In No Way Could God Be At Work In This!

Posted by on July 11, 2006 under Sermons

Life is often confusing. We are constantly trying to figure life out. Quite often we think we have succeeded. About the time we think we have life figured out, something occurs that makes us realize we still do not have life figured out.

God is often confusing. We are constantly trying to figure God out. On occasion we conclude that we have succeeded in figuring God out. Just as we come to that conclusion, something occurs that makes us realize we have not even come close to figuring God out.

Consider some thoughts today that hopefully will challenge you to realize that this confusion is not new and will never be resolved.

  1. "Please let me introduce myself: my name is Thomas.
  1. "When I walked with Jesus as one of the twelve, many people called me Didymus, my Greek name which means Twin (John 11:16).
  1. "I became one of the select twelve men to follow Jesus when, up on a mountain, he called us out from a larger group of disciples (Mark 3:13-19).
  2. "We were supposed to be with him daily to follow him and teach/preach with him.
  3. "Eleven of us were Jesus’ apostles after Jesus’ crucifixion.
  4. "Only Judas was not with us following Jesus’ crucifixion–he was so overcome with guilt because he betrayed Jesus that he committed suicide (Matthew 27:3-5)
  5. "But, I am getting ahead of myself.

  1. "It is humanly impossible for me to get you to feel what we twelve felt as we lived with Jesus every day.
  1. "The multitudes that followed Jesus made the most popular athlete and the most recognized movie star look unpopular.
  2. "Everywhere Jesus went there was an excitement, an expectation, an awe that was so real you could sense it as it overwhelmed you.
  3. "That man was so popular and created so much reaction that he could not even hide to find some private time!
  1. "If he went into a uninhabited area, if just one person saw him, soon there would be a crowd around him.
  2. "Where he was going did not matter–people followed even if they had no food and water and the area was wilderness area.
  3. "They would even carry physically sick people of every kind of sickness on mats (even paralyzed people!) in the mere hope Jesus would heal them.
  4. "For miles and miles, for hours and hours people would carry those deathly sick or helpless as they searched for Jesus.
  1. "You cannot believe what I saw with my own eyes and experienced in person!
  1. "I was in a boat in a storm as waves created by the wind were flooding the boat (Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:36-41).
  1. "The wind was howling and the waves white-capping!
  2. "The boat was on the verge of sinking!
  3. "All of us were terrified as we were certain we were going to drown!
  4. "I saw Jesus stand up in that rolling boat knee deep in water and verbally rebuke the wind and the waves.
  5. "I saw the Sea of Galilee become calm without a breath of wind blowing.
  1. "I was in the boat the night when we spent most of the night rowing in a storm (John 6:16-21).
  1. "I guarantee you that trying to row a large boat on a churning sea in the dark is one scary ordeal!
  2. "I was there when we saw this strange figure walking on the waves!
  3. "All of us were scared to death!
  4. "But it was Jesus walking on the waves telling us not to be afraid!
  5. "I saw that with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears!
  1. "Day after day I watched Jesus heal hundred and hundreds of people of every kind of disease–even those caused by spiritual forces!
  1. "There was never one kind of disease he could not heal!
  2. "I watched him heal all types of sickness!
  3. "I even saw him raise people from the dead!
  1. "There were certain things all twelve of us knew.
  1. "We all knew the kingdom God promised Israel for hundreds of years was on the verge of coming.
  2. "We all knew the great Messiah God promised was on earth right then.
  3. "We knew Jesus was the Messiah.
  4. "We knew Jesus would rule from a throne in Israel and we would be part of his new government.
  5. "We knew at last Israel would be restored to her past glory!
  1. "However, some very powerful people in Israel were afraid that would happen.
     
    1. "Most of these people were in the current religious government of Israel.
  1. "Most of these people lived in Jerusalem; Jerusalem was their power base.
  2. "When Jesus’ popularity kept growing, they become increasing aggressive and hostile.
  3. "In time everything became quite tense when Jesus visited Jerusalem.
    1. "Every time he came (near the time of his death), people expected a confrontation.
    2. "The hostility and anger were enormous–Jesus’ presence divided the city every time he was there.
  1. "When Jesus preached his ‘bread of life’ sermon, the situation became dangerous (John 6:22-7:1).
  1. "Even all Jesus’ disciples, except for us twelve, were so upset they left never to return.
  2. "He even asked us if we also were going to leave him.
  3. "When we went back to Galilee, he refused to return to Judea because he knew the powerful people would kill him.
  1. "Later, at the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus secretly returned to Jerusalem (John 7).
  1. "After he arrived, he went to the temple area and began to publicly preach.
  2. "The religious leaders who controlled the city and temple area sent some officers to arrest him.
    1. "The officers returned without him.
    2. "When asked why, the officers responded, ‘We never heard a man speak as he does.’"
  3. "Later in the same visit, Jesus preached that God was his Father and was at work in him (John 8).
    1. "Those who rejected his identity picked up stones to throw at him.
    2. "Jesus hid, and slipped out of the temple area.
  1. "Still later on a visit at the Feast of Dedication, Jesus’ enemies openly challenged him in a manner designed to turn people against him (John 10:22-42).
     
