Do It Right Now, Right Here!

Posted by on August 10, 2003 under Sermons

What is your dream? If you reach for the stars and grasp them, what will you catch? If you make your greatest ambition in life come true, what would happen? If you could give the person you love the most anything, what would you give them? If you could make one big change in our society, what would you change?

I very much need for you to listen to me in context. What I share with you this morning is not an anti-missions statement. It is not an anti-campus ministry statement. It is not an anti-C.U.R.E. statement. It is not an anti-“touch our world” statement.

I find great personal joy in our activities that reach out to other nations and other cultures. I find great personal joy in the potential of a campus ministry work. I find great personal joy in the many things resulting from C.U.R.E.’s outreach. I think it is good to stimulate all of us to dream, to think, to hope.

But sometimes we are content to do little but dream. Sometimes we think that if we dream big dreams, right here and now does not matter. Sometimes we think if we have wonderful desires that come from big dreams, that is all that matters. When that happens, we are deceived. We think we can impress God if we do something big, something important. We are deceived because we think that what impresses humans impresses God.

I surely urge you to dream big dreams for God and for God’s purposes, but I urge you to begin those dreams doing what you can do in your life right now, right here.

  1. Jesus stressed the importance of serving God in the “right now” moment of life with what we have.
    1. Jesus’ ministry was conducted in a very poor nation, and most of it was conducted among very poor people.
      1. Most of us are impressed with physical things that affect lifestyle, so let me challenge you to visualize Jesus’ world in terms real to us that illustrate the poverty of that time.
        1. Among the majority that lived in Palestine, many things did not exist that you and I take for granted.
        2. There was no electricity, not street lights, no electric or gas stoves, no refrigerators, no magazines, no newspapers, no pictures, no mail service, no grocery stores, no theaters, no malls, no gas powered vehicles.
        3. There was no indoor plumbing, no indoor running water, no sinks with hot water, no showers, no bath tubs.
        4. I do not want to be gross and I am not trying to offend anyone, but I want you to realize how crude you would regard their lives–there were no feminine hygiene products of any kind, no toilet paper, no flush commodes, no under arm deodorant, no gel foam shaving cream, no tooth brushes as we have them, no tooth paste, no anti-fungal medicines, no odor eater inserts for shoes, no nail clippers, no watches, no eye glasses, no hearing aids, and none of our specialized medications.
        5. Get the picture?
      2. If you “get the picture,” I want you to listen to some statements Jesus made and place those statements in the context of the situation.
        1. The first is a statement he made to his disciples in Matthew 10:40-42.
          “He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.”
        2. Jesus made a very similar statement to his disciples in Mark 9:38-41.
          John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is for us. For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.”
      3. Here is my understanding of Jesus’ statement to his disciples as they participated with him in his ministry among very poor people.
        1. “Do not dream of grandeur.”
        2. “Do not focus on what wealthy people will do for you.”
        3. “Do not think in terms of position and or being part of ‘the power crowd.'”
      4. “Why should I not think from those perspectives, Jesus?”
        1. “Because those are not the things that impress God.”
        2. “God is not impressed because people say, “He/she is really important. Look at who he/she is! Look at where he/she is!” That does not impress God!
        3. “God is not impressed with wealth or the lifestyle that wealth provides.”
        4. “God is not impressed with human power”
      5. “Well, what is God impressed with?”
        1. “God is impressed with the person who demonstrates his or her faith in Him by doing what he/she can with what they have at that moment.”
        2. “If they are so poor, so powerless that all they have is a cup of cold water to give a thirsty person, God notices–and does not forget!”
    2. Did his disciples get Jesus’ point? Did they understand God’s priorities? No.
      1. There are a lot of ways to illustrate that they did not “get it.”
        1. The disciples argued all the time about which one of them was the most important.
        2. They dreamed of Jesus becoming King of Palestine so they could be his administrators as he ruled–they did not want Jesus to go back to Lazarus’ sisters near Jerusalem because they were sure the authorities would kill Jesus.
        3. Even the last night prior to Jesus’ betrayal, they would not wash each others’ feet–assuming such a lowly position doing such a distasteful task was not a very impressive deed to put on your resume for administrator!
      2. Sure, they heard Jesus tell them over and over that the greatest in the kingdom was the person who served everybody, but that was for others–not for them!

