The End of the World As We Know It (2 Pet. 3:1-13)

Posted by Chris on August 29, 2004 under Sermons

[Read 2 Peter 3:1-13]
When Is The Lord Coming Back? Is He Coming Back?

• Peter has warned the churches of the dangerous teaching of the false teachers (2 Peter 2). They live a life dominated by their lusts, because they believe the outcome doesn’t matter. When asked about the return of Christ, these teachers scoff. (Scoffing is more than doubt – it is denial and cynicism. An arrogant rejection of a position they believe absurd).
• They say, "Christ is overdue. The apostles misunderstood. He is not coming back. He never was." And their evidence is the world around them. Nothing has ever changed, they say. The world has been the same since the time of our ancestors.
• And in our own time, this has been one of the chief criticisms against belief in God. The supposed historical record of the earth that demonstrates long drawn out, slow change was for decades considered foundational to scientific explanations of the origin of earth and life. The constancy of the earth and its resistance to change was regarded as core. (Epicureans believed that the atom was constant and indestructible – now we know that is untrue).
• Many of our contemporary cynics and scoffers are able to conceive of time and history in terms of billions and billions of years, yet Carl Sagan and Isaac Asimov said that if Christ is coming back he’s 1900 years overdue. That’s ironic- what is 1900 years compared to ten million?
• Obviously, these people were wrong. Jesus did not return for his disciples, nor at anytime since. We can therefore only assume that Jesus made a false prophecy, and he will not be returning for his Church at any time. – Web site author (Former Baptist, now atheist).
• The view that the earth is unchanging and constant is falling out of favor. Of course Peter knew this centuries ago …

1. The End of the Unchanging World (3:5-6)
   1. – In the beginning the earth was formless and void. And by the word of God, it became good and vibrant – teeming with life. That’s change!
   2. – Things were going along just peachy in the days of Noah (or so everyone thought) and this man Noah was saying it is going to rain. No one had seen rain, no one could imagine rain, so everyone believed this was outrageous. They were knocking on the door of the ark when "the sky began to fall."

   God is sovereign and his word shapes reality. That is sovereignty. Sovereign is defined as having supreme power and potency. [When E.F. Hutton speaks, people listen – When God speaks, it becomes reality.]
   "By the same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment."
   Things do not remain constant simply because nothing is happening, They remain this way because God wills it – by the same word that issued change and destruction, preservation and keeping are maintained.

   • The continuance of the world "as we know it" depends on God, just as "the end of the world as we know it" is by God’s will. His word creates, destroys (he holds back the chaos waters), and re-creates. The stability of the world and the permanence of the world cannot be taken for granted.

     • By his word and will God created heaven and earth
     • By his word and will God destroyed heaven and earth in the flood
     • By his word and will God restored the heaven and earth after the flood
     • By his word and will God sustains the heaven and earth until it will be burned with fire
   • Since God is creator and sustainer, God does not intend for things to remain as they are. He intends to eliminate evil from the world. He intends to purify it and renew it. So, why does he keep things as they are? Two reasons given:
     1. God’s perception of time differs from human perspective, thus the Psalm 90:4 statement (this is a reminder of the prophets words).
     2. God is slow to anger and patient (see Joel 2:12-13, Exodus 34:6; Jonah 4:2). God is holding off giving everyone a chance to change and be prepared to welcome the return of Christ. [This should erase any notion that God is waiting to catch us at our worst – like the high school principal. When we are at our worst, God is most merciful – but we dare not ignore the forbearance of God. This should inspire everyone to make ready for something wonderful – the home of righteousness!]
        • God keeps his promises. Whether it takes a thousand years or a day, he keeps his promise – he does not forget, he does not get tired, he is not impatient. In fact, he is extremely patient with us. He does not want anyone to perish.

   The Impatience of Humanity

   • The Cecropia Moths – May of 1999, caterpillars/June 1999 they wove cocoons/April 2000 I was trimming the bushes and cleaning out our overgrown flower beds and I thought, what shall I do with the cocoons. I spoke to Karen and said, "They might be dead." I thought that with all the pesticide and mosquito fogging that these bugs were lost. Karen said, give them a month, and then we can remove their branches. The very next day, I stepped out onto the front walk early to see two beautiful moths. They stayed for a few days and then they were gone.
   • What a shame if I had taken down their cocoons. I would have missed a miracle. My children would have missed the miracle. They would have missed the story. We still talk about the moths.
   • When the caterpillars were roaming around eating the trees, it was always a challenge to see whether they were still there – where were they hiding? Had a bird gotten them? But after the cocoon, there was no drama. We knew that one day they would emerge, but it became tedious to wait. And looking at the dead lifelessness of the cocoon, it was hard to believe that they might be alive.
   • Believers are not unaffected by the delay. We sort of think that life will go on as it always has. We don’t wait with anticipation. We don’t pray “Maranatha” as we should.
   • In our fast-paced world, we have become truly impatient. We await change. We want something to happen. And when it doesn’t, we assume it will never change. We give up. We are visionless. And that’s is very dangerous because: 1) we accept that the world we see is all there is and 2) we forget some very important promises.

2. The End of the Unrighteous World (3:7-10)
   • There is current not only the view of a random creation (evolution), but also a random or accidental destruction (extinction event, biological/ecological/nuclear disaster). If the final end of the world is impersonal and senseless, then morals don’t really matter. Examples of impersonal, non-judgmental destruction: meteor extinction event, nuclear accident/war, ecological or biological disaster. The only moral imperative we can sustain is an impulse to avoid the destruction or to escape it somehow and preserve the continuation of the species or civilization.
   • If creation and destruction are impersonal and without judgments, then we assume that we are free to live as we like. But the beginning and end of the world, as well as every moment in between have meaning and purpose! The destruction is a creation – the end of unrighteousness and the beginning of the home of righteousness …
   • All things will be judged and only righteousness will prevail …
     • The destruction/breaking down of the elements is the pre-condition for the new heaven and new earth (see Rev. 21:1-22:5). It is like the refiners fire that melts gold and burns out the impurity – the destruction of the ore creates something beautiful.
     • Righteousness is worth maintaining even now because it is the final state of things. It is the reality that will prevail. It is the destination of the godly path and the fulfillment of the divine promise – the sharing in the divine nature.
     • On Jan 1, 2002 the 12 countries of the European Union switched to a new currency – the euro. The preparation for the currency change had taken years. For six weeks after Jan 1, the two currencies were in circulation together, but after the grace period all other currency would be worthless. Some governments planned to use the old currency as fuel in government building heating systems, some had plans to shred the old currency and use it as confetti in a carnival. Others planned to use the old money as compost material. Whatever they planned, for six weeks the two currencies operated together, but after the grace period only the Euro had value.
       1. The world as we know it – in which evil and unrighteousness sometimes seem to prevail, is ending.
       2. The home of righteousness is the only feature of the world to come that Peter cares to mention. All other features are set aside. This is the only detail that really matters – especially for the now! Debates about the details of judgment and the end of time miss the point. Whether the earth is burned up or burned over or whether there is a tribulation or rapture are ancillary concerns. They are possibilities – debatable issues.
       3. The focus ought to be on God’s will being set into motion and prevailing. By his word he created, and by his word he will dissolve it. He will judge and test all things. He will recreate and transform. He will fashion a new heaven and new earth. God’s will prevails – this gives us hope! And that shapes the way we live …

3. The End of the Hopeless World (3:11-13)
   • We have made a mockery of the return of Christ. We have reduced it to a boogeyman tale to scare sinners and frighten children at Bible camp. In reaction to such a fantastic view or to the millennial controversies of past and present some leave the subject aside entirely. That’s also to our shame because the return of Christ and the meaningful, purposeful end of this age by God’s sovereign action is rooted in the gospel. It gives us hope of sharing in his resurrection wonder and the ultimate beauty of the world to come. That’s a greater motivation than avoiding punishment.
   • The Iraqi Olympians – Because Uday Hussein is dead, this is the first Olympics in which they are motivated to win the prize rather than avoid punishment.
   • The hope of Christ’s return and God’s will to establish the home of righteousness orders the way we live even now. There’s where we need to focus our energy and our attention!
     1. One day in 1789, the sky of Hartford, Conn. Darkened suddenly and ominously. Some of the representatives in the State Congress left their seats to glance out of the window fearing the end of the world was at hand. There was a clamor for immediate adjournment so that the representatives could leave and see to their personal affairs. The speaker of the House, Col. Davenport, rose up and said, "The Day of Judgment is either approaching or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause to adjourn. If it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. Therefore, I wish that candles be brought."
     2. The Christian outlook should be one of hopefulness not fear and worry. We are not the people who fear the end and the return of Christ, we are those who welcome it and who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
     3. This is the idea in the Lord’s Prayer that God’s will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. That’s not a maybe – that is an eventual reality and we as the pilgrims on the divine path ought to be inviting that reality to come soon!