    1. "They said, ‘Don’t keep us in suspense any longer; tell us plainly if you are the Christ.
    2. "Jesus said he had told them, and they did not believe.
    3. "Again, he declared God was his Father.
    4. "Again, they picked up rocks to stone him.
    5. "When they tried to seize him, Jesus slipped away through the crowd.
    6. "This time things were so tense we had to go across the Jordan River into the wilderness area where John the baptizer began his work.

  1. "From the day that Peter confessed Jesus was the Christ, the son of the living God, Jesus told us often that the rulers in Jerusalem would have him killed (Matthew 16:13-21).

  1. "We regarded what he predicted as unthinkable and impossible if he just used a little common sense.
     
    1. "The only place he had powerful enemies was in Jerusalem.
    2. "The only people who were determined to kill him were in Jerusalem.
       
  2. "With his popularity in Galilee combined with the power he possessed, he could not be killed if he just stayed out of Jerusalem until his enemies lost power and influence.
    1. "Given his power even to raise the dead,
    2. "Given his enormous popularity in many places,
    3. "His enemies were sure to lose power and influence in time.

  1. "While we were hiding across the Jordan River, a messenger came to tell Jesus that his friend Lazarus was sick (He loved Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha very much).

  1. "They lived in Bethany about a mile and a half from Jerusalem on the road to Jericho (John 11:1-16).
  1. "For Jesus, visiting Bethany was extremely dangerous.
  2. "The message simply read, ‘The one you love is sick.’
  3. "All of us knew that was a request for Jesus to come heal Lazarus.
  4. "We all were really scared Jesus would go back to the Jerusalem area because he really loved these people.
  5. "However, he said, ‘This sickness is not for his death, but to glorify God and His son.’
  6. "We breathed a sigh of relief and stayed there two more days.
  1. "The third day Jesus said that it was time to go back to Judea.
  1. "We all said, ‘Lord, your enemies are just looking for opportunity to kill you.
  2. "Jesus said, ‘Lazarus is asleep, and I must go wake him up.’
  3. "We said that if Lazarus was asleep he will be okay.
  4. "Jesus responded, ‘Lazarus is dead.’
  1. "Nothing made sense about this whole situation.
  1. "In this climate a body began to decompose in a day or less–that is why people buried on the day of the death.
  2. "Jesus had resurrected people who had just died, but we had never witnessed him raise a decomposed body!
  3. "If Jesus went back to visit his friends, his enemies would surely know it and catch him.
  4. "You could have cut our gloom with a butter knife!
  5. "Finally I said, ‘Let’s all go back with Jesus and die together.’

  1. "Unless you were there, you cannot possibly imagine what happened!

  1. "First, Jesus actually raised Lazarus from the dead after Lazarus was dead for four days and you could smell the decay.
  1. "All Jerusalem went wild for Jesus!
    1. "Absolutely everyone was talking about the resurrection!
    2. "Lazarus was living, talking proof of Jesus’ incredible power (John 12:12-19)
    3. "The largest Jerusalem multitude to assemble welcomed Jesus into the city just as the kings of ancient times were welcomed.
    4. "He was more popular than he had ever been!
    5. "For a week, Jesus owned Jerusalem!
  2. "We knew this was the moment!
    1. "There was no way Jesus’ enemies were going to kill him now!
    2. "Because he had the momentum, the nation and the throne was his!
    3. "Nobody could stop him now!
  1. "Then the worst living nightmare, the worst form of hell on earth broke loose.
     