  2. Allow me to illustrate the “cup of cold water principle” in two ways from scripture.
    1. The shortest of all Paul’s writings in the New Testament is his letter to Philemon.
      1. Background:
        1. In the original, this letter had less than 150 words in it.
        2. It has no doctrine in it as most people understand doctrine.
        3. It has no theology in it as most people understand theology.
        4. In fact, a number of people even wonder why it was included in the New Testament–when was the last time you studied Philemon?
      2. To me, it serves one purpose powerfully–it illustrates the cup of cold water principle.
    2. It is about a man named Onesimus who was a slave and Philemon, his master.
      1. At first Onesimus was not a Christian; his owner, Philemon, was.
      2. In some way Onesimus the slave really irritated Philemon his Christian owner–in some way the slave seriously failed the master.
        1. There is some evidence that Onesimus went all the way to Rome to ask Paul to intercede in his behalf–to do so was not regarded by Roman law as running away.
        2. While he was with Paul, Paul converted him to Jesus Christ.
        3. Then Paul wrote him a letter of intercession which he carried back to Philemon.
      3. There are many worthwhile lessons in this short letter, but I want to call your attention to just one thing.
        1. There was a congregation of Christians meeting in Philemon’s home.
        2. Paul obviously had a special relationship with Philemon.
        3. He wrote in verse 5, “Even in jail I hear about your reputation for love and for faith in Christ and Christians.”
        4. Verse 9–“On the basis of love, not authority, I make an appeal to you.”
        5. Verses 10-16–“Use your love as a Christian to receive Onesimus back as more than a slave, as a Christian brother, and treat him like a brother instead of a slave who irritated you.”
      4. I have no doubt that Philemon, as a prosperous man, could do a lot of things.
        1. Paul did not ask Philemon to use his power.
        2. He did not ask him to use his prestige.
        3. He did not ask him to do something that society would think was a huge thing.
        4. He asked him to love and forgive a slave–for a cup of cold water.
        5. “Philemon, you are a man of love–just open your heart to Onesimus as a Christian.”
    3. The second illustration comes from a parable Jesus told not long before his death (Matthew 25:31-46).
      1. He spoke about the judgment (and his audience likely thought, “That’s good!”)
      2. He spoke about the separation at judgment (and his audience likely thought, “That’s good!”)
      3. Then he talked about the basis of separation (and the subject quickly became controversial).
        1. “I was hungry and you fed me.”
        2. “I was thirsty and you gave me a drink.”
        3. “I was a stranger and you let me stay with you.”
        4. “I did not have any clothes to wear and you clothed me.”
        5. “I was sick and you came to see me.”
        6. “I was in prison and you did not desert me.”
      4. Just one thing to note: they did what they could when need arose.
      5. When asked when all this happened, Jesus said, “To the extent you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did it to me (25:40).

  3. Allow me to get very personal with each of us for a moment.
    1. What are your spiritual plans for the next several months?
      1. “David, I plan to do something big for God in the next few months.”
        1. Good! I hope you succeed!
        2. How are you serving God right now?
      2. “David, I plan to go to Guyana next summer.”
        1. Good! I hope you can go and help a lot of people!
        2. How are you serving God right now?
      3. “David, I plan to go to the City of Children next summer.”
        1. Good! I hope you go and are a powerful blessing there.
        2. How are you serving God right now?
    2. It is easier to plan to do great things for God “way out there” and “way off” than it is to serve God’s purposes right here in my life right now.
      1. Kids, how for God are you showing your parents love and respect right now?
      2. Parents, how for God are you showing your kids love and respect right now?
      3. Husbands, how for God are you showing your wife love and respect right now?
      4. Wives, how for God are you showing your husband love and respect right now?
      5. Step children, how for God are you showing your step parents love and respect right now.
      6. Step parents, how for God are you showing your step children love and respect right now.
    3. An observation: it is a whole lot easier to show God’s love and your love for people “way out there” that you do not know than it is to show God’s love to people right here that you do know.
      1. If we are going to let God shine in our lives, we start by letting God influence our lives right here right now with people who are part of our lives.
      2. If all you have to help those people is a cup of cold water, give the thirsty a cup of water.