Back To School Blessing

Posted by Chris on August 22, 2004 under Sermons

BACK TO SCHOOL BLESSING

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BLESS?
Genesis 12

God’s Promise to Abraham:
[Genesis 12] ² “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. ³ I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

1. God blesses Abraham – God is the source of all blessings. God gives Abram a future and promises to make him great.
2. Abraham will be a blessing – Abraham is blessed so the he might be a blessing to others. God isn’t favoring Abraham to the exclusion of all others. Consider how this promise fits into the context of Genesis: the first 11 chapters show how the sin has corrupted the world and caused it to be cursed. God reverses the curse with a blessing.
3. Blessings and Curses – How others live in relationship to Abraham, the one that God blesses, makes a difference. But the way Abraham lives is also important! Pharaoh and Abimelech (Genesis 20) both suffer because Abraham does not live among them as he should.
4. Blessed through you – Can we infer from this that how God’s people live among others makes a difference not simply for our fortune, but for theirs also? Can we see how we are called to intercede for the world and if we live in suspicion, fear, mistrust, anger or hatred we are bringing a curse on the world?

God’s people are called to be a blessing to the nations, not a curse. We are to be the salt of the earth, enhancing the culture rather than corrupting it. We are supposed to shine like stars in the midst of a crooked and depraved generation. We cannot do so if we are committed to grumbling and complaining (Philippians 2:14-15). We have many opportunities to be a blessing to the world around us – this morning we focus on the opportunity we have to bless students and schools.

Jumping on the "bad-mouth bandwagon" will not help. Nagging about the ills of society will not help. Discussing the sources of cultural breakdown and the problems of families and schools seems worthwhile, but there is something much more effective. If we will humble ourselves and pray to God on behalf of our teachers and students, we will be accomplishing so very much. Praying a blessing is not something extra – something additional to the real work. It is the real work.

God blesses us so we can be a blessing to others. Perhaps the reason we sometimes don’t feel as if we can bless others is because we are inattentive to God’s blessing. We want pray that God bless our students this morning – not only for your sake, but so you will be a blessing to others …

1. Elders and ministers were invited to assemble on the upper stage.
2. Students of all ages were invited to come to the upper stage (pre-K thru college). A song was led during the transition.
3. Once the students were gathered up front, Chris Benjamin offered the following blessing and charge to them …

(Directed to youngest children): You’re important to us. The people of this church care about you and look forward to watching you grow up. You are learning so many things in school. What you learn about there matters to us very much.
We also want you to learn about God and his son Jesus. We will help you. We want you to know that God and Jesus are important not just at church and on Sunday, but all the time. That’s why the people of this church are going to pray for you all the time.

(Directed to older children): We love you as you are. You are human just like us and capable of right and wrong. Yet, we challenge you to grow spiritually, to be like Christ. You are our hope for the future church – and you are servants and leaders even now. We believe in you. Faith is not just for adults, so we urge you to "Remember your Creator" during this time in your life.

(Explain the magnets): Someone will be praying for you this year when you are having fun at school, and even when you’re not having fun. Some one will pray for you when you are sick and can’t make it to school. Someone will be praying for you if others are acting mean toward you. And they may be praying for you when you’re not acting as nice as you should. Someone will be praying for you when you feel left out, and also when you have the chance to make a new friend.

Sometime this year someone will be praying for you when you’re taking a test, when you’re playing sports, when you’re performing. Sometime this year someone will be praying for you by name when people are saying bad things about you for no reason, when you’re on a date, whenever temptation is strong. Sometime this year someone will be praying when you are praying on a retreat, when you are reading your Bible, when you are thinking about your place in God’s church.

1. An elder prayed for the students.
2. Students were dismissed.
3. Elders and ministers remained up front.
4. Teachers and all school workers were invited to come forward.
5. A song was led during transition.
6. Once the teachers were gathered at the front, Chris Benjamin offered this blessing …

(Directed to Teachers and others): It’s an old joke, but you didn’t get into education for the money. In some way you answered a call to be involved in education. I hope you haven’t forgotten that. The world of the curse will deny that calling. It will try to corrupt your love for teaching with all sorts of pressure and criticism. The world of the curse knows only criticism. But you are not merely educators – if you are a child of God you are much more. You are Christians and you carry songs of blessings and words like apples of gold in frames of silver into the world. Your family of faith reaffirms your calling this morning. We want that calling to be blessed by God as you walk and talk like Christ. Our blessing carries this charge – "Be Christ for the schools!"

When we are all at our best, we are all, church and school, committed to a common goal – helping people mature into better people. Jesus said that he came into this world so that we might have life and live it to its fullest – eternally! (John 10:10) Our pledge to you is to work alongside you in that goal.
You are ministers and missionaries of a special sort. In every school, in every city, in every neighborhood, in every family, we call you to model the life of our Lord to the children.

This year both my sons go to school and I realize that another person has an influence in the life of my children. I now realize that I have two options: To bless her, or curse her – and to do nothing is essentially a curse, a curse of unimportance. I will pray for my son’s teachers and everyone at their school and as often as I can, I will "put feet" to my prayers!

We wish to bless you because you have such a wonderful mission. The one who gives a blessing must know that he/she is blessed. To all of you who serve as teachers, principals, school workers, counselors, and in many other ways I don’t even realize I offer you this pledge: someone will be praying for you when you have those victorious moments and the children "get it!" Someone will be praying when it seems they don’t. Someone will be praying for you when you’re convinced that this is your last year, and when it really is your last year. Someone will be praying when you wonder what you are going to do about a student in trouble. Someone will be praying for you when an opportunity to minister open up before you and you feel the awesome responsibility of the moment. Someone will be praying for you when a red-faced parent blames you for their problems, and someone will be praying when a student shares with you his or her dreams and thanks for what you have done for them. We will all be praying as a student gets closer to Christ because of your influence, whether you know it or not.

1. An elder prayed for the teachers, school workers, etc.
2. All were dismissed from the upper stage.

Chris Benjamin concluded with final comments that will:

1. Charge the church to be in prayer.
2. Give them instructions about the prayer magnets
3. Give the invitation to prayer and baptism

Escaping Destruction (2 Pet. 2:11-22)

Posted by Chris on August 15, 2004 under Sermons

Ali is a young man with little money and no wife. This is all the incentive he needs to take the ninety-minute bus ride from his village to Baghdad. As soon as he arrives, the 21-year-old Iraqi heads straight to Abu Abdullah’s. There it costs him only $1.50 for 15 minutes alone with a woman.

Referring to all the newly available immoral activities, Ali grins and says, “Now we have freedom.” – – Christian Caryl, “Iraqi Vice,” Newsweek (12-22-03)

If freedom is genuine, then all choices have to be available. Unfortunately, some will choose to squander their freedom. To waste a second chance at new life is incredibly disappointing and anguishing. We grieve when we see people around the world trade in their freedom for false security or idle pleasures. We a sickened by those in our country who have opportunities to escape their circumstances but their own foolishness returns them to a life of misery. How often do we consider our freedom in Christ as a precious opportunity? How often do we stop and consider how freedom from sin and death has given us more than just an exemption from condemnation – it has given us a new life to be lived well!

Peter warns the church not to end up like the false teachers who are enslaved to their foolishness. The false teachers claim that freedom gives them power to do whatever they want, but Peter shows that they really have no freedom since their life isn’t conformed to that which is greater than ourselves …

2:10 – Being bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to slander glorious beings. ¹¹ Yet even angels, although they are greater in strength and power, do not bring a slanderous accusation against them from the Lord. ¹² These people, like irrational animals, are mere creatures of instinct that are born to be caught and killed. They insult what they don’t understand, and like animals they, too, will be destroyed, ¹³ suffering wrong as punishment for their wrongdoing.

1. Stupid Animals – [They do not recognize anything greater than themselves. Antithesis to the promise of God]
   • Disregard for the power of sin and evil – like a stupid animal. Dismissal of final judgment and the consequences of their behavior. They claim freedom over these.

   • Sin has consequences – It should not be treated lightly. It is dangerous and kills, it hurts and maims. (Harmless fun?) Don’t try this at home! Why? Despite appearances and the luck of stunt performers these acts are dangerous.)

   • Freedom does not give license to ignore consequences. (Yelling “Fire” in a theatre, joking about bombs in an airport terminal is not protected free speech because it is irresponsible.)

   They take pleasure in wild parties in broad daylight. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceitful pleasures while they eat with you. ¹⁴ With eyes full of adultery, they cannot get enough of sin. They seduce unsteady souls and have had their hearts expertly trained in greed. They are doomed to a curse. ¹⁵ They have left the straight path and wandered off to follow the path of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the reward he got for doing wrong. ¹⁶ But he was rebuked for his offense. A donkey that normally cannot talk spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s insanity.

2. Stains and Blemishes – [They are a corrupting influence. Antithesis to the Path of godly living.]
   • Reveling in their deceitful pleasures – this is in your face behavior! Why? Why make it so obvious and direct? The need for acceptance and enablement. And we need to be careful because this is done in some subtle ways …

   • Sins like violence, greediness, irresponsible sexual behavior, drug use are glamorized to suppress the real human cost of the behavior. (We try and cover over the stain and blemish of sin.)