    1. "With none of us suspecting him, Judas left our last meal together to betray Jesus (John 13:21-30).
    2. "Jesus gave us this last set of instructions which we found confusing.
    3. "He told us he was going somewhere and we could not go with him.
    4. "He even said we knew where he was going, so I asked, "How do we get there?
    5. "All he said was, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.’
  1. "Though we were confused, it did not matter!
  1. "We knew God was at work!
  2. "We knew Jesus owned Jerusalem!
  3. "We knew the nation wanted Jesus to be king!
  4. "We knew nothing could stop God and Jesus now!
  1. "However, Jesus grew more and more troubled.
  1. "He went to pray, and asked us to go with him.
  2. "All of us had drunk the Passover wine, felt confident, were relaxed, and went to sleep when we tried to pray.
  3. "After Jesus prayed, Judas showed up with Roman troops and temple guards all of whom had torches and weapons (John 18:3).
  4. "In confusion and fear, we fled!
  5. "Then there were the horrible Jewish trials.
  6. "Those were followed by the horrible hearings before Pilate.
  7. "The mob was screaming for blood, there was the unbelievable scourging, and the awful mocking!
  1. "Then there was the horrible crucifixion!
  1. "There was so much hate there!
  2. "And there were those sobbing, helpless women!
  1. "I do not know how to describe how I felt.
  1. "My mind screamed, ‘God, where are You!’
  1. "What was happening simply could not be God’s plan!
  2. "All I could see was Satan at work!
  1. "I knew it was over.
  1. "There would be no kingdom.
  2. "Jesus would not be king!
  3. "The golden age of Israel would not be restored!
  1. "We eleven were so defeated, so terrified!
  1. "We expected them to kill us next!
  2. "While I was out in the night, Jesus appeared to the others.
  3. "When they excitedly told me, I replied that I would not believe it unless I felt the nail holes and the sword wound.
  4. "Eight days later when I was with everyone, the resurrected Jesus came to us, looked me straight in the eye, and told me to feel the holes.
  5. "All I could feel and say was, ‘My Lord and My God.’
  1. "Only then did I realize that God had been at work all the time."

Life will give all of us disappointments. There will be times when we see only evil at work. There will be times when it seems as if evil has won. But we must learn for ourselves that God is always there, always working.

Nothing was more evil and vile than Jesus’ crucifixion. Yet, God was not only there working–He won!

Jesus says to us as he said to Thomas, "Believe; don’t doubt!"

The Trail Blazers

Posted by on July 6, 2006 under Bulletin Articles

Someone always has to be the first! I remember driving out West and seeing a sign that read, “20 miles to the world’s tallest bridge.” We were driving on a very flat plain. In the distance to the right were some mountains. I thought the road would abruptly turn to the mountains–where else would a tall bridge be located?

The road did not turn, and in a few minutes I saw a sign that said, “1 Mile to the world’s tallest bridge.” Skeptically I said to myself, “Sure! Out here in the middle of nowhere on a flat, flat plain!” Suddenly, there the bridge was on the flat, flat plain. How unimpressive the bridge looked as we approached it, but the bottom of a narrow canyon was hundreds of feet below it.

The canyon was like a huge crack in the plain with that same level plain continuing on the other side of this short bridge. Unbelievable! It was the world’s tallest bridge [at least when it was built] simply because ?the bottom fell out’ of a level plain, not because the bridge was high in the mountains spanning some small, deep valley.

I wondered about the first person who saw this crack. I wondered if an adventurer going west happened upon it and said, “Oops! Where do we go now?” I wondered if some Indian guide said, “Do not travel what looks to be the easy way!” I wondered how many looked at the canyon from the west side and said, “Whew! Thanks!”

We owe a special debt to those brave enough to blaze trails for us to follow. The blazed trail for reasons says silently, “Go this way! It may be difficult, but it avoids the dangers and disappointments of the other way.” It also occurs to me that trail blazing always came at a price.

Thank you, Jesus, for trail blazing for us the way to God in the wilderness of an evil existence! Thank you for knowing the dangers of futile ways, having the courage to pay the price, and showing us the safe and certain way to the Father. Without your trail blazing, how lost we would be! How wasted our efforts would be! How quickly our dreams would become hopelessness! How futile a wasted life would be!

John 14:6,10 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. … Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.”

But What Is Inside You?

Posted by on June 29, 2006 under Bulletin Articles

Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Matthew 15:8 (Isaiah 29:13) “This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me.”

Matthew 15:16-20 “Are you still lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.”