If we are going to declare to the world how God has changed our lives, nowhere should it be more obvious than in the way we love and respect the people closest to us.

August, Frantic August!

Posted by on under Bulletin Articles

How can August appropriately be described? Oh, yes, indeed! August needs describing! We might accurately describe it as HOT. Everything (including us!) wilts in the hot August heat. It is hard to water flowers enough to keep them from withering or turning brown. And my yard? Don’t ask my neighbors! As a good friend says, “Brown is a color, too!” People start looking forward to Fall’s cooler days. In August, not having the benefit of air conditioning is not an option!

We might accurately describe August as FRANTIC. School starts this month–a “marker” moment! July was VBS. June was mission trips. From mid-May to July 31 were countless efforts. Summer’s sports camps and special program activities are at an end (unless you are in a tournament). Football practice is in full swing. Days are obviously shorter as summer break nears its end. So, when August 1 arrives, those with children in school have only 18 days to make summer’s final trips. The rush is on! The “code word” every weekend is scatter, and do it quickly!

We might accurately describe August as EXPENSIVE. School clothes! School supplies! School fees! Tuition! By August 1, it seems a huge “wallet vacuum cleaner” turns on to hasten the too rapid outward cash flow.

For me, August is a difficult month. It is difficult to “begin” anything. It is difficult to maintain any sense of continuity. The “stress and strain” are obvious. “Where did the summer go?” “I cannot believe my child is (a) starting to school; (b) is in X grade; (c) is leaving home.” “I thought our problems and struggles would be better by the end of summer.” “Time passes too quickly!” In many ways, August is a “marker month.” It reminds us of realities we rather not consider.

Though many “August reminders of change” exist, some things are changeless. Among them are: (1) Our need to be children of the holy God; (2) Our need to make faith and faithfulness to our Lord and Savior a life priority; (3) Our need to fill our lives with God’s presence so we can be His light in a dark world; (4) Our need to continue our journey to eternity; (5) Our need to hunger and thirst for righteousness; (6) Our dependence on God’s mercy and forgiveness.

1 Peter 1:13-19 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.

God’s Chosen, part 1

Posted by on August 3, 2003 under Sermons

This evening I want us to look at a biblical teaching that we too often ignore. We often ignore it because we find the subject confusing. As we look at this subject, instead of running in different directions and reacting to today’s concerns, I want us to note what scripture says.

In any serious study of any biblical concept, the beginning point must always be the same. A student must always open his or her mind and allow God to teach us His perspective and position on the topic. We must never begin with “what I believe” or “what other people believe.” We always must begin with “what has God revealed.” To come to an accurate understanding of what God has revealed, we must always study in context.

Most of us agree generally with that perspective if what God has revealed and what we always have been taught are in agreement. For example, if the subject is baptism, most of us would say, “That is exactly what everyone should do! Let’s just go back to the text and see what God says. Let’s listen to God’s spokesmen in scripture before we form personal conclusions.”

However, we get very nervous if two situations are true. If (a) our ignorance on the subject places us in “the dark” regarding God’s revelation or if (b) the position I believe and trust does not agree with all that God has revealed on the subject, we tend to get extremely nervous.

For example, if we discuss God’s choosing or election, many of us get quite nervous. While many of us can give people a comprehensive biblical perspective on baptism, many of us are unlikely to give people a comprehensive biblical perspective on election.