   • Sin distorts human relationships and others are viewed as people to be manipulated and used. (On the streets of London – everyone was someone to be used or exploited. Why did you take his money? Well he’s bad and uses drugs. So said the man who wanted me to buy him more liquor. So said the man who stole money from others.)

   • Balaam: We have wandered off the straight path. Balaam did not recognize that there was something greater than his greed. We have made the self the most sacred principle and we have denied ourselves the freedom that comes from knowing the source of power for Godly life …

   ¹⁷ These men are dried-up springs, mere clouds driven by a storm. Gloomy darkness is reserved for them. ¹⁸ By talking high-sounding nonsense and using sinful cravings of the flesh they entice people who have just escaped from those who live in error. ¹⁹ Promising them freedom, they themselves are slaves to depravity, for a person is a slave to whatever conquers him. ²⁰ For if, after escaping the world’s corruptions through a full knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled and conquered by them, then their last condition is worse than their former one. ²¹ It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to know it and turn their backs on the holy commandment that was committed to them. ²² The proverb is true that describes what has happened to them: "A dog returns to its vomit" and "a pig that is washed goes back to wallow in the mud."

3. Dried-Up Springs, Dogs and Pigs – [They are slaves to their sin. Antithesis to the Power for Godly living.]
   • How is the empty cry for freedom and liberation to be believed when it only promises more bondage? Dried up springs and wispy clouds look good, but they cannot offer life giving water to the thirsty and drought stricken.

   • (Hurricane Charley – How foolish it would be for those who escaped to rush back into the full force of the hurricane thinking they are safe because they "got out.")

   • How can you promise freedom when you are a slave? (The hopeless and empty solutions of the false philosophies of our age: examples.)

   • God does more than forgive – he cleanses, he heals, he frees us and then he leads us.

   • God has set us free. We have escaped the corruption of this world – what a shame it would be to squander the opportunity to share in the divine nature. – This present world, as corrupt and conflicted as it is, will pass away when the morning star rises and the Day of the Lord arrives.

God Knows How (2 Pet. 2:1-10)

Posted by Chris on August 8, 2004 under Sermons

"But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them–bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard) — if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority."

1. Destructive Heresy. – Peter has assured us that he is a reliable teacher and preacher. He is a witness to something greater than himself. What he experienced confirms the prophecy of Scripture. It is no myth. And this matters because Peter has taught the churches and has passed on to us the truth about living godly – participating in the divine nature.

   By contrast, there are unreliable teachers. Their teaching and the foundation for their teaching is different from Peter’s. As a result, their teaching does not lead to participation in the divine nature. Rather, it encourages the impulses of the sinful nature. Their teaching is based on false conclusions and as a result there is no motivation to live a godly life.

   We dare not affix the label of false teacher too easily. We have done so with everything from forms of worship, use of church property, to the administration of funds for the poor. Ascribing the label of false teacher too casually can desensitize us to the truly destructive and unhealthy effect of bad teaching. Scripture recognizes that there are disputable matters, and conflict over disputable matters can make us very anxious. But the sort of false teaching that Peter describes is much more insidious than conflict over disputable matters. It is dangerous because it tampers with the foundation of faith (1:3-5) that is the power for godly living.

   Those whom Peter calls false teachers are doing far worse than voicing a dissenting opinion or holding to a belief without fully understanding it. Their activity and teaching is much more destructive and sinful.

   A Dangerous Alternative: A heresy is more than a different viewpoint or dissenting opinion. It is more than a measure of doubt. A heresy is a school of thought so different that it represents a alternate faction or school of thought and practice. Peter says that the false teachers have rejected or denied the God who ransomed them. That’s a serious alternative – so serious that it forms an alternate faction, or heresy – and since the foundation of truth and the power to save has been rejected, the heresy will result in destruction. Destruction and ruin are the inevitable products of this orientation toward the sinful nature, just as godliness and love are the products of the orientation toward the divine nature.

2. God Knows How To. – Peter is taking the opportunity of his final testimony to warn believers to avoid the destruction that will result by adopting the orientation of the false teachers. To do this, he draws our attention to the "big picture." There is right and wrong not only in our everyday choices, but also on a cosmic and historical scale. Even the angels are held accountable to the rule of God and they cannot claim special privilege simply because they are from heaven. Even the people of the ancient world were held accountable to the rule of God and no one can say that the people of olden times are right simply by virtue of being part of the past. In every time and in every dimension of reality, God knows how to rescue godly people from their trials and to hold unrighteous people for punishment on the day of judgment.
   Why so hard on sin? Why is God so judgmental?
   1. The false alternatives are dangerous and destructive. They are destructive, poisonous seeds of death. They germinate into corruption.
      God’s opposes the heresy with zero tolerance because such rebellion and predation must end. Wouldn’t we be against an alternative that leads to destruction … (The ship wreckers and mooncussers – For the sake of profit, the mooncussers lured merchant ships to destruction with false lights).
   2. Redemptive Intervention. God’s judgment is actually a gracious thing. It is redemptive. Without being intolerant of destruction and divisiveness, without being intolerant of the sin there cannot be conversion and restoration. God did not establish law prophets and Jesus in order to populate hell. That is not his purpose. Judgment is an aspect of Salvation. Like an intervention. Interventions = they are intolerant because they are for the saving of one who is destroying his/her life.
      If we share in Christ’s nature, then like him we will also regard our presence in this world as redemptive. That becomes our mission.

3. The Faithful Minority. –
   There is no virtue in damning the lost so we might be assured of our salvation. That was never Jesus’ message nor mission. We wait for Christ’s return to this world – his first coming into the world was not to condemn, but to save. His second coming will also be a saving event. He will come to restore all things as they were before the corruption of sin.

   Remember how God saved Noah and Lot? In opposing the destruction of wickedness God remained faithful to the righteous. Remember that God was willing to spare Sodom and Gomorrah if there were more righteous – that’s what he promised to Abraham. Even if we are in the minority, we can be assured of God’s faithfulness and his power to rescue us from sin and unrighteousness.

   If we had a greater grasp of the awesome danger of sin and the wonderful mercy of God would they change the way we live among others; would we be more trusting of God’s power to save us and others as well?

   July 4, 1854, Charley Peace, a well-known criminal in London was hung for his crimes. The execution was performed with formal ceremony. There was a priest present who read the formal prayer prescribed for executions. As Charley was marched onto the gallows a priest read these words from his book: "Those who die without Christ experience hell, which is the pain of forever dying without the release which death itself can bring."
   At the reading of these chilling words, Charlie Peace stopped, turned to the priest and shouted in his face, "Do you believe that? Do you believe that?"
   The priest, stunned by the verbal assault, stammered for a moment and then said, "Well I suppose do." "Well I don’t," said Charlie. "But if I did, I’d get down on my hands and knees and crawl all over Britain, even if it were paved with pieces of broken glass, if I could rescue one person from what you just told me."

   God forgive us for thinking that we are more righteous if we condemn rather than save. As we get pushed more and more to the margins and out of the majority we may grow angry and hopeless and that will lead us to an attitude of negative condemnation.

   God has quite a bit of experience in saving and judging. God knows what he is doing. It is his nature.

   And it is about time we started acting like "Gods knows how" and get away from the mistaken notion that we know how to do everything ourselves. We have come to understand "work out your own salvation" to mean that it is all up to us. But Peter is calling the faithful to place their confidence in God’s ability to save.

   [Ironically, if we are at all doubtful that we might be saved and certain that condemnation is all we can expect, then chances are we will act on what we are most confident about – condemnation. And we will judge others and condemn them.]

   Trust God to judge and save – that’s Peter’s gospel and it is ours, too. God knows what he is doing! All we need do is offer the light of the lamp shining in the dark. The light of the morning star.

   You don’t have to condemn before you can save others! Just this: Keep yourself in safety and snatch others from the fire (Jude 21-23). The only way we are going to be able to help save others is if we trust God to save us. If we really don’t believe what we say, then no wonder we are ineffective in calling many more to participate in the divine nature. And we certainly won’t help anyone if we ourselves do not participate in the divine nature. [If the people who follow the teachings of Christ do not demonstrate a code of ethics and behavior different from the world around them; Barna shows this is the major hindrance to Christian witness today – add citation].

Your salvation is not simply exemption from Hell. If you possess the virtues of the godly life, your life is effective and productive. It is a witness to those who might otherwise die without Christ.

A Lamp Shining in a Dark Place (2 Pet. 1:16-21)

Posted by Chris on August 1, 2004 under Sermons

In recent decades, there has been so-called experts who deny that there was a Holocaust initiated by the Nazis. To overcome this denial of tragedy, those who survived the holocaust have made an effort to tell their stories. Whereas the deniers attempt to gather scientific evidence and patch together historical information, the survivors tell their stories. They relate the events that they and others experienced. They are eyewitnesses.