Matthew 22:37 (Deuteronomy 6:5) “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

As we grow more spiritually mature, our perspective on spirituality changes. When we are first converted, we commonly link spirituality totally with behavior. Most of those links are with ?what we do not do.’ Quite often righteousness is defined in terms of ?what we are not.’ For example, “We don’t drink! We don’t lust! We don’t curse! We don’t steal!” [Certainly, these thoughts in no way encourage drunkenness, lusting, cursing, or stealing!] It is all about the Christian controlling his/her behavior and the community of Christians controlling the behavior of all in it. Faithfulness is reduced to (1) identifying the correct hurdles and (2) jumping over them. If we are not careful, this concept of control extends from the individual to the congregation, from the congregation to our segment of society, from our segment of society to our entire culture, and from our entire culture to the whole world.

At some point in the spiritual maturing process, we hopefully realize that the foundation of spiritual maturity is a deep faith in God. The companion awareness is that one can yield to human control without any faith in God. Thus if one ?does’ the expected routines, he/she is ?in’. He/she does not have to have an abiding faith in God. He/she just has to conform to human external controls.

Thus when serious sickness attacks the family, or financial reverses visit the person, or any form of hardship befalls him/her, life falls apart. Confidence was in a routine, not in God. Hope was in protection from adversity, not in the strength to face adversity. That which threatens life or makes us physically miserable becomes a desperate clinging to the physical rather than a transition to a superior eternal. The comfort was in conformity, not in God who gave us Jesus Christ.

Spiritual maturity is found in expressing faith through behavior, not in substituting behavior for faith. Does the way you live reveal your faith?

Which Is Easier for Jesus?

Posted by on June 27, 2006 under Sermons

Have you ever noticed how easy it is for us to hold thoughts and opinions on the same subject that appear to be in total contradiction? We can be both confident and pessimistic about the same matter. We can feel both encouraged and discouraged about the same situation. We can look at circumstances and express a real sense of hope, and moments later declare feelings of profound hopelessness about the same circumstances. According to us, a situation may provide real opportunity and no opportunity at all, or real advantages and no advantages. Have you ever noticed others doing that? Have you ever noticed yourself doing that?

Consider a specific example. Think about Jesus’ amazing power. Have you ever been impressed with the reality of Jesus’ power? Have you witnessed or experienced things that unquestionably happened because of Jesus’ power? If you have been sensitive and observant, I have no doubt that you have been impressed in specific instances by Jesus’ power. How many times have you witnessed a Christian in a hard, lingering, demanding, exhausting, punishing crisis endure, continue to live, and continue to function in unbelievable ways? How many times have you witnessed a Christian suffer enormous tragedy, endure the tragedy, and come through the tragedy as a stronger, better, more thankful person? How many times have you witnessed someone with a terrible problem develop a relationship with Jesus that totally changed his/her life (the "before" and "after" person were in complete contrast)? Have you ever observed an insecure, ‘do nothing’ Christian build a relationship of faith with Jesus and become a powerful servant?

I have seen all of that and more. I have been astounded, amazed, and said, "Lord, help me have more confidence!" It would surprise me if you have not had the same experiences.

Now, honestly change your perspective. Consider all the situations in which you thought there was nothing the Lord could do. Are there not problems in which you considered the Lord powerless? Are there not situations in which you wondered if it was appropriate to pray about the matter? You just felt certain nothing could improve the situation. You could see no way to improve the situation so you concluded the situation was beyond improvement. Have you ever felt that way about yourself or about someone else?

If we are honest with ourselves, I think we would admit that there are some things we consider easy for the Lord to do, and some things we consider difficult for the Lord to do. Quite often that is more a matter of our personal judgment than it is the Lord’s ability.

  1. To help us develop a biblical perspective, consider an incident recorded in Jesus’ life recorded in Matthew 9:1-7.

Getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over the sea and came to His own city. And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, "Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven." And some of the scribes said to themselves, "This fellow blasphemes." And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, "Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ?Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ?Get up, and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-then He said to the paralytic, "Get up, pick up your bed and go home." And he got up and went home.

  1. The context of the incident:
  1. Jesus just returned from the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee where he cast demons out of the man who lived in tombs.
  1. He return to Capernaum, the center of his Galilean activities during his ministry.
  1. Some people brought Jesus a paralyzed man to be healed.

    1. The man was taken to Jesus on a stretcher.
    2. He was completely helpless–can you imagine the situation?
    3. We do not even know if the man was there due to his desire or due to the desire of his friends.

