The Seeds of Rebellion

Posted by Chris on September 13, 2009 under Sermons

2 Samuel 12:11-12

“Because of what you have done, I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man before your very eyes . . .
“. . . and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did it secretly, but I will make this happen to you openly in the sight of all Israel.”

David, Wives, and Children

Ahinoam was the mother of Amnon.
Maacah, the daughter of the king of Geshur, was the mother of Absalom and Tamar.

Amnon

• David’s eldest – heir to throne
• Desires Tamar
• Leviticus 18:9, 11

  Jonadab …

  Encourages Amnon to satisfy his desires
  David had done so
  Invents a scheme, gains David’s permission

• Amnon hates her then casts her out

Tamar

• Victim of Amnon’s lust
• Her future is stolen from her
• She goes public with the crime – mourning, shame

David’s Response

• Anger – but no justice
• “but he [David] would not punish his son Amnon, because he loved him, for he was his first-born.”
• Heir to throne
• Amnon did what David did

Absalom

• Cares for Tamar
• Plots revenge on Amnon for two years
• Kills Amnon and flees to Geshur

Joab’s Plot

• Spy approaches king
• Convinces David to be merciful
• Absalom returns, waits to see king
• Demands justice again

Unworthy Heirs

• Eli’s sons
• Samuel’s sons
• Saul’s family
• David’s family

A New Testament Church

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

We say that we want to be a New Testament church. What does that mean?

1. We might answer that it means being the church described in the New Testament. Of course there are a lot of churches described in the New Testament and they are very different, but we might mean that a New Testament church embodies what they have in common.
2. We might answer that it means sharing the same doctrine and belief as the New Testament church. We can focus on their practices in particular and we have to be careful that we don’t cherry pick a few items and put together our own idea of what church should be, but it is possible to read through the New Testament and read about some of the ways the church lived and worshipped.
3. But how often do we think about having the same spirit as the church in the New Testament? How often do we read about the enthusiasm, the joy, the awe of the churches that followed Christ and the changed behavior that resulted and we answer, “That’s what we ought to be like.” It’s a very clean process to highlight the sort of things we ought to “do” to be like the New Testament church. We are Americans and we like to focus on “doing.” But it’s very different to focus on “being” and thus having that same Spirit. That’s not as easy to control, is it?

It isn’t easy to control, and the path to having that same Spirit comes in surrendering control to the Almighty God and the Lord Christ who empower that Holy Spirit within us. It means living with the impact of what God has done in Christ. A fact that changes everything – a reality that continues to work in our world. If we are really and truly going to be a New Testament church then here are a few items we need to consider . . .

1. Living like Resurrection People
   • The presence of the church is the surest evidence of the resurrection. A people whose lives and life together is so unique that it can only be explained by the truthfulness and significance of the resurrection.
   • ³²All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. ³³With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. ³⁴There were no needy persons among them.
   • Maybe the world doubts or ignores the resurrection not because we have failed to preach it, explain it, or make convincing arguments – but maybe because we haven’t always behaved like resurrection people.
   • Imagine a group of believers today who are sold out to the revelation that Christ is risen from the dead and continues to work within his people and in this world. Would that alter our values? Would it change the way we treat one another? As we imagine this, let’s remember that this is who we are called to be.
2. Overcoming Materialism
   • ³⁶Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.
   • What is materialism? It’s faith in stuff. It is trust in our possessions to give us security. In ancient times, people hoarded their food, fought over land, locked up treasures. We are more sophisticated in our times and in our nation, but we are still so very concerned about security. We want to secure our lives, secure our future, secure our survival.
   • If we are filled with the spirit of Jesus, then we take seriously his teaching about treasure. Where is our treasure? That’s where our heart will be.
   • It is interesting that Luke describes the New Testament church as a community that shares everything. They have a different sort of economy that involves security in God’s power and sharing of all things. Letting go of things that are not eternal.
   • Resurrection people are not troubled by reports of a sour economy. Neither do we put our faith and security in bull markets or political policies. Our economy is very different. We overcome materialism and worry about security because our treasure is in heaven. Our future is secure.
   • If we think that we need to get away from all this talk about money in worship and focus on more spiritual things, please understand that the New Testament church seemed to regard economic issues as very spiritual. They seemed to regard it as a matter of life and death.
3. Giving in to the Awe of God
   • The people were in awe of what God was doing among them. Outsiders were in awe because of the great grace and wonders within this community – the kind of wonders represented by sharing everything.
   • Ananais and Saphira want to be a part of this awe, wonder, and sharing. But they also want to secure their own security. So, they work out a plan to pay their dues to the community but also secretly stash away a part of it just in case. Where’s their treasure? Where’s their heart? Do they want to share with the rest of the church, or do they want what the church can share with them?
   • The church does share something with Ananias and Saphira. They share a respectful burial service. The wild, untamed power of God and the fear of the Holy Spirit seems to contradict our expectations.
   • Joy and gladness vs awe, fear, reverence – both of these can exist in a community that lives with much grace.