(Robert Clary: In 1980 Robert felt the need to talk about his experience during the war; he began speaking publicly through the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s nationally acclaimed outreach program. "For 36 years I kept these experiences during the war locked up inside myself. But those who are attempting to deny the Holocaust, my suffering and the suffering of millions of others have forced me to speak out." -from RobertClary.com )

Peter: The Eyewitness of Christ’s Majesty

• There were scoffers and false teachers within the church who claimed that the apostles fabricated the expected return of Christ. They claimed it was a myth – something that the apostles devised to impose morals on the church.

  • Epicurus among others in antiquity who opposed myths. They claimed they were nothing more than fanciful tales meant to goad superstitious people.
• Peter makes a point to assure the believers that the things that he and the other apostles taught are no myths …
  • His appeal is to something he himself saw, and the word of God … They witnessed to something outside themselves, something from God:

1 Peter 1:16-18
¹⁶ We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. ¹⁷ For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” ¹⁸ We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

Peter’s Witness- This is No Myth!

1. I saw the majesty!
   • Peter’s first response to the charge that Christ’s return is a myth is that he is an eyewitness to the glory and power of Christ, the Son of God.
   • He saw the "transfigured" Christ on the mountain …
   • The Transfiguration (Mark 9:1-13)
     • The apostles are headed up the mountain. They have hopes that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus is filled with the glory and majesty of God. It changes his appearance – he’s radiant! Moses and Elijah speak to him. The appearance of these two figures triggers awe and hope! They are the heralds of the Messiah! This is the installation of Christ as ruler over the earth! This is his crowning as King!
     • Here’s a vision that stirs the apostles’ passion and hopes – but they don’t quite understand. Peter speaks up ready to make three tabernacles to establish the presence of heaven on earth – the beachhead of the invasion from heaven! And since Peter, doesn’t quite grasp everything that is taking place, the voice of God from heaven booms out "This is my son, listen to him!"

2. I heard the voice!
   • What Peter saw was not left to his interpretation. Peter saw it and heard it. The voice of God from heaven declared that Jesus is the Son of God. God’s approval and appointment of Jesus is made clear.
   • And this is more than simply the Father affirming the Son. He is exalting Jesus as the Christ – the Messiah, or the Anointed One. This means that Jesus is invested with the authority to rule and he takes on the power and glory of heaven to accomplish this mission.
   • (To assert his power over Scotland nearly 700 years ago, Edward I of England took the crown of Scotland and the Stone of Destiny, upon which the Kings of Scotland were crowned. Nevertheless, Robert the Bruce threatened the rule of Edward when he declared himself to be King. The pronouncement of a king is a profound event!)
   • For Peter, the eyewitness, this voice gives meaning to what he sees. This is no mystical vision or dream left open to his interpretation. The voice of God gives it a clear caption explaining the event.

3. Pay attention to Scripture – Scripture confirms Peter’s experience, and his experience confirms Scripture!
   ¹⁹ And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. ²⁰ Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. ²¹ For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
   • The event that Peter witnessed, the majesty of the Son of God and his appointment as King and Judge of all the earth, is confirmed not only by Peter’s witness but also through Scripture. And notice that he considers Scripture to originate from a source outside of any individual prophet – it originates from God!
   • The nations rage against God. But God is not threatened. Instead he laughs. He establishes his king, the final king, on the holy mountain and this king will subdue the earth.
   • When did this happen? Peter understands that God established his final, end of time king at the transfiguration. (Christ was approved, anointed, appointed – He saw it, He heard it – Reading Psalm 2 [vs 6-9] it must have all come together.)
   • This king will subdue all the earth and bring it under the authority of God. When did that happen? The subjugation of the rebellious world is still in the future. Therefore, since Christ was appointed the end-time king, and that king MUST rule the world, he MUST come back to finalize the rule of God. His return is inevitable.
   • Hope!

Conclusion:

The expectation of Christ’s should be certain to the believer. It’s not optional.

1. Living with hope and eternal expectation. The aim of Epicureans and Humanists is to seek pleasure in the ordinary human lifespan. But their philosophy has no hope. The witness of the apostles and Scripture is a light shining in a dark place. It is a beam of hope for our hopeless and despairing world.
2. But this lamp is just for the darkness. The glory of Jesus, his rising and his return is like the morning star that signals the coming of daylight! The word of God is like a lamp shining through the murkiness of the hopelessness and ignorance of this world. And when the morning star rises, we know that the Day is coming soon!
3. Paying attention to the lamp and reflecting the glory Peter witnessed means sharing in his divine glory. It means growing in godliness and excelling in love.
   As newsman Clarence W. Hall followed American troops through Okinawa in 1945, he and his jeep driver came upon a small town that stood out as a beautiful example of a Christian community. He wrote, “We had seen other Okinawan villages… down at the heels and despairing; by contrast, this one shone like a diamond in a dung heap. Everywhere we were greeted by smiles and dignified bows. Proudly the old men showed us their spotless homes, their terraced fields… their storehouses and granaries, their prized sugar mill.”

   Hall said that he saw no jails and no drunkenness, and that divorce was unknown in this village. He was told that an American missionary had come there some 30 years earlier. While he was in the village, he had led two elderly townspeople to Christ and left them with a Japanese Bible. These new believers studied the Scriptures and started leading their fellow villagers to Jesus. Hall’s jeep driver said he was amazed at the difference between this village and the others around it. He remarked, “So this is what comes out of only a Bible and a couple of old guys who wanted to live like Jesus.”

4. If we will pay attention to the lamp shining in the dark place (the apostle’s message and Scripture) then we can reflect the hope of the Christ’s return in a hopeless world. Church, we need to be the diamond in the dung heap.

Famous Last Words, Eternal First Things (2 Pet. 1:1-15)

Posted by Chris on July 25, 2004 under Sermons

Veronica Hynes has a message that is very precious to her. The message is from her husband Capt. Walter Hynes of Ladder Company 13, New York Fire Department. Capt. Hynes and his crew were heading for the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. The second hijacked jet had just flown into the south tower. He called home and left a voice mail message: "Honey, it’s real bad. I don’t know if we’ll make it out. I want to tell you that I love you and I love the kids." Veronica Hynes takes comfort that she has these final words from husband. It comforts her to know that he was thinking about his loved ones in his final moments.

If you knew that death was near and you had a chance to leave behind a final message what would you say? Who would you say it to? It is interesting that most last words focus on first things – those things that are of ultimate importance. There is no stunning revelation expressed in Capt. Hynes message; not really anything that his wife or children did not know. But his message was one that needed to be shared. Last words tend to focus on those things that are most important.

The letter we call Second Peter represents the last words of the apostle. For his farewell testimony, Peter does not offer any new revelation or a long held secret he needs to reveal. There is no attempt to reconcile a long held grudge, rather he holds out one more time the basic message to which he has preached and taught since Christ called him. He admits that his readers will know all these things and are probably quite devoted to these principles. Peter chooses to make the first things his last words.

¹² Therefore, I intend to keep on reminding you about these things, even though you already know them and are firmly established in the truth that you now have. ¹³ Yet I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I am living in this bodily tent, ¹⁴ because I know that the removal of my bodily tent will come soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me.¹⁵ And I will make every effort to see that you will always remember these things after I am gone.

Peter is interested in the believers remembering these first things and keeping them in the center of their lives. Knowing that his days are few he intends to spend them in an effort to emphasize the importance of these first things. Peter is establishing a legacy. He intends for this testimony to continue beyond his life. As we study these "famous last words" let us be aware that the apostle intends for us to remember these first things that are foundational to our faith. What are these first things? Peter discusses these in the opening of the letter.

The Power for Godly Living [2 Peter 1:3-4]
¹ From Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a faith that is as valuable as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. ² May grace and peace be yours in abundance through the full knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord! ³ His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the full knowledge of the one who called us by his own glory and excellence. ⁴ Through these he has given us his precious and wonderful promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, seeing that you have escaped the corruption that is in the world caused by evil desires.

Everything Peter has to say is based on the power of God. It all begins with God! Before any of us did anything, God has already acted.
There is a troublesome idea that too often circulates among Christians. It is the idea that God is the all-seeing eye waiting and watching everything we do and then, when the moment is right (or wrong depending on how you look at it) he reacts to our actions. It is as though God is a patrolman waiting to catch those of us you break life’s speed limits. Or he is the school principal who always seems to appear when you break the rules. This view of God is childish and unbiblical. God is not waiting to react to our actions. He has acted, he sent his prophets, he visited us in Christ, he has given gifts, he has blazed the trail, he has sent the Spirit, he has prepared the future and after all this action we are the ones who must react!