      1. That looks like a hopeless situation!
      2. To many of them, it looked wastefully hopeless.

  2. Jesus was impressed by the faith of the men who brought the paralyzed man.
  1. They wanted to so something to help the man.
  2. They came with confidence and expectation.
  1. Jesus then did something completely unexpected by many.
  1. He said to the man, "Son [literally, child"], be happy! Your sins are forgiven."
  1. His friends brought him for healing, not for the forgiveness of sins.
  2. Jesus gave the man something more important than healing [though I wonder if the man or his friends realized that.].
  3. The typical view of the day was that people experienced horrible ordeals as a result of sins–they were being punished for wrong-doing.
  4. In that view, what Jesus said was more significant than a healing.

  1. The religious experts said among themselves, "This man is blaspheming!"
  1. Technically, to blaspheme was to speak scornfully or derisively of God.
  2. Even if Jesus were not God’s son, his statement was not blasphemy–horrible arrogance, but not blasphemy.
  3. They called it blasphemy because Jesus presumed to do something they were certain only God could do.
  4. They were using his words as a justification for their intense dislike of him.

  1. Jesus knew what they were thinking.
  1. He asked, "Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?"
  2. (Sadly, we are all more prone to think evil than to think good.)
  3. He asked what seemed to be a ridiculous question: "Which is easier, to forgive the man’s sins or to tell him to walk?
  4. The point was obvious: if Jesus had the power to make a paralyzed man walk, he had the power to forgive his sins.

  1. Jesus verified his power to forgive sins by enabling the paralyzed man to walk.
  1. The helpless man who had been carried to Jesus walked home!
  2. Without recovery time or rehabilitation, the man functioned normally.

  1. The people who witnessed this occurrence were filled with fear–the impossible had occurred!
  1. They gave God the glory for what happened!
  2. But the fact the Jesus has such power frightened them!

  1. Look honestly at the happening.
  1. Is it not likely that we might have reacted in the same manner the religious experts reacted?
  1. It had been over 400 years since there was a miracle-working prophet in Israel.
  2. As far as we know, there was no God-sanctioned prophetic activity in Israel in the intertestamental period.
  3. There had been no one who presumed to forgive sins!

  1. Jesus was not what they expected in a Messiah, and I dare say he would not be what we expected either!
  1. He came from a rural region, not an area known for its learning.
  2. He was the son of a builder, not of a scribe or priest.
  3. His family was unimportant in the nation.
  4. Perhaps some thought he was conceived out of marriage.
  5. He had not attended some prominent religious school in Israel.
  6. He wandered from place to place as he taught.

  1. They did not believe any human could forgive sins any more than most of us do. How would you react to someone who claimed to forgive sins?
  1. Not even miracles convinced his enemies that his power was real.

  1. There definitely are times today when we need to examine our own attitudes toward Jesus and ask, "Which is easier. . .?"

  1. Consider the things we freely ask God to do in our prayers.
  1. Forgive sins.
  2. Be with our missionaries.
  3. Help our nation.
  4. Bring world peace.
  5. Bless the works of the church with success.
  6. All of these are requests requiring enormous power.
  1. Yet, we make them so frequently we rarely think about them.
  2. Not only do we feel comfortable making such requests, but we also confidently make them.

  1. Consider what we are hesitant to ask God to help us with.
  1. Real, pressing personal problems.
  2. Enormous personal needs–love, insecurity, things that attack me, hard times, demanding situations.
  3. Often I am convinced there is nothing God can do, so I never ask.

  1. So I ask you to honestly consider which is easier:
  1. To forgive me of my sins or to help me with a personal problem?
  2. To help a missionary thousands of miles away in an unusual [to me] culture, or help me cope with needs facing me?
  3. To help our ungodly nation, or to help me in hard times?
  4. To promote world peace, or to assist me with a crisis?
  5. To bless the church in its work, or to help me with relationship problems?

  1. Why do we not see that God has the power to do both?
  1. Why do we think God can do something about one and nothing about the other?
  2. Do we think if God does not resolve our situation as we prefer, He can do nothing?

  1. God always has three options, and each requires great power.

  1. He can remove the problem [our common preference].
  2. He can give us guidance to overcome the problem.
  3. He can provide us the strength to endure the problem and remain faithful to Him.

Which is easier? For Jesus to save a sinful person from a lost condition, OR to help a member of his family spiritually succeed in the face of opposition? Jesus is as willing and ready to help a Christian as he is ready to help a person trapped by evil.

Could You Explain to Me Why You Act That Way?