Sum up a description of the New Testament church (identifying marks of the church):

• a church in which no one suffers from need,
• a church that shares everything they have,
• a church that is one in heart and mind,
• a church that lives with much grace upon everyone,
• a church that testifies to the resurrection of Jesus with power

When Kings Go Off To War

Posted by Chris on September 6, 2009 under Sermons

Where is David?

• David sent Joab to fight Ammon
• David remains in Jerusalem
• Joab sieges Rabbah

Bathsheba

• David sends for Bathsheba
• David uses her
• She sends word to David …

Uriah the Hittite

• David sends for Uriah
• Allows Uriah furlough
• Gets Uriah drunk
• Fails at cover-up

Joab

• David sends message with Uriah
• Advance siege, then pull back
• Uriah and others killed
• Joab sends report

Nathan

• God sends Nathan
• Justice parable: Rich man, Poor man
• God removes sin
• Consequences

David Repents

• David repents (Psalm 51)
• Shame among nations
• Death of child
• New child – Solomon

Rabbah

• Joab takes the city water supply
• David enters the battle (at Joab’s hint)
• Ammonites defeated

Chris Benjamin

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Evening Sermon, 6 September 2009

A related sermon from the same text:

Text: II Samuel 11-12
Theme: Confession of guilt leads to forgiveness; covering sin does not.
Subject: Condemnation and Forgiveness

David was a man after God’s own heart, but for a time he had a heart problem.
It began with David finding himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. It doesn’t seem like a very dangerous place. He’s home, but the problem is that he should be doing what kings do after the winter – going to war. David should be protecting and defending. But instead, he’s left the leadership of the army in the hands of General Joab – not a bad choice. Joab is a loyal and accomplished warrior.
But going back to David’s heart problem – it begins one evening in Jerusalem. David had had a lazy day in bed. He got up and was out walking on the roof of the palace. He was looking over his kingdom, his royal city. That’s when he took notice of one of his royal subjects. She was a beautiful woman. She was taking a bath this evening. Perhaps it was his boredom on such a lazy day, perhaps it was just curiosity – but his glance became a look and the look became a gaze and the gaze became desire. When David got interested in this beautiful woman and wanted to know how he could have her that’s when the sending began.

First, he sent someone to find out about her. “Isn’t this Bathsheba – Eliam’s daughter; Uriah’s wife?” [That’s the way a good servant tells the king “She’s not available. She’s not an object for your pleasure. She’s someone’s daughter. She is another man’s wife. A man who is off at war fighting for you.”]
Still, David sends someone to get Bathsheba. He sends. They get. She arrives. He sleeps with her. She goes back home. It’s done. But there’s more sending …

Now Uriah’s wife sends a message to David – “I’m pregnant.” David is not the last person to have his world turned over by this message. He is not the first to try and undo the consequences of this message either. And now his heart problem grows worse. And now there’s more sending …