Why do we live right? Because God gave us the power to live right and he has invited us to live a life better than any other. He took the initiative to save us. God has a vision for our lives that breaks away from a hollow, meaningless life marred by sin. His vision is a life in which he empowers us to participate in his divine nature. It seems like a huge challenge, but remember that God has already equipped us with everything we need to make the journey …

The Path for Godly Living
There is an old saying that says the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. The wisdom of this saying invites to look at life as a journey of growth. In between the blessings of divine power and the promises of divine nature are the virtues of godly living. There is a "path" that we follow as we grow and mature in Christ. The Christian life is a journey in which the things we know are more than just knowledge – they become virtues. The faith that we might so eagerly contend for is not so much a legal code as it is a transforming truth that bears fruit in the lives of those who accept it. This is certainly Peter’s outlook as he envisions a path of growth for those who begin with faith …

⁵ For this very reason, you must make every effort to supplement your faith with moral character, your moral character with knowledge, ⁶ your knowledge with self-control, your self-control with endurance, your endurance with godliness, ⁷ your godliness with brotherly kindness, and your brotherly kindness with love.

There’s much we could say about the process from faith to love. Faith leads to virtue and in time we come to know more about God as we live virtuous lives and the knowledge of God gives us discipline which enables us to endure temptations and hardships and that perseverance then builds more character in the form of godliness and that then changes the way we relate to others first by enabling us to love better those who are dear to us and then, ultimately, blossoming into the kind of love we see in Jesus – the love of God. This love is the goal of God’s word. Paul described it as the most excellent way and said that love is the highest quality of all – even higher than faith and hope. Without love, all other good things and good deeds are lacking something (1 Corinthians 12-13).

The Promise of Godly Living
The path of godly living is not a process for obtaining the promises of God as though it were some sort of contract that puts an obligation on God. That kind of thinking is not consistent with the mature knowledge that Peter describes. The path is a lifestyle that is really a foretaste and glimpse of what is to come. (Traveling to Branson – The destination influences the path – Look at what has happened to Hwy 412 and Hwy 65.)

Peter says that if we follow the path toward the promises of God then that future life we look forward to will seep into the present time.
⁸ For if you possess these qualities and they continue to increase among you, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in attaining a full knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For the person who lacks these qualities is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten the cleansing that he has received from his past sins. ¹⁰ So then, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election certain, for if you keep on doing this you will never fail. ¹¹ For in this way you will be generously granted entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

1. God has given us the power to grow in Christ. (v. 8) – The increase of virtue = success in knowing Christ. Peter says that our lives are going to count for something. Our lives will not be ineffective and unproductive. Get this, as you come to know Jesus your life will become more meaningful. There is no such thing as a person who really knows Christ whose life is meaningless. Paul disregarded everything he strove for in his life (and he had quite a resume) and his only point of pride was that he might know Christ ever more and be more like him (Philippians 2).
2. We are promised new life. The old life is gone. We have been cleansed. These promises are certain and guaranteed. Those who lack the virtues of the divine nature have lost their sight/vision. We can live godly lives! That’s a promise! (But isn’t that presumptuous? Sure if you are relying on yourself – but Peter’s confidence isn’t on self – it is on God.) We can look back to our baptism and we understand how it was a turning point. In his first letter, Peter says that we were born again, not of perishable seed, but imperishable (1:23).
3. Since that is the case, we need to live up to our Christian calling. We are invited to participate in the divine nature. Simply staying the course is success because it is God who opens the way to the kingdom – not our own righteousness. Too often we falter on the journey because we get distracted by our own inadequacies or fears. The problem is, we think we’re trailblazers – and we’re not. Jesus is the pioneer and he has blazed the path ahead of us. The outcome is not uncertain. We have free will, but the promise is secured by God – you cannot get a better backing! Entry into the kingdom is not something we secure. We have been invited into the kingdom. We trust the one who shares the divine nature with us. We are brought in as partners. We are shareholders in the divine nature [The role of a shareholder]

So, what is holding you back? What would you do differently if you weren’t afraid of failing? God will ensure success in his way. Just stay the course!

Conclusion
Among the many last words spoken by those who perished on Sept. 11 there is this one: A husband in one of the hijacked jets left a message for his wife saying, "I want you to be happy, I want you to carry on, See you when you get here."

Peter’s last message for the church tells us that we will find true happiness if we rely on God’s power and live a godly life. He wants us to continue on the path of godly living so we can obtain the promise of that sort of life. Peter wants us to strive for the life that is to come in the new heaven earth. In a sense he’s saying, "Stick to the path, trust in the promises and I’ll see you when you get here!"

Who Is the Greatest In the Kingdom of Heaven? (Matt. 18:1-6)

Posted by Chris on July 18, 2004 under Sermons

Read Matthew 18:1-5

Quite often during Jesus’ ministry, there were arguments among the disciples over who was the greatest inthe kingdom. On one occasion James and John even had their mother campaigning for the top positionsin the kingdom. It is another such occasion – a moment when the disciples are concerned for status,importance, power, and influence – that begins our text.

Jesus replies by showing them that the way to greatness in the kingdom is to change and become likechildren. Now what seems odd to me is that the disciples seem to be acting very childish already wouldn’tyou agree? They are arguing over “whose the boss” and “who Jesus likes best” – isn’t that what children do? So why does Jesus instruct them to change and become like children?

We may mistake Jesus’ teaching if we think that Jesus is instructing the disciples to take on the qualities andcharacteristics of children. Jesus is not calling for “childish behavior or childish mentality.” Notice that inverse 4 he says that the greatest in the kingdom takes a humble place – like a child. In the kingdom ofheaven, “the little ones” have importance and value.

In the world of the disciples children were the lowest ranking members of society. Some of it was for logicalreasons – children are dependent on adults after all. But some of it was for rather brutal and cold reasons- children are the weakest members of society and were seen as a sort of commodity – their value aspotential adults was their only value.

That may be a bit difficult for us to grasp because in our culture we value children – at least we say we do. I wonder if as a culture we truly value children simply because they are children?

There are few places in our culture where children are valued for being children. Maybe it is only the churchand Chuck E. Cheese where a kid can be a kid. And I hope the church never abdicates it all to Chuck E. And let’s be careful, because even in the church we can get the wrong idea about what it means to valuechildren and to be like children.

Take George Barna for an example. Barna is a churchman and believer. In his book, “TransformingChildren into Spiritual Champions” he confesses that he missed the mark when it come to children and thechurch: “In my mind, children had always been part of a package deal: we want to reach adults with thegospel and then help them mature in their faith in Christ, so we have accepted the kids as a “throw in.” … Like most adults I have been aware of children, fond of them, and willing to invest some resources in them,but I have not really been fully devoted to their development, In my mind that were people en route tosignificance – i.e. adulthood – but were not yet deserving of the choice resources.” (pp. 7-8)

There’s a lesson here for the way we regard and minister to children …

In the kingdom of heaven, we don’t serve people based on what they can do for us. Nor do we target peoplebased on what they can do for the church. In other words, there are no prize “catches” in ministry. That’sworldly thinking. It is the sort of thinking James discourages when he warns the church not to showfavoritism between wealthy and poor people (James 2:1-4).

When Jesus speaks of the little ones and the child-like he means more than children, but don’t think that hedoesn’t mean children also. The disciples must have thought Jesus teaching was metaphorical – or theydidn’t get it. For later, they are turning children away from Jesus. Why would they do that? Well in theirmind Jesus has important business. He has a messianic movement to plan he has an army to equip anda government to establish. And yes, kids are important but they can’t fund your movement, they can’t fightin your army, they can’t provide wisdom and counsel. So you folks leave the teacher alone, he’s had a hardday and he doesn’t need all these kids clamoring about. “Let them come near me!” shouts Jesus. “Thekingdom of heaven belongs to them too!”

In the kingdom, children matter simply because they are children. I am afraid that as much as we lovechildren we might segregate them too much. I know they need some special attention – I realize that. Butdo we have assumptions that children have to have “their own kind of church” and we have to have another. Well what a disappointment it must be to turn 18 and have to enter into the boring adult sector of thekingdom of heaven. Some good soul with a clipboard and manual greets you with a manual and says “Nowfrom this point on there’s no more of that clapping, laughing and joyousness. And forget about retreats andgames, you’ll have too many meetings for that. Give your offering, stay out of trouble and by all means findsomething to worry about.” I hope that when we get like the disciples and make their well-intentionedmistake of throwing up barriers between children and adults that Jesus will knock them down. Let’s help himdo that – and let’s do more than just get involved in children’s ministries, let’s invite them into some of ours. Could we get children to participate in some of our so-called business meetings? Could we ask them whatthey think about the way we adults do things? Maybe we could invite them into our gatherings and shareourselves with them? I know it seems odd, probably because it challenges our assumptions about control,status, and importance …

There’s a lesson here for the way we regard status – and thus the way we behave in the kingdom …

Just after Jesus blessed the children, Jesus met a rich young man – some say he was a ruler of some sort- a man of authority. I know those “kingdom-minded” disciples must have been considering what this fellowcould do for the movement. Here’s a wealthy fellow, young and strong, and moral and upstanding too – whyhe’s kept the commandments faithfully. But there’s just one hindrance to his entry into the kingdom saysJesus, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor and you will havetreasure in heaven. Then come follow me.”

