.  Please keep us strong in our faith, of one mind in our love and worship, and healthy and safe through these trying times.

Speak to us now, Father, that we might hear Your voice through Your Spirit and better understand the message You have for us for this day, that it strengthen and steel us for the days ahead.  Help us take guidance and encouragement from Your Holy Spirit within us. This we pray under the blood and in the name of Your Son, Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


Here's a little poem about how the stresses and pressures of life can affect us.  Sadly, the author's name has been lost through time.

Pressed out of measure and pressed to all length;
Pressed so intensely, it seems beyond strength;
Pressed in the body, and pressed in the soul;
Pressed in the mind, till the dark surges roll.
Pressure by foes, and pressure by friends,
Pressure on pressure, till life nearly ends.

Pressed into knowing no helper but God;
Pressed into loving the staff and the rod.
Pressed into liberty where nothing clings;
Pressed into faith for impossible things.
Pressed into tasting the joy of the Lord;
Pressed into loving a Christlife outpoured.

As near as I can tell, we’re all feeling pressure these days.  The pressure caused by the pandemic and all the rules and regulations put in place because of it.  The pressure from social unrest across the land and in our own community.  Even the pressure of not being able to enjoy watching TV anymore.

Well, our unknown poet tells us that we can put that pressure to better use.  We can let all that’s going on press us closer to our Lord, and into being more like Him, more Christ-like in our daily walk.  We are going to continue to be under pressure, but we can turn that into a closer relationship with God, our only true Helper.


When Paul was a prisoner in Rome, he was under house arrest, which meant he still had to pay for his home there.  The church in Philippi loved Paul so much that they helped him financially, helped him pay his rent, helped him pay for his food and supplies.  And Paul thanked them often for seeing to his needs.

To assure the good brothers and sisters there, he told them he was doing well through all his trials.  He let them know he was content with what he had, that he had known good times and bad, feast and famine, thick and thin.  And through it all, no matter what the world threw at him, he could rejoice.

In joy and in sorrow, he could always find something to be thankful for, just like receiving help from the Philippians even though their own resources were limited and humble.  He could rejoice because he knew a secret: he could endure anything because his strength came from the Lord.


Paul also shared this message of being thankful and rejoicing in all situations with the Thessalonians.  Listen to what he wrote to them in his 1st letter, chapter 5, verses 16 through 22…

16 Rejoice always. 17 Pray without ceasing. 18 In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Examine all things. Firmly hold onto what is good. 22 Abstain from all appearances of evil.

--1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 (MEV)

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks.  We don’t have to thank God for the bad stuff, nor do nothing but pray.  But we need to look for the good, even in the worst of situations, and thank God by praying to Him.  This is what He wants of us, this is His will for us.


Now Paul was originally a Pharisee, well versed in the Jewish scripture.  Perhaps he had a song of King David in mind when he penned these letters I’ve read from.  When the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem and placed in the tent prepared for it, the faithful celebrated and King David composed a psalm and handed it to Asaph and his brothers, a psalm that held these words, from 1st Chronicles chapter 16, verses 8 and 34...

8 Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name;
make known His deeds among the peoples.

34 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
for His mercy endures forever.

--1 Chronicles 16:8, 34 (MEV)

God is good… all the time.  He sees to our needs, He helps us through the worst of circumstances, He still works miracles both great and small.  And His love and His mercy endure forever.  Give Him thanks, and let others know just how great He truly is, how much He means to us.


We are assailed from all sides by disease, unrest, disorder, division.  Many people are afraid to leave their homes.  It seems like some are just looking for a reason to find fault, to argue, to start a fight.  Misinformation abounds.  Confusion turns to concern, concern turns to doubt, questions arise, and sometimes angers flare.

When will this all be over?  When will things return to normal?  How are we going to get through this mess?  Where is God in all this?!?


In all things, give thanks.  In all things, take strength from the Lord.  In all things, be not anxious, but be encouraged.  For we can do all things through Christ Jesus, who strengthens us.  In the blessed name of Jesus our Lord, our Master, our Savior.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, thank You for providing for our needs and then giving even more so that we can take some measure of enjoyment from this life.  Thank You for being with us through all the turmoil.  Help us, please Father, to be always mindful of just how good You are, even as we walk under the shadow of death.  Help us be ever thankful for all Your blessings.  And Father, help us be more trusting, more loving, more merciful, and more kindhearted toward others in our daily walk.

Please hear us now, Father, as we pause for just a moment to speak to You straight from our hearts, promising to repent of our sinful ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help to do so…

Lord Jesus, You strengthen us.  Through all the hardships of this life on earth, we can take our strength from You.  No matter what we face, You will help us through it.  Thank You, Christ Jesus!  But Lord, we so desperately need Your help and strength right now.  We feel so overwhelmed, so helpless, sometimes even hopeless.  Help us, please, to stay strong.  Reassure us that even this will pass.  Help us remember that You strengthen us and God’s Holy Spirit empowers us.  And Lord Jesus, please stop the conflicts in our society.  Heal the divisions that creep in and separate us, even within Your church family.  Help us to love one another as You love us, to see one another as You see us.  And please, Lord, be ever with us as we walk through these troubling times.  Help us remain faithful and obedient through it all, concerned more with the needs of others than with our own wants and desires.  This we pray in Your blessed name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.