David sends word to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite!” And Joab sends him. David puts on a smile and tries to show interest in Uriah and the war effort: “How’s the war going? How ?bout that Joab? He’s a fine general, eh? How ?bout your fellow soldiers? How’s morale?” Then David cuts to the chase – the real reason he’s interested in Uriah – to cover his mistake. “Say Uriah, I think you’ve earned a little R & R, why don’t you go on down to your house and -um-well, just enjoy a night at home with your wife – what’s her name – oh right, Bathsheba.” And David sends him off with a gift like they were old pals.
But the plan to give Uriah credit for the pregnancy hits a snag. It seems that Uriah has a problem. He has virtue. He has principles. And so he refuses to go home, but instead spends the night at the palace barracks. David sends for Uriah again and asks him “Why didn’t you go home? This is furlough – you are supposed to see your wife!” Uriah’s answer is a question – “The ark of the Lord, the men of Israel and Judah, Joab and his men are on the frontline sleeping in shifts in tents. How could I go home and sleep with my wife? How could I?“ How could he David? How could you David?
What’s a king to do when a Hittite, a Gentile, shows more covenant righteousness than the king of Israel? What do you do with a man of principle? Instead of being moved by his example, David’s heart problem grows worse and he decides to get Uriah drunk. That’ll get him home for sure. But even though Uriah gets drunk – his integrity remains. He will not go home. That means David needs to do more sending – and this is the worst yet.

David sends orders with Uriah to Joab. The orders say, “Send Uriah to the front line, then pull back, leave him undefended – I want him dead.” And so Joab once again does David’s sending. [He and his men have the city of the Ammonites surrounded. The army besieging doesn’t have to attack – they just have to outlast those inside the city wall. One of the most foolish moves they can make is to rush the wall. Anyone on the wall can take out the men below – especially the archers. So guess what Uriah’s orders are?] Uriah is killed and some others in David’s army too. Even though their deaths did not achieve victory in war, it preserved the honor of the king – unfortunately, their families back home can never know.
Now Joab sends word back to David: a full account of the military failure. The messenger arrives and goes over the report. Only one part matters to David – “Uriah is dead.” That will cause him to forget about the casualties.
Now David sends word back to Joab – “Don’t see this as evil. People die in war. Press the attack and destroy the city.” And so it is done. Uriah is gone. There is a funeral – the wife of Uriah mourns. There is a wedding – the wife of Uriah marries David. There is a birth announcement – the wife of Uriah gives David a child. It’s done.

But now the Lord sends. Perhaps David and Joab could be convinced not to see this as evil. But not the Lord. Perhaps David could ignore his heart problem. But not the Lord. The Lord sends Nathan to confront the king. Nathan must try and recover David’s heart for God. Nathan is wise not to accuse David boldly. 1) David killed Uriah, why wouldn’t he kill Nathan? Nathan’s parable: A rich man who takes a poor man’s only sheep. Does this parable hit home for David the shepherd? David the king still knew the life of the shepherd. This story stirs something in him – perhaps the qualities God saw in David’s heart that lead God to anoint David. As Nathan tells the parable, David is burning with anger. David is furious at the rich man who acts in destructive ways with no regard to the innocent.

Can we sense David’s anger? The outrage we feel when we hear stories of injustice. The anger we feel when people harm other people, when they do things that are destructive without pity and remorse. The disgust we feel when people disregard the blessings they have and act selfishly and greedy. Can we sense that?

David passes judgment, not Nathan. “The man who did this deserves to die! He had no pity! By God, he’ll pay!” When Nathan says “You are the man” David’s heart flat lines. His diseased heart so burdened with his own self-righteousness has an attack. David is confronted with his condemnation and the consequences. While David is having his spiritual heart attack, his past and future pass before him in Nathan’s words …

1. David has done what a king should not do. He has acted against the whole moral tradition of his people. Israel wanted a king to rid their land of such corruption. They wanted a king to give them security and protect them from their foes. David has fallen down on all these.
2. God has blessed David. David didn’t need Uriah’s wife. God provided for David richly. God is not a killjoy who doesn’t want David to have pleasure – David was ungrateful. He did not want what God gave him. He was only interested in what he could obtain for himself.
3. The future: David and his nation will forever be scarred by this. Since David abused the power of the sword, so he will be cursed by the sword all his years. Since he abused the commandments concerning neighbors and the sanctity of marriage, David will find it violated in his family. These are the consequences of his own condemnation.