In regard to such subjects, we are more likely to begin by (a) declaring what we regard to be the “correct” position, or (b) declaring what we believe, or (c) forcing statements in scripture to agree with our conclusion.

Scripture clearly states that God always has “chosen” after sin became reality in our world and human lives. A lot of questions immediately arise. What did God’s choosing mean in the past? What does God’s choosing mean today? On what basis did God’s choosing occur?

  1. This evening I want to make one point and from that one point make one observation.
    1. The point: God always has been a God who chooses.
      1. That is God’s nature.
      2. That is the way God functions.
      3. He chooses the type of people He will establish a relationship with and will nurture in that relationship.
    2. The observation: the fact that God chooses does not mean the chosen can manipulate or exploit God.
      1. It is too easy for the chosen to feel “special,” “unique,” or “privileged.”
      2. When the chosen feel this privileged status, they try to exploit God by exploiting the fact they were chosen.
      3. It is too easy for the chosen to feel like they are judges instead of slaves.

  2. I want to begin by calling your attention to the fact that God has always chosen.
    1. I want to begin at a point that you might disagree with, but it is okay for you to disagree as long as you think about the full revelation of scripture: I want to begin with Cain and Abel.
      1. Most of you know that in Genesis 4 Cain and Abel offered sacrifices to God.
        1. Let me share with you the interpretation of those offerings that I heard and likely taught for years.
        2. First part of the Interpretation: God told Cain and Abel what to offer.
        3. Second part of the interpretation: Abel obeyed God and offered the correct sacrifice, and Cain disobeyed God and knowingly offered the wrong sacrifice.
        4. Third part of the interpretation: if Cain had just offered the right sacrifice, everything would have been okay.
        5. Fourth part of the interpretation: because Cain did not offer the right sacrifice, he sinned.
        6. At this point in my understanding, I do not agree with that interpretation of the Bible’s revelation of what happened.
      2. “Why do you not agree with that approach?”
        1. The basis of the problem did not lie in the form of the sacrifice, but in Cain’s attitude.
          1. If Cain had offered the same thing in sacrifice in the same way that Abel offered his sacrifice, but Cain gave that offering in the same attitude and heart, Cain’s offering still would have been unacceptable.
          2. The basic problem was a heart issue, not a form issue.
      3. Consider a scripture containing two statements, and note that God Himself made both statements after Cain offered his sacrifice.
        1. When God “had no regard” for Cain’s offering, Cain was angry and depressed (Genesis 4:5).
          1. God asked Cain why he had that reaction (Genesis 4:6).
          2. God then said:
            Genesis 4:7 If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.
        2. Here is what I call to your attention.
          1. God is not filled with rage and wrath because He is offended by Cain’s offering.
          2. In fact, God asks Cain why he is reacting as he does–Cain is the one offended and upset, not God.
          3. In fact, God does not accuse Cain of being sinful, but cautions him against sinfulness.
          4. Sin is crouching at Cain’s door; it has not entered Cain’s door.
          5. Sin has a desire for Cain–the issue is not that it has devoured him; the issue is this: will Cain yield to sin’s desire?
          6. Cain has a responsibility: he must master sin instead of allowing sin to master him.
      4. I call two things to your attention:
        1. The first thing: Cain’s problem was produced by the fact that Cain was a very selfish, self-centered person who refused to accept any responsibility.
        2. The second thing: God chose.
    2. The second illustration I call to your attention is Noah in Genesis 6.
      1. In Genesis 6:5-7 the writer made this statement.
        Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.”
        1. People had become totally corrupt, totally opposite what God made them when He created them in His own image, His own likeness.
        2. People exercised their choice to become something God never intended them to be.
        3. When God saw people were totally in the image of evil instead of any part of them being in His image, He was grieved and regretful.
      2. Now note what Genesis 6:8,9 stated:
        But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.
        1. I understand this to be a comparative statement, not a declaration that Noah was not a sinful person (except for the physical Jesus, no knowledgeable adult has ever existed as a sinless person).
        2. Noah found favor with God, not Noah deserved God’s recognition.
        3. Noah was a righteous man (just instead of violent in his treatment of others), blameless (a man who had some sense of integrity in that age), “walked with God” (had a lifestyle that would listen to God when God spoke to him–which it seems no one else would do).
      3. The point I want you to see is quite clear: God chose.
    3. The third illustration I want you to consider is Old Testament Israel.
      1. I would like to begin by calling your attention to several scriptures.
        Deuteronomy 7:5-8 But thus you shall do to them: you shall tear down their altars, and smash their sacred pillars, and hew down their Asherim, and burn their graven images with fire. For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
        Deuteronomy 14:1,2 “You are the sons of the Lord your God; you shall not cut yourselves nor shave your forehead for the sake of the dead. For you are a holy people to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”
        1 Chronicles 16:12,13 Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done, His marvels and the judgments from His mouth, O seed of Israel His servant, Sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!
        Psalm 105:5,6 Remember His wonders which He has done, His marvels and the judgments uttered by His mouth, O seed of Abraham, His servant, O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones!
      2. God clearly chose Israel and blessed them because they were the chosen.
      3. However, God did not choose them because they were outstanding or superior to everyone else who lived.
        Deuteronomy 7:7 The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
        Deuteronomy 9:4-6 Do not say in your heart when the Lord your God has driven them out before you, ‘Because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is dispossessing them before you. It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord your God is driving them out before you, in order to confirm the oath which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Know, then, it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stubborn people.
    4. Pay careful attention to what were and were not God’s reasons for choosing them to be His people, releasing them from slavery, and giving them Canaan.
      1. It was not because:
        1. They were a huge nation.
        2. They were righteous.
        3. They were “upright of heart.”
      2. It was because:
        1. The nations in Canaan were wicked beyond God’s ability to tolerate wickedness.
        2. God made a promise to their ancestors, and God keeps His promises.
        3. They did not deserve what God was doing; God loved them in spite of their unrighteousness and stubbornness.
    5. This is the part of God’s choosing we do not like, do not understand, and do not like to think about.
      1. Moses told the second generation of Israelites that left slavery that God’s love for them and choosing them had nothing to do with them.
      2. It was no commentary on their goodness.
      3. It was no commentary on their deservedness.
      4. It was certainly no commentary on the fact that they were “special.”
      5. It was a commentary on God’s trustworthiness and nature.
        1. God keeps His promises!
        2. If that means loving a stubborn people, He will love a stubborn people!