Jesus asks him to become like a child – dependent on the father, trusting in his riches, not our own. Jesusasked this man to change and become like a child.

Do you want to be perfect? Do you want to enter into the kingdom of heaven?

How Long, Oh Lord? (Psalm 94)

Posted by Chris on July 11, 2004 under Sermons

My text for today is Psalm 94 …

¹ O LORD, the God to whom vengeance belongs,
       O God of vengeance, let your glorious justice be seen!
²Arise, O judge of the earth.
        Sentence the proud to the penalties they deserve.
³How long, O LORD?
       How long will the wicked be allowed to gloat?
⁴Hear their arrogance!
       How these evildoers boast!
⁵They oppress your people, LORD,
       hurting those you love.
⁶They kill widows and foreigners
        and murder orphans.
⁷“The LORD isn’t looking,” they say,
       “and besides, the God of Israel doesn’t care.”
⁸Think again, you fools!
       When will you finally catch on?
⁹Is the one who made your ears deaf?
        Is the one who formed your eyes blind?
¹⁰He punishes the nations–won’t he also punish you?
       He knows everything–doesn’t he also know what you are doing?
¹¹The LORD knows people’s thoughts,
       that they are worthless!
¹²Happy are those whom you discipline, LORD,
       and those whom you teach from your law.
¹³You give them relief from troubled times
       until a pit is dug for the wicked.
¹⁴The LORD will not reject his people;
        he will not abandon his own special possession.
¹⁵Judgment will come again for the righteous,
       and those who are upright will have a reward.
¹⁶Who will protect me from the wicked?
       Who will stand up for me against evildoers?
¹⁷Unless the LORD had helped me,
       I would soon have died.
¹⁸I cried out, “I’m slipping!”
       and your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me.
¹⁹When doubts filled my mind,
       your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.
²⁰Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side–
       leaders who permit injustice by their laws?
²¹They attack the righteous
        and condemn the innocent to death.
²²But the LORD is my fortress;
       my God is a mighty rock where I can hide.
²³God will make the sins of evil people fall back upon them.
       He will destroy them for their sins.
       The LORD our God will destroy them.

My secondary text for today is the Southwest Times Record …
(July 11, 2004, edition)

• “At Ramadi’s hospital a child caught in the crossfire [between Marines and militants] moaned inagony.” (Marines, Militants Clash, page 8A)
• “They shot him in his house. They blew her apart with a bomb. They cut him to pieces withswords. They dragged her into the desert and raped her. As the world’s attention was turned tocrises in the Middle East, a slaughter has raged for 17 months in Sudan’s Darfur region. ‘We arelate in Darfur. We have to admit that,’ U.N. Under-Secretary-Generral for Humanitarian AffairsJan Egeland said on a visit last week.” (Systematic Slaughter Unfolds in Sudan, page 10A)
• “A 16-month-old boy was released unharmed Saturday after being taken by his father, who hadshot the mother of the boy and her brother-in-law late Friday, the Benton County Sherriff’s Officesaid.” (Benton County Shooting Wounds Two, page 4A)
• “A 20-year-old man reported that he turned and saw a male acquaintance at the wheel of a sportutility vehicle that had pulled up beside his vehicle. The acquaintance then told the 20-year-oldman to tell a mutual acquaintance that he is “dead” because “he killed my homeboy,” the 20-year-old man told police. The 20-year-old man said he then looked forward and heard a loudbang and breaking glass. He then drove away, and he last saw the sport utility vehicle travelingsouth on Massard.” (Drive-By Shooting Suspects Arrested: Incident Occurs on Rogers Ave.,page 2A)

In Psalm 94, the Psalmist refers to “evildoers.” The term seems a bit dramatic. The Presidentused the term after 9/11 and has received some criticism. Evildoers? That would seem todescribe characters like Doctor Octopus or Darth Vader!

But all it takes is a daily recap of the headlines to remind us that there is evil in the world – andthere certainly are evildoers in Sudan, the Middle East, Arkansas, and Fort Smith.

Like the Psalmist, we are disturbed by such evil because of the arrogant and foolish attitude ofpeople who seem unconcerned with the ugliness of their deeds. We feel restless and angrywhen we see innocents – our loved ones, even – oppressed by such evil and no one seems tonotice.

Christians, women and children, are being slaughtered and tortured by military in the Sudan andthe government there is not held accountable by the U.N. or other nations. This goes onearound the world, but even here within America we witness the impact of evil and the harm ofinnocents …

Even in our own neighborhoods young men and women sucked into a life of conflict, drug abuse,and conflict settle arguments with gunfire. They boast about killing. They threaten the lives ofeveryone around them, and they seem proud about it. And they threaten our loved ones too.

Last week 18-year-old Amelio Romero was killed on the street in what seems to be related to arecent series of shootings. (www.swtimes.com/archive/2004/July/05/news/shooting.html)Sounds like just another story of violence – I tried to dismiss it as such, until I realized that it tookplace in Dick and Mary Broyles neighborhood.(www.thehometownchannel.com/news/3497478/detail.html)
I know them. They are members of this church. I love them. And I am tired of those I lovebeing threatened.

I think I know why people want revenge. I admit that I would support drastic action to fix theproblems of our neighborhood. And I confess that in my own mind and heart I have ideas abouthow we can end the problem – but my ideas are really worthless. They simply involve bringingout a bigger club than your enemy wields, which leads to more violence and more oppressionwhich creates even more arrogance.
I thank the Lord for his discipline and his instructions, for they cause me to realize that if I try tostraighten out the mess I am part of the mess! I am not qualified to dispense justice becauseI am unjust myself. I meditate on the teaching of Jesus – the anger that I feel in my hearttowards others – even the evildoers – is the seed to murder.

And even though we know we are unqualified to take matters into our own hands, wehave to ask if there is something that can be done. We have to ask can we do anything atall.
Psalm 94 shows us that something can – and is – being done. And it points us in the directionwe should go to do something:

When our anxious hearts pray, “How long, O LORD? How long will the wicked be allowed togloat?” We might also raise the question the Psalmist raises, “Who will protect me from thewicked? Who will stand up for me against evildoers?”

The creator of eyes and ears sees and hears what is going on. It may seem to us that aresponse from God is slow in coming, (and we will address this in the weeks ahead as we hearthe word of God for the last days in 2 Peter) – but even if final judgment seems delayed,God’s help is ever-near. We have relief through troubled times even as a pit is being dug forthe wicked.

Yesterday I was exploring rock cliffs and caves. When you come down the side of the mountainthat falls off steeply, moving is a sort of series of intentional slipping and sliding. Your feet neverreally hold on to anything because everything beneath you (pebbles, dirt, leaves) slips. But yourest when you come to a flat surface – like a large rock.

God is our Rock – our place of refuge in the slippage of an evil world. When we are indanger of falling, we can cry out and the unfailing love of God supports us. When we aredistressed and our hearts and minds grow restless, we are encouraged to know that God renewsour hope and cheer. The Psalmist doesn’t just look forward to this – he has experienced it.

Nothing gets by our heavenly Father. He takes care of us – and only he is qualified todeal with those who are foolish in their wickedness …

Some weeks ago I experienced everything the Psalmist is saying just walking to our van in aparking lot. All of us were leaving the store and suddenly two high-powered, souped-up carscame roaring toward us. My first thought was for the safety of my family, so I commanded mychildren to get to the van quickly. My second thought was outrage at the arrogance of thesereckless fools – and I confess I did a stupid thing – I yelled at them. I did not curse them. I justyelled at them to slow down. But they had already turned and were probably off to terrorizesome other parking lot. My third thought was for my children and the example I set for them -Daddy is always saying, “Don’t yell at each other.” And of course the boys are stirred up at thispoint: “Who were those guys? Are you going after them? Are they coming back?” And myfourth thought was how the arrogance of evil and my inappropriate reaction had injected just alittle anxiety into my sons’ world. So I tried to restore hope and cheer, “It’s alright, those are justsome reckless fools who are driving dangerously. You just sit down and be good and let mehandle anything that comes along.” And my five-year-old son expressed the idea of the Psalmistquite well to his older brother. “Okay, let’s be good and let Daddy fight the fools.”

God will make the sins of evil people fall back upon them. He will destroy them for their sins. TheLORD our God will destroy them.
Our Father in heaven will fight the fools. God will take care of this, not us. The Psalmistexpresses a confidence that God will deal with the foolish, arrogant evildoers. Their own sins willfall back on them. This confidence is not only expressed at the end of the Psalm, but also in thebeginning when he addresses the God of vengeance. It is an old teaching in Israel – vengeanceis mine says the Lord (Deuteronomy 32:35). “Let me handle it,” says God. (And remember that we arenot qualified!) The old teaching is found also in the New Testament. …

Romans 12:16-21 – Do not think that you are wiser than you really are. Do not pay anyone back evil for evil, but, focus your thoughts on what is right in the sight of all people. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live in peace with all people. Do not take revenge, dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written, “Vengeance belongs to me. I will pay them back, declares the Lord.” But “if your enemy is hungry, feed him. For if he is thirsty, give him a drink. If you do this, you will pile burning coals on his head.” Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

If our Father is going to handle the evildoers then the best thing we can do is be good! And thismeans more than staying out of trouble – it means conquering evil with good.