How should David handle his guilt? How do we handle our guilt? Should he deal with this matter privately? Isn’t it enough to confess to Nathan and then move on? Should David deal with this publicly? Won’t it jeopardize the nation? David could dismiss Nathan. He could offer an explanation. The little parable is just that – a story. Real life is not so simple.

David has more options than just confessing his guilt. He could eliminate Nathan or dismiss him. But David’s heart is shocked back to God. So … 1) He is convicted. He admits his situation and sees the evil he has done. That takes courage – the courage to overcome self-deceit. 2) He repents. He throws himself on God’s mercy. He gives up his impulse to be in charge and in control. He submits to the moral covenant of God. He renounces his claim to be a self-contained moral standard. David feels death. He has sentenced himself to death. All he can say is “I have sinned against the Lord.” And that’s when his heart starts beating again. Nathan affirms to David that he will not die and that the Lord has removed his sin – he will be scarred, but he will live. The condemnation is done, the life of a forgiven man begins.

Conclusion and Application:

1. Confession of guilt leads to forgiveness; concealing sin does not. The sin in this story is not simply lust. It is the warped notion that we are morally independent. David thought he was independent of any moral standard and he arrogantly assumed that he was in control. David made himself the beginning and end of his righteousness.
   • So, he tried to conceal his guilt – to erase it and undo it. The most tragic sinners are not those who are aware of their guilt, but those who are not. Those who make their own perspective the standard. They cannot see the evil they do – and what they do, they justify it.
   • This is why Paul was the chief of sinners. He justified what he did in the name of God. This was what Jesus charged the Pharisees with. And it’s the same problem some of us have!
   • How would you feel if someone said, “You’re the one”? It’s one thing to be accused. It’s something else entirely when the accusation sticks. When we recognize in the accusation the sting of truth. We can defend or ignore an accusation that is false – but when the accusation “You are the one” convicts us, then we feel all our control and condemnation unravel.
   • David admits and turns to his only source of help. By feeling it he can finally be helped by God and not be deceived further by his own sinful efforts. After this event, David composed Psalm 51 – a confession of sin that appeals to God for a clean heart and new spirit. And it also contains a promise that he will proclaim to others God’s goodness. Let David’s confession lead us through our condemnation to …
2. See Your Guilt Through God’s Eyes – In 11:25-27, David tells Joab not to see what they’ve done as evil. That’s how David wanted to see things. But God’s eye’s are clearer – not only to see what’s evil, but how the evil might be overcome – to see a resolution to the guilt.
   • David’s eyes saw his ability to control and manage problems – and his response to the problems was flawed. God sees not only the breaking of covenant, but he sees a way to the restoring of covenant.
   • What do we see in this story? Do we see someone else? Or do we see ourselves? If we see someone else, then the simple phrase – “You are the one” ought to give us cause to feel – it ought to shock us back to life and open our eyes.
   • If you feel your heart shocked back to life and are courageous enough to confront the sin you’ve been hiding – then don’t trouble yourself any longer. Let go of the burden of finding words and ways to explain and cover what you did. Why do that when it is better to simply say “I have sinned” That’s risky, but Nathan could not say “You will live” until David said “I have sinned.”

Pouring Out The Spirit

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

After baptism, then what?

Acts 2 – The 3000 baptized are part of a gathering. They are part of a community that emerges from the warped and broken world around them. They are the church – they don’t join it as if it is something that exists apart from them.

Their “organization” is based on the way they live. Luke mentions the following characteristics of this community.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

These are the signs of life of a community that shares in the life of Christ. These are not checklist items from opening up a franchise for the Church.

Apostles Teaching –

• A deep sense of awe. They have a certain enthusiasm and wonder about this teaching. They had heard the gospel in their own language.
• What’s the source of this awe? Great things are being done in the name of Christ.
• Are we in awe of the gospel? The word of God is alive. The teaching of Christ continues. Christ is not dead. That means we don’t simply learn about him, but we learn from him. If we believe that the Spirit of Christ is active among us then we should have a deep sense of awe!