Therein lies our struggle and our downfall. We think God’s choice means that in some unique way “I am special.” God says, “My choice of you does not have to do with the fact that you are ‘special,’ but the fact that I am ‘special.’ So be thankful, not arrogant!”

Parenting: An Exhausting Challenge

Posted by on under Sermons

All of us know what we individually classify as being a difficult struggle in life. Hopefully, everyone in the auditorium this morning was handed a sheet of paper. First, I want you to listen very carefully to my encouragement. (1) You will not be asked to turn anything in. [I do ask you to take your paper with you when you leave.] (2) You will not be asked to share what you write on the paper with anyone. You are only speaking to yourself when you write.

“Okay, David. I understand. I have ‘got it.’ So what do you want me to write to myself on the paper?”

What I want you to write down is the answer to just one question: what do you regard to be life’s greatest struggle for the majority of people? You might answer with one word. You might answer with a short sentence. You might answer with a long sentence. [I doubt you will answer with a paragraph!] The wonderful thing: there are no wrong answers!

For the majority of people in our society, what do you think is people’s greatest struggle? By greatest, I mean hardest, or most difficult, or most challenging, or most complicated, or most demanding.

Have you written something down? Good! Now immediately under what you wrote down, I want you to write one word: parenting. Does what you wrote down naturally “fit” some part of parenting as a struggle?