That’s what Dick and Mary Broyles are doing in their neighborhood. Dick told me that the youngman, Romero, knew he was in trouble and had been in hiding. When he came back to town, hetold his mother the first thing he needed to do: “I need to see Mary – she will pray for me.” Andthe Broyles will continue to pray for the young people and families in their neighborhood. Theyare not going to be conquered by evil, they are going to do good and let God deal with the evilonce and for all.

Now that’s the sort of fight I want to be part of. I am thinking about ways I can pray for myneighborhood – to do good and try to be a blessing in a cursed world. Why don’t you pray aboutsome ways you can be good. Perhaps we can do a lot together.

There’s a lot of evil in the world – why can’t there be just as much good?

If You Would Just Listen To Me (Psalm 81)

Posted by Chris on July 4, 2004 under Sermons

Today is Independence Day. Every year we observe this festival with the same sort of celebrations – feasting, vacation time from work, getting together with family (or in some cases getting way from family), and then of course there are the shopping sales and special events that often take advantage of the vacationers. And these sort of celebrations are about the same as any of our American summertime holidays. Memorial Day likewise is often a good "go to the lake/lawn chairs and ice cooler/cookout" holiday.

On our American holidays, I think of Col. Clinton Taylor. He is a veteran of World War 2. I met Col. Taylor in Lake Jackson. I have known many veterans – and all of them are distinguished – but Col. Taylor is distinguished among veterans.
I think of him on these holidays because I know that on every patriotic observance Col. Taylor is involved in some honorable way remembering the true reason for the holiday. Only once did I hear him lament, in his quiet measured tone that everyone seemed to enjoy a day off on Memorial Day or the 4^th, but few made time to honor those who make these festivals possible.

Perhaps that’s the nature of freedom and independence. We enjoy our liberty – but mainly for the pursuit of happiness. Not only with the patriotic holidays, but with others – even Christmas – there are just a few voices among us who speak up trying to remind us of the "real reason for the season." And if we listen we consider it just before we return to our own life and pursuit of happiness. For a day off is a special liberty – a sort of reprieve.
          And perhaps it is our nature to lose sight of the "real meaning" of the holidays in our ritual and routine because we have good practice doing so every Sunday. Yes, even on Sunday we gather out of routine and we hear the call to worship like a conductor rapping his stick on the podium. Then we lift up our song books and sing out or hymns – three to four at the most – we do our communion, give our gift and now that our duty is done we may listen to a sermon – if we have time, after all this is a day off.

I realize the title of this sermon sounds like my frustrated plea. I don’t intend to complain because no one listens to my sermon that I have worked on and prepared all week. But what if the preacher making this statement was God?

That’s the way this Psalm is presented – Israel has assembled for a special holiday and they are keeping the festival just as the old law decreed. The Psalmist is the worship leader and he has called them to make their music and reminded them of the proper time and day and shown the Scriptural basis of it, and now that they have done their duty it is time for the sermon – and they hear the voice of one they do not expect to hear. An unfamiliar voice. There’s a guest speaker. God is the preacher at this festival praise service and he is anxious for the worshippers to listen.

God’s text for His sermon is the first commandment and the story of the Exodus. ⁶ “I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket. In distress you called, and I rescued you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah.”
He is bringing them back to the "reason for the season" but he is speaking of it in a personal way rather than citing the legal decree to worship. "I saved you. I worked to win your freedom from slavery and oppression.” But now things have changed and the people have not listened to the voice of God – in fact his voice comes as one they do not recognize. ⁸Hear, O my people, while I admonish you; O Israel, if you would but listen to me!

Preachers of old might call this the "toe-stompin’" part of the sermon. God is calling out the sin. But this isn’t condemnation. It is lament – God’s lament; because just as the Psalmists have lamented before God, now God also has a lament. They haven’t listened.
⁹ “There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god. ¹⁰ I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it. ¹¹ But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.
They have pursued their idols of happiness, but they are not happy. They have declared their independence, but they are not free. How could such a thing happen? How could it happen to them? How could it happen to us?
It is because God is punishing us, yes? It is because God wants to condemn us and kill our joy and take away our happiness, right?

Strangely, there is never a tone of condemnation in this sermon from God. God does three things in this sermon: First, he rescues us. We have noted that. It is the "reason" for our celebration. For Israel it was the Exodus. For us it is the cross and the empty tomb. God saved Israel by leading them through the waters of the Red Sea. He saves us by bringing us through the death, burial and new life of baptism in Christ.

The second thing God does is this – When we declare our stubborn independence from Him, He gives us everything we wanted. ¹²So I let them follow their blind and stubborn way, living according to their own desires.
The most chilling expression of the wrath of God is not fire from on high, earthquakes, pestilence or a flood that covers the earth. No, it is that God would give us everything our bull-heads could imagine and everything our stubborn heart’s desire.

Paul describes the action of God’s wrath this way: "So God let them go ahead and do whatever their hearts desired." (Romans 1:24.) Some expect the wrath and judgment of God to descend on America any day. I think we can understand why. Especially as we as a nation fail to listen to him and as we forget the virtues that exalt a nation. But those who expect the wrath of God in a dramatic way might be surprised. What if God gives America everything it wants. What if God gives us homosexual marriages, what if he gives us easy access to pornography and cultural tolerance of alternative lifestyles of every sort? What if God gives us freedom from personal responsibility and allows us to worship greed? What if God gives us the opportunity to define holiness by prosperity? What if God allows us to justify our discomfort, fear, and hatred of people from other nations, people of other races, people in a different economic bracket so that we are able to say "These differences are just the way it is and it is just a secular issue." What if God allows us to take his word – his revelation of himself – and turn it into a legal rule book so we can "cut to the chase" and simplify the gospel down to easy slogans so we can get busy and restore the church for ourselves.
That, I think, is more frightening and more oppressive than fireballs and meteors striking the earth. How chilling is it to think that we might create and army of idols and wake up one day realizing that we have been invaded? How chilling it is to think that we might tune out the voice and truth and ruin our hearing with the blaring music of deception so that we suddenly find that not only have we become spiritually deaf, but mute as well and we cannot speak the truth to anyone anymore – including ourselves.

No wonder God laments. It is a heart-rending thing to let your children have what they want – even though you know it will hurt them. But this isn’t the end of God’s sermon. Listen to His lament – listen carefully! ¹³ O that my people would listen to me, that they would walk in my ways!
If our stubborn idolatry and spiritual deafness leads to oppression and horrible consequences, then listening leads to something hopeful and promising. And just as the lament of the Psalmist turns to hope trusting that God will hear – so also God’s lament turns to hope if we will hear … ¹⁴ “Then I would quickly subdue their enemies, and turn my hand against their foes. ¹⁵ Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, and their doom would last forever. ¹⁶ I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you!"

When the Congress of the United States signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, they were dissenters. They separated themselves from king and homeland, breaking bonds of connection. But in the final line of the declaration they affirm a reliance on Divine Providence.

This is the third thing God does – He conceives of a new reality despite the sin. God’s hope, should His people listen, imagines protection from enemies – God will topple with the swat of his hand the armies of idols that have invaded his people and oppressed them. His mere presence will shrivel and repel the lies and deceptions that detest God.

And God imagines providence. [And forgive me but I think that God’s image of providence is just a bit richer than Thomas Jefferson’s mention of providence as a stand-in for the presence of God.] For God describes providence as a feast at His table and He Himself is serving up fresh-baked, steaming hot rolls and slathering them with pure honey dripping off the honeycomb.

That’s how God envisions worship. That’s His standard for communion and I’m sorry but I think that vision just rises a little higher that doing the five proscribed acts at the proscribed time – not that there’s anything wrong with such decrees – but would you rather eat a recipe for hot rolls or the fresh bread that the recipe bakes!

James warned the church about being hearers but not doers of the word. I fear that sometimes we are doers – busy bees – but we never hear. We don’t listen to God.

And the way into the God’s kingdom – into his presence where there is provision and protection – is a way of listening.
"Today, if you hear His voice, don’t harden your heart as we have all done in the past." – (Psalm 95:7.)
Open your heart, walk in His ways, and worship Him. Declare your dependence on God!

The Hand of God (Psalm 77)

Posted by Chris on June 27, 2004 under Sermons

The Questions That Keep Us Awake At Night:

I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought theLord; at night I stretched out untiring hands and my soul refused to be comforted. I rememberedyou, O God, and I groaned; I mused, and my spirit grew faint. You kept my eyes from closing; Iwas too troubled to speak.