Fellowship and Sharing –

• People from different backgrounds and cultures have been brought together.
• They love their neighbor as themselves. They are selling what they have and sharing it.
• They share with one another; no one suffers because of need.

Sharing …

I want to ask you to think about something: What does it mean for us to share in all things as a congregation. Not simply on an individual level, but on a congregational level. What does it mean for every ministry and every program here to be working together, sharing and pulling together for a common cause? Do you think it might look like the church in Acts 2 that had all things in common?

Now think about that and ask yourself if that’s us. I will make a couple of observations. You don’t have to agree with me. If I am wrong or if you think I’m wrong, that’s okay. I don’t have a bone to pick with anybody. I just wonder how true the following may be …

Observation 1 –

I sometimes wonder if all our wonderful ministries sometimes get competitive. Maybe we feel that an emphasis on benevolence robs from evangelism. Or we become divided over which ministry is more effective. Instead of feeling like a church family we begin to feel like networks competing for viewers.

I wonder if we get anxious in our demographic groups. Sometimes we feel that an emphasis on the needs of the elderly push aside the needs of the youth. Or we feel that emphasis on the youth ignores the importance and wisdom of the older ones.

There are a lot of combinations for this spirit of competition. I think we suffer from this spirit. I’m not surprised. It’s a function of our culture … Did you know that Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford are friends? OU fans and Texas fans have given them a hard time about it. They are not happy that these on-the-field competitors can have off-the-field unity. You see in our worldly thinking, one has to rise and the other has to fall. But that’s not the Spirit of the Lord.

This spirit of competition is something prevalent in our culture and we need to guard against it. It can creep into our church culture. But I think we can do something about this if we get in step with the spirit of the Lord. Peter preaches that when the spirit of the Lord breaks out in a group, the young men will see visions and the old men will dream dreams. And men and women both will be servants and they will all prophesy. (Acts 2:17-18, taken from Joel 2:28-32).

We need to excel at sharing all things in one spirit. I don’t just mean sharing our lawnmowers, our casserole dishes, and toys. I mean sharing our ministries because we believe they are all God’s works. That’s what one another church family looks like. When one rejoices we all rejoice, when one hurts we all hurt.

Observation 2 –

Now you don’t have to agree with me that this is a problem here. That’s fine. I could be wrong. I am more concerned if you agree with me that this is a problem and your initial thought is, “He’s right and I hope ?that person’ or ?those elders’ or ?those ministers’ would pay attention.” If this is what you are thinking then I want you to reel that in and ask yourself, “What do I need to do to share everything?” Let’s all follow that line of inquiry and reflection.

I believe that we can replace the spirit of competition with the spirit of the Lord.

Prayer – It is more than simply asking God for help. Prayer is worship. Notice that the church comes together in one place but also in homes. When they are at table enjoying hospitality, they are worshipping. When they ate their meals with joy and generosity, they are worshipping. When they are praising God and creating goodwill in their community, they are worshipping. And the result is salvation.

We are not leaving worship today. We will leave this building and this assembly time will end. But don’t think for a second that we are leaving worship. Not if we believe that God is at work among us.

Undeserved Kindness

Posted by Chris on August 23, 2009 under Sermons

Who is Building for Whom?

1. David and Nathan – Did they ask God?
2. David wants to build God a house
3. God refuses

God’s Position and Promise

1. I will do the building (Psalm 127)
2. When did I ever ask for a house?
3. This is not the time

God in a Box?

1. God is wild and untamed
2. God is on David’s side, but not in his pocket!
3. We don’t take care of God, he takes care of us
4. God cannot be contained in any box, temple, church, or idea

Annie Dillard in Teaching a Stone to Talk

“Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of power we so blithely invoke? Or, as I suspect, does no one believe a word of it? The churches are children playing on the floor with their chemistry sets, mixing up a batch of TNT to kill a Sunday morning. It is madness to wear ladies’ straw hats and velvet hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should lash us to our pews. For the sleeping God may wake someday and take offense, or the waking God may draw us out to where we can never return.”