  1. Let me make some observations about being a parent.
    1. Once you become a parent, you are a parent until you die.
      1. When you have a preschool child, you are a nurturing parent.
      2. When your child starts to school and is in school for those first years, you are a guiding/teaching parent.
      3. When your child enters adolescents, your are a terrified parent.
      4. When your child goes to college, you are a hopeful parent.
      5. When your child begins independent adult life, you are a concerned parent, and you never stop being a concerned parent.
    2. At each stage of your child’s life, the struggle constantly changes, but it is always there.
      1. When your child is a preschooler, at some point of personal weariness, you will say:
        1. “I will be so glad when my child no longer needs diapers!”
        2. “I will be so glad when my child can tie his or her shoes!”
        3. “I will be so glad when my child can dress himself or herself!”
      2. When your child begins his or her early years of school, at some point you will worry about:
        1. Him or her learning what he or she should.
        2. Him or her NOT learning things he or she should not learn.
        3. Personal development.
        4. His or her interaction with other children.
      3. In adolescence, at some point you will be deeply concerned about:
        1. Your child’s values.
        2. Your child’s priorities.
        3. Your child’s sense of responsibility.
        4. Your child’s choices.
      4. When your child leaves home for college or some type of training:
        1. You will wonder about how they will handle being completely free.
        2. You wonder if they understand the consequences of choices.
        3. You wonder if they will play all the time.
        4. You wonder who will “keep them on track” since you are not there.
      5. Then when your child begins adult life, you are concerned.
        1. You are concerned about how much debt they acquire.
        2. You are concerned about the choices they make that will affect them morally.
        3. You are concerned because you either know too much or too little.
        4. You always want to help, to “be there for them,” but you dread requests that you cannot fill.
    3. In the entire process, you always want to do what is best for your child.
      1. That does not mean your always know what is best for the child.
      2. That does not mean that what you decide to do is always best for the child.
      3. It just means that is what you want.

  2. God has children, too, and hopefully you are one of them.
    1. There are some similarities in God being our Father.
      1. He loves us.
      2. In that love, He can be extremely kind.
      3. He KNOWS when we are making bad choices that will produce horrible consequences.
    2. Consider a statement made in Hebrews 12.
      Hebrews 12:4-11 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by Him; For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.” It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
      1. The context:
        1. Those to whom this statement was written were enduring some really tough times.
        2. Consider some of the past struggles these Christians endured.
          Hebrews 10:32-34 But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.
      2. Did you hear all the things that happened to them before the writer sent them this message?
        1. They were made a public spectacle by verbal and physical abuse.
        2. They were not ashamed of Christians who received the same abuse.
        3. They were not ashamed of Christians who were put in jail.
        4. When their property was confiscated because they were Christians, they accepted the confiscation with joy.
      3. I do not know what happened, but something happened that was just too much.
        1. Whatever happened, they blamed Jesus Christ.
        2. They decided that if they left Jesus Christ, the suffering would stop.
        3. Throughout the entire book, the author is explaining to them why they must not do that.

  3. One of the last challenges he gave them was this: understand God’s discipline.
    1. “Wait a minute. You mean that God practices discipline?” Discipline, yes. Abuse, no.
      1. “Are you sure that God practices discipline?”
      2. Yes, I am sure–for two reasons.
        1. If a parent loves his or her children, love demands that the parent discipline the children because the parent’s love cares.
        2. We have a lot of lessons we need to learn for our own good, and we will not learn some of those lessons unless we are disciplined.
    2. Is that not the same reason that you discipline your children?
      1. Please note that I said discipline, not abuse.
      2. As parents, why do you discipline your children?
        1. Because you love them.
        2. Because you want to teach them lessons they need to learn.
    3. God’s our parent! We commonly call Him our Father! We are supposed to look to Him as our Father!
      1. He knows when we are making horrible choices.
      2. He knows when we are following awful values.
      3. He knows when the consequences will be terrible.
      4. He knows when we are going in the wrong direction.
      5. And He cares! He always has cared about His children!
    4. If you doubt how deeply He cares, consider this illustration.
      1. When Moses explained the wilderness experience that lasted 40 years to the second generation Israelites, he made this statement:
        Deuteronomy 8:5 Thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son.
      2. Israel had a lesson they desperately needed to learn if God was going to be able to help them: they desperately needed to trust God first.
        1. They did not learn that lesson from the ten plagues in Egypt.
        2. They did not learn that lesson from the exodus from Egypt.
        3. They did not learn that lesson at Mount Sinai.
        4. God tried to teach them to trust Him, but they did not learn to trust Him–they had so much idolatry in them they would not learn what they needed to learn.
      3. They left a caring God no choice.
        1. The only hope they had of learning the lesson they desperately needed to learn was discipline.
        2. So God used the discipline of 40 years in the wilderness to seek to teach them.