If we can be perfectly honest, most of us would admit to asking questions that keep us awake atnight. We might call it stress or too much coffee, but there are terrors, fears and doubts that strikein our most vulnerable hours. We pace the floor or lay awake with our eyes wide open staring intothe empty dark. The quiet intimidates us. We find it difficult to even name our feelings or the exactreason why we are distressed. It is there, but we cannot speak about it.

3,000 years after the Psalms we have available to us a variety of remedies: The “quick-fixes” of ourage – some of them are socially unacceptable (alcohol, drug abuse, pornography). Some are lesscontroversial (anti-depressants, TV, chocolate and carbs). Yet, the “quick-fixes” of all sorts have atendency to fail – if we can be perfectly honest with one another. Even the religious “quick-fixes”fail us – these are the pat answers that attempt to repair our grief and distress:

When minister, William Sloane Coffin, lost his twenty-four-year-old son, Alex, in a terribleautomobile accident, he said he received letters, cards and telephone calls from manyfriends and acquaintances, all of them well-meaning, but very few of them helpful. He saidsome of the worst of them came from my fellow ministers who proved by what they said thatthey know more about the Bible than they do about the human heart. “I know all of the rightBiblical passages,” said Coffin, “Blessed are they who mourn. Weeping endures for thenight, but joy comes in the morning. I know all of that. But the depth of my grief made thosewords unreal.” (see Thomas Long, “Through the Churning Waters,” at 30 Good Minutes http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/long_4603.htm)

It’s hard to know what to say to those who hurt – (sometimes I think we err to the other extreme bysaying nothing at all – thus alienating those who hurt.) But, if we are perfectly honest with oneanother, we all hurt, don’t we? Now I know that it is considered presumptuous to say to thegrieving – “I know how you feel” when in fact we cannot ever know exactly how someone else feels- and it is meaningless to say “I know how you feel” it doesn’t really do any good. But “everybodyhurts, sometimes.” Right?

The Psalms are not an attempt to fix the hurt. They are the perfect honesty of God’s people who areexperiencing grief, fear, doubt. They are a proclamation that those who hurt are not alone. We haveseen how each psalmist pours out his heart in anguish and despair. He doesn’t express it simply forone verse or two verses or three verses, he goes on and on and on with his grief. But more still, thePsalms are perfectly honest before God.

In Psalm 77, the perfect honesty of the hurting soul gets right to the core of matter – Has Godturned against me? “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has hisunfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to bemerciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”

Then the moment of perfect honesty: I will say it, “What really wounds me is that the righthand of God Most High (El-Elyon) has changed.” – 77:10 [In my opinion, the NIV translation of thisverse (v. 10 in English, v. 11 in Hebrew) does not communicate the sense of the Hebrew, which communicateshonest disappointment and hurt (chalôthî) and concern that the Right Hand (yemin) of the Most High (Elyon) haschanged (?enôth). See the Contemporary English Version translation of this verse.]

Right Hand of God Most High: God is supposed to be watching over us with his strong right handof power. He is the Most High – the ultimate power. But it seems like all that has changed. That’snot right. It seems disrespectful, we ought to know our place – but the question is “Is God in hisplace?”

And ironically, false humility cannot do what perfect honesty does: the honest admission – the angerand disappointment with God opens a door to a new hope. It is as if there is a breakthrough in therelationship.

Like a couple who have been in a “cold war” for years, their relationship only has a hopeof being healed when the partners decide to be perfectly honest – rather than avoid conflict,they face it head on and all the past comes welling up.

The Psalmist also decides to dredge the past – to remember who God is and what God has done inthe past. He pulls out the old albums and scrapbooks of his memory … I will remember the deedsof the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all your worksand consider all your mighty deeds.

The Faith that Gives Us Hope Day and Night

Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God?
You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.

The movie, “The Story of Us” is about a couple planning to divorce. In the end they resolve to staytogether because they have a story – they have a history both good and bad and they just can’t startover with someone else. For no one else shares their story. (For more information see http://www.smartmarriages.com/story.of.us.html Note: “The Story of Us” is rated R by the MPAA. Do not assume that mention of this movie or the SmartMarriages Impact award constitutes anendorsement of the film. You are urged to use your own judgment in deciding whether to see thisor any movie.)

The movie realizes something so often missed in the real world: that knowing someone involves alot more than just being happy with him or her. Knowing someone involves much more. It involvestime, trust & faith.

Relationships – How do we really know someone? [To explore the concept of knowing God, I recommendPhillip Yancey, Reaching for the Invisible God (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002).] It takes time. Taking someonefor granted seems bad, but there is something wonderful about the stability of a long term relationshipfor it is the unnoticed, ordinary, everyday things that make all the difference. These are the coresubstance of the relationship. Certainly we always want to honor and show grace to those we love(because we certainly need it! – and this is where trust is important), but what sort of a relationshipis built on having to continually make progressive effort to maintain it lest it collapse – with that inmind it will at some point break down – because we are breaking down!

Now, if even our best human relationships are built on time, trust and faith, then isn’t that true ofour relationship with God?

If we are perfectly honest as we look over our history with God we see that there is much we havetaken for granted. Things we may not have noticed that are in fact the substance of the relationship. We discover all over again that God’s ways are holy and there is no one else like him – we just don’thave a story or history with any other God.

Ok, but relationships change and what if God has changed? The days of miracles and power haveceased, right? – What if we really just cannot expect much from God anymore? That’s the tragedyof it isn’t it. In our effort to make faith reasonable and then to prevent God from being the magicpower of hucksters and well-intentioned people who want to put a claim on God so he will grantthree wishes – maybe we reduced God to a code of ethics or an overseer of standards and practices. But this extreme is no better than the one we tried to avoid. If God is limited then is he still God? If we cannot expect greatness and power from God then is he still God? Is he God for us? Magnifying the problem of trust and faith is the fact that God isn’t seen. Couldn’t he show up a littlemore often like he did in the old days? Doesn’t all of it mean that he changed on us – and notnecessarily for the better? I have heard the argument that “this age of reason” is better than “the ageof miracles” – but I have never bought it (I would give up ten principles about God for one burningbush, wouldn’t you?) – after all God was more visible and near in those days . . . or was he? Was itreally all that different? Then and now …

Was he really all that visible during the Exodus? The Psalmist says that he was still unseen and hisfootprints were unseen. What was seen was the influence of God’s hand that parted the sea andguided the Israelites through Moses and Aaron.

Was God so visible at the cross? To many it seemed the end, they abandoned Christ. They left him. They insulted him. Even at the resurrection there were those who doubted and others whodisbelieved despite the evidence – What was seen was the influence of God’s hand that shook theearth and raised Jesus from the dead and opened the tomb.

When God seems absent, his influence is there – even as he chooses to remain hidden. The way thepsalmist puts it is: in the middle of the churning waters, your footprints were unseen. God was therehealing, bringing redemption and hope, but God could not be seen.

To be perfectly honest, God is even nearer than before. He is just as active as always – even moreso now that Jesus rules. His fingerprints and footprints are everywhere – and they are fresh! Maybethe absence of God is due to our lack to be perfectly honest with ourselves and others.

We are using the wrong senses to experience God. When we look for God with reason or doubt weare looking with the wrong senses. It’s like trying to feel red, touch sour, taste loud. And this isn’ta touchy-feel cop-out. For the scientists among us: It is not just that God is at the edge of oursensory range – but we have to keep in mind that this isn’t a laboratory experiment – we areparticipants, not observers – we influence the outcome. God is perceptable to a sense for which wehave no name – that closest we come is to call it spirit. It is more than intellect and action. It is morethat a sterile, non-participatory gaze.

This sense is honed and developed in relationships of perfect honesty: Relationship with Godand with one another. We affirm to one another the experience of the hand of God. Not just all ofus here, but the Scripture is the deposit of faith passed on to us – the Bible did not fall out of heaven- no it is inspired of heaven but it has been passed on to us through our cloud of witnesses. Peoplesuch as Asaph who, like us, have been so disturbed that they stayed awake all night – but in his nightmusing he beheld the hand of God.

And we also need people like you and me. We need to be perfectly honest with one another – and Iregret that we sometimes are not. We put on more than our best clothes for church. And none ofus wants to draw undue attention to ourselves – that’s a good characteristic. But maybe we are lessthan honest with God and one another because we are not honest with ourselves.

We are concerned with the problems of burdening one another or fearing what happens if we speakup. Our only category for the invitation is penance and public confession -other wise we bear upprivately. But what do we miss if we aren’t perfectly honest? Would Psalm 77 be inspired if Asaphhad held back and said everything fine? When we are not honest, we miss the opportunity toexperience the hand of God in the past, present and future.

We believe that the hand of God is as powerful and as mighty as ever – Why? Jesus is risen, he isliving in his church. Now more than ever God is strong and powerful to save. You don’t want yourstory with God to end with the questions that keep you awake at night – do you? Rest in the Handof God!