Worship and Politics

1. Worship must be central concern
2. Worship should not be an adjunct to work/politics
3. God brings Israel out of Egypt to worship Him

David’s Response

1. He sits and prays (v. 18)
2. He submits to God
3. He asks for a blessing (v. 29)
4. Kindness to others (chap 9)
5. The honor is undeserved

Mephibosheth

1. David chooses to show kindness and loyalty
2. Mephibosheth is crippled
3. He becomes a guest at the King’s table
4. The honor is undeserved

The Fate of Ammon

1. David chooses to show kindness and loyalty
2. Hanun is king after his father Nahash died
3. Hanun humiliates David’s envoy
4. David wars with Ammon, they surrender
5. The fate is deserved

Baptism: United With Christ

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

1. We are united with Christ in the water
   • Connected with Christ – the water and the river – The early church often baptized in the river, just as Jesus we baptized in the river. The thought was that Jesus met the believers in the water.
   • We are creatures who occupy space and time. We often find things and places that connect us to others – these things, places, and elements connect us
     • A little girl puts on her mother’s shoes
     • A little boy puts on his dad’s hat or jacket
     • Gettysburg – In 2001 we made a trip there and I was uncertain how my children would respond to the place. We had just been to the Hershey Chocolate factory. We had all been cooped up in an RV. Would they run around like berzerkers or would they show reverence? It was a calculated risk, and there’s just something about the place – an energy, an atmosphere – that inspires awe and reverence.
     • Leo’s chair – It connects us to his presence, for those who don’t know him, now you do to some extent.
     • If all of this is true with mundane things and our connections with one another, then how much more is it true with our connection to God the Creator, the living Christ and the Spirit in the waters of baptism?
   • Symbols connect us to things larger than ourselves. They are as real as what they represent because they are part of that reality. No, the water isn’t magic (no more than the bread is magic) but think about the meaning of water …
   • Water is life … communities and cities have always gathered by rivers. The river contains power, but the river also brings life and activity. This is why the early church preferred to baptize in living water.
   • Didache 7:1-2 – “baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in running water; but if thou hast not running water, baptize in some other water …”

2. We are baptized into Christ
   • Our baptism participates in all the many, many beliefs and practices that are a part of our faith. Some of these may even seem incompatible – we are called out of the world, but we also live out Christ’s love for a lost world. We are dead to sin, but we have a new life. We are not saving ourselves, but we are submitting to his saving grace.
   • This is why it is important to note that we are baptized into Christ. We are never baptized into a church. Baptism is much more than a one-time ceremony – it is a connection with the Lord that we never leave behind.
     • Discipleship – Life in Christ
     • We are united with Christ in his death, but also with his life and his resurrection.
     • We are being saved (1 Corinthians 1:18) – it is a process. We are saved from a crooked and depraved generation – even now. (Acts 2:40)

3. Our baptism is a transition
   • Friday I attended a preview for a movie called the River Within. A young filmmaker from Paragould, AR, Zac Heath, made this film on a budget of about $40,000. One of the themes of the movie is a river that flows through a small town in Arkansas. Like the river, God is flowing through the lives of the people in that small town and in that church.
   • One of the scenes I especially appreciated in the movie was a portrayal of a baptism in the river. The minister made mention of the group that gathers around the banks of the water and welcomes the new Christian.
   • As the church we are people who live close to this river of God.
     • We are forever bringing people down into the water. We are always bringing people to Christ – they are growing into their baptism.
     • We are also forever living alongside the river. All of us who have come up out of the water are learning what it means to live this new life – we are growing out of our baptism.
   • Baptism is a transition. It is the anchor point that we can go back to – but it carries us forward as God’s spirit flows through our lives and our lives are changed. – not just then, but even now.
   • So, our lives have purpose in Christ.

Building the City of David

Posted by Chris on August 16, 2009 under Sermons

Click here to watch or download the PowerPoint presentation.

Baptism: Entering Into the Life of Christ

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

There’s a story about these two ministers who were great friends. One was a Baptist and the other a Methodist. They used to spar back and forth about who was more correct in their understanding of spiritual things. Now one of their favorite arguments concerned the form of baptism. The Methodist minister favored baptism by pouring water on the head and the Baptist minister insisted on full immersion. … (The earliest and best version of this story that I have found comes from Grady Nutt.)