  4. The writer of Hebrews declared that his recipients of his message should understand divine discipline because they understood basic truths about fathers disciplining their sons.
    1. The truths:
      1. God disciplines, and His discipline is not to be considered insignificant.
      2. God disciplines because He loves–the absence of discipline is the absence of love.
      3. The purpose of God’s discipline is to produce endurance and respect that are essential to life.
      4. God without fail disciplines us for our good.
      5. At the time of discipline, it hurts, but the results produce the joy of appreciation.
    2. What do you want God to do when He knows that as a Christian you are making a horrible choice or a terrible mistake?
      1. Do you want God to ignore the situation and let you do as you please to your own hurt and destruction?
      2. Do you want God to stand by and let you destroy yourself?
      3. Do you want God to lie to you [He won’t!] and make you think everything is fine when it isn’t?
      4. Do you want God to ignore you and just let whatever happens happen?
    3. To these very same people, the writer wrote:
      Hebrews 10:29-31 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Those who have been saved by God’s grace will be judged by the way they live as God’s chosen, God’s redeemed. When that moment comes [and it will come for all of us!], will you thank God or curse God for His discipline? I want God to do anything necessary to help me be His person!

What An Encouragement!

Posted by on under Bulletin Articles

At times the world surrounds us with discouraging happenings. Death of a loved one, incurable disease, loss of job, bankruptcy, divorce, unfaithfulness, injustices, acts of war, acts of terrorism, international intrigue, inhumanity, and such like things scream at us daily. As alarm clocks ring, many “steel” themselves for the day with this thought: “If things can go wrong today, they will.” Unfortunately, we are conditioned to expect bad things. It is as though our world exists in the “desert of bad happenings.”

Suddenly, an oasis appears with its water of life bringing hope and relief. An incredible vacation Bible school is fashioned by the volunteer efforts of countless adults. Volunteers serve in an education program that constantly evaluates the spiritual needs of students. A growing Hispanic outreach celebrates its first year of existence with joy and interaction. An inner city outreach touches lives that a few years ago were regarded unreachable. A new opportunity to begin a campus ministry work arises with the potential of touching many lives. Ministries to evangelistic and medical needs are directed to several places in our world. The widows and elderly are served. Those in need are fed. Transportation to worship is provided. Quilts are made for gifts. Projectionists illustrate sermons. Tapes are reproduced and mailed. Short term mission trips occur. Congregational fellowships are monthly occasions. Small groups gather. Elders seek “feedback” from the congregation. Men and women in jail are taught. Individuals quietly respond to needs they see with a fervent desire to extend hope.

Why? Why does all this happen? Does someone force all these people to be involved? Is there some “bribe,” some “coercion,” some “guilting” that masterfully manipulates? No. Those so moved seek citizenship in a world where they belong–and this world is not that place. They see God’s goodness and the grace He lavishes upon us in Jesus Christ. This water of life is not produced through human accomplishments, but through the divine love that revealed God’s seriousness in Jesus’ redemptive, atoning blood. They serve Christ the Lord to the glory of God the Father. They are His children.

“Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.” (1 Peter 2:12)

“Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing. … We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11, 14)

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