Did you hear about the church bulletin that announced … “Baptismal ceremonies will be held today at the end of early service and at the end of late service. Children will be baptized at both ends.”

The humor just shows that there has been a lot of debate about baptism, especially when it comes to the form of baptism. But what can we say about the meaning of baptism? What can we say about its significance? On both form and meaning, I think the best place to start is with the baptism of Jesus.

The early church believed that baptism was a participation in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That perspective is important to answering some questions that I believe are critical to our current understandings (and misunderstandings) about baptism …

1. Is baptism entrance into the kingdom or a ticket out of hell?
   1. Baptisms after hours. Getting people to share their baptism stories. They speak more about getting out of hell or not wanting to go to hell – and that’s all? (I mean of course no one wants to go to hell – but is there more to it than that? Do we ever think about what the option to hell is?)
   2. Most of us are willing to be saved from hell, but are we willing to be saved from this evil age, a crooked and depraved generation now. (Acts 2:40) We may not be so willing; we want to sample the pleasures of this world before we die. We want to live in the empire.
   3. Lunnenberg Letter. — It is the image of Christ the Christian looks for and loves; and this does not consist in being exact in a few items, but in general devotion to the whole truth as far as known. (A. Campbell) – Baptism connects us to Christ. At Christ’s baptism, the heavens were opened, the spirit descended and the voice of God proclaimed Jesus as his son. God spoke his favor over Christ at his baptism. Can we not imagine how our baptism is also the entry into the kingdom of heaven and God shouts his favor into our hearts? We rise up from the water with more than fire insurance – we rise with a new life under the rule of our Heavenly Father.

2. Is baptism the final step or the first step?
   1. We have come to understand baptism as the final step of a five step process. (Critique of the five-step exercise.) Final step thinking leaves us without a connection between baptism and discipleship. Baptism is the First step in a new life.
   2. Final step causes us to ask questions like: What do you have to know? How old do you have to be? – These are the sort of questions that we have concerned ourselves with. They are good questions. But finding answers to these questions doesn’t necessarily tell us anything about baptism. On the other hand, understanding more about baptism can help us answer those questions.
      • For instance, how might we answer questions like these if we stop and think about baptism as “total submission to God” rather than just checking off something God told us to do? Sort of makes the implications of baptism much deeper, eh?
   3. Final Step thinking can lead us to think that as long as I got baptized, I am good — right? But there’s so much more to it than that.
   4. Baptism is the first step into a life in Christ. It is a birth.
   5. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. – Galatians 2:20
   6. What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. – Romans 6:1-4

3. Is baptism a work of righteousness?
   1. If we are saved by grace, then why does baptism matter? How can we say baptism is necessary and essential to salvation if we are saved by grace?
   2. Some have accused us of being “water regenerationists.”
      1. I don’t know of anyone who makes that claim. I mean really, is there someone who actually claims that water is more important than Christ?
      2. I don’t know too many who can pronounce water regenerationist and when I searched it I found information about water purification systems!
      3. I think that this is a charge that comes out of debates and it is meant to be our “Achilles’ Heel.” If we want salvation by grace then we can’t have necessity of baptism. We have to transcend the question – not just to win a debate, but so that we really understand what baptism and grace and righteousness is all about …
   3. Is baptism a work we do or a work God does to us?
      1. Colossians 1:6-15 – Paul connects grace, submission, righteousness, and baptism.
      2. In vv. 6-10, he’s speaking all about grace. He’s slammed anyone who asserts or believes that righteousness is about checking off a list of requirements or manipulating the system.
      3. So, if baptism were a “work of righteousness” (i.e., something on a checklist) then how could he describe baptism as he does in vv. 11-15? Because Paul sees baptism as the work of God. God is really present and active in our baptism, just as we believe he is present and active in the Communion and in the Word.
      4. So, don’t accept it when someone claims that baptism is a work of righteousness – but more importantly, let’s not reduce it to that ourselves! Think about what God did when you were baptized. Think about how he operated on you! What changes he made in you!

         • Heart Surgery … How arrogant it would be to claim we had any part in repairing our heart except to show up.
      5. So, wait! At what point are we saved? Are we already saved and baptism just confirms it? Are we saved right at the end of the baptism? What if you die right when you are placed in the water? How do you call that one? Maybe we are missing the point …

         • Wedding Ceremony … At what point are the couple married? “I do”? “I pronounce you …”? Signing the marriage license? Registering it at the court house? Let’s get rid of all the useless stuff and just process marriages, okay?
         • We can peel away all the layers of the artichoke and find out that the layers are the meat! Those ceremonies mean something …

Learning to Live in a world of meaningful symbols – Meeting Christ in the water …

How the Mighty Hath Fallen

Posted by Chris on August 9, 2009 under Sermons

Who Killed Saul?

1 Samuel 31 Saul falls on his own sword His armor-bearer refused to kill him

2 Samuel 1 Amalekite Kills the wounded Saul Brings David emblems of royalty

Options

1. Both accounts are true – two different perspectives (Saul attempted suicide, Amalekite finished the job)
2. Amalekite is lying
3. Two stories with different intents

Understanding David’s Response

1. Amalek is the ancient enemy
2. Saul’s death could be David’s opportunity to rise
   • Saul was all that held David back
   • There is no king at this time
3. Amalekite is securing a favor

4. Bloodguilt –
   • Ancient concept (Cain and Abel)
   • David will not assume any guilt for Saul’s death
   • He will rule only if it is God’s will
   • David curses Mount Gilboa

Public Grief

1. David is a poetic leader
2. He chose poetry over politics
3. “Where loss is not grieved there are barriers to newness” – W. Brueggemann

David, King of Judah

1. David moves according to God’s will.
2. David is king in the south.
3. David makes allies with Jabesh-Gilead.
4. Saul’s tribes are in the north.

Civil War

1. Seven and a half years
2. Joab leads David’s forces
3. Abner leads Saul’s forces
4. Contest of champions ends in a draw
5. Risk of annihilation

School Supplies Blessing

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

Comments for School Supply Blessing

I remember my first set of school supplies. I remember that I had a box of crayons – they were huge crayons and only half round. The idea was that these would be easier for little kids to handle. What really made an impression on me was that this box of crayons only had eight colors. Just eight! Now don’t tell anyone, but at home I was already up to 16 and had even experimented with a box of 64 with the built in sharpener!

Every year that we bought school supplies I was eager to see what box of crayons I was authorized to use. I was disappointed when crayons were no longer on the list. And then there was no glue, no scissors. All the fun went away. After that it was just textbooks and paper.
But for a time, even though I didn’t long for school start and summer to be over, there was some consolation in receiving a brand new set of crayons, glue, scissors, etc. and wondering what neat things we would get to make that year.

I share that memory, because I have been thinking about the 400 or so students in our community who won’t be able to go to the store with their families for one reason or another and get their supplies. Our school systems will provide their supplies. Sure, there are government funds for such resources and I guess we don’t really need to go to all this effort just to buy crayons and glue. Maybe so, but can we grasp what is represented in all of this?

Going to the store with parents to buy school supplies is sort of a basic minimum. If that isn’t able to happen, then it’s probably an indicator of much greater problems. Problems of many types: homelessness, job loss, poverty, parents who don’t care, parents who are addicts … the list is numerous and government solutions cannot take into account each individual situation.

But God is not the government. He knows each and every child that will attend our schools. He knows their families. He knows their whole story. He is working through all of us to show his love for the children. Something as simple as a box of crayons freely given might make a difference in ways we can never record, but God knows.

So we are going to bring these gifts and give them to God first. Then we are going to trust that God can work through us, through teachers and parents in the school system and his purposes shall be accomplished. This isn’t about us. This is about God’s people willing to give something as simple as cup of cold water and ask that the Lord bless the effort. (Matthew 10:42)

(Elder prays for the School Supply Donations)

Comments for Back to School Blessing