Posted by on June 22, 2006 under Bulletin Articles

We increasingly live in a society in which godly behavior does not make sense. There was a time when godly behavior seemed to be a way of life many of the industrious disadvantaged embraced. That time was followed by a period when the industrious disadvantaged prospered. As these people prospered, the church prospered. In fact, that period was followed by a time when the church was filled with the successful middle class. It is amazing to note what congregations could afford in 1975 that they could not afford in 1945! It is equally amazing to note how the lifestyle of the typical Christian family changed during that same time period in this society!

But, again, times have changed. The time when godliness was admired and rewarded has passed. We increasingly live in a period when godliness is looked upon as foolish, and when many Christians think the path to godliness lies in political control rather than godly behavior. Too often we allow society rather than God to define the meaning of key words-fun, pleasure, success, prosperity, ambition, commitment, love, etc.

Perhaps there are two things in our awareness we need to awaken. (1) The realization that someone else notes how we live. (2) The realization that our struggle is against something much bigger than the ?here and now.’

Just in case someone asks about the way you live, please do not begin your response with, “I belong to the Church of Christ?” Begin with, “I belong to the God who gave me Jesus Christ.” Honor God and Jesus in your lifestyle.

Westward Ho, Heavenward Ho

Posted by on June 21, 2006 under Sermons

In the early 1800’s the people of our country began a voluntary exploration and expansion that stands as one of the great monuments of all time to human determination and durability. The westward pioneer movement was a challenge of courage and determination. The reasons that lured people to join that great migration were varied. For some it was merely the call of adventure. For others it was the opportunity to leave life in the city [which they regarded oppressive] and return to the land. To still others who faced a future without an opportunity, it was the call of hope found in free land and the right to live a life of choices. Whatever the reasons, for each it was a vision he/she believed would become reality.

I seriously doubt many of the people in the eastern United States had an accurate understanding of the demands and hardships of the journey when they decided to go West. Neither written words nor the testimony of those who personally saw the wilderness could honestly picture the danger and exhaustion of traveling the Santa Fe Trail, the Mormon Trail, or the Oregon Trail.

The first objective was to get to the Missouri River–which was no small task! Whether one took the river route on flatboats or the overland trails through the mountains, the course was tedious, demanding, and treacherous. In actuality, getting to the Missouri River was just the process of preparing to begin the journey. Once the Missouri River was crossed, the journey was ready to begin in earnest. If the family was to travel all the way to the Pacific coast area, they faced a journey of over 2000 miles. If there was not excessive trouble along the way, the family could plan on the trip taking from four to five months.

For protection and guidance, the family would become part of a wagon train. In that wagon train, they would move at a pace of two to three and a half miles an hour. How far they traveled in a day would be determined by the availability of water. If water was scarce, they might push themselves forty miles in one day. If water was readily available, they might make no more than fifteen miles in a day. Every foot of the journey was rough, jolting terrain. It was rough enough to churn the milk carried in containers on the side of the wagon–just from the bouncing during the day!

The common, most desired mode of travel was the Conestoga wagon. It was approximately 15 feet long and 6 feet wide. It had a double canvas top stretched over high hoops. The front and back ends of the wagon were elevated so the steepest grades in the mountains would not cause the cargo to fall out. Those ends also made it possible for the wagon to float. Also the wheels had broad rims to help prevent bogging.

Imagine a family in an eastern city who had decided to go West. They had just managed to buy a Conestoga wagon. Standing in town on a desirable road as it was passed by local buggies, it looked like a massive house on wheels. The husband thought, "The journey might be trying at times, but nothing will be too difficult for this piece of machinery to handle!" The wife thought, "I will be able to carry with me far more of our possessions than I thought! Why, this wagon can hold everything we own!"

The day came to load the wagon. Some hard choices had to be made about what to leave behind. Often the wife’s wishes prevailed to "take just one more piece." Several fresh oxen were hitched to the wagon, and as they moved out of town on well established roads, the husband and the wife thought to themselves, "We will have no trouble taking all this with us!"

After a few days of travel, they reached the wilderness mountains east of the Missouri River. The oxen have begun to tire a little, and it is obvious they will never pull that load up the narrow mountain trails or hold that load when they descend the mountains. Reluctantly, the wife admits there are several things that are not essential. Those things are off-loaded and left behind.

Finally they reach the Missouri River, cross it, and join a wagon train. They half expected the trail to get easier on the plains. The roughness of the undeveloped land and the absence of traveled roads take a toll on the oxen. Keeping up with the wagon train becomes harder and harder. It becomes obvious something must be left behind.

The wife dearly wants to keep everything on board. The thought of leaving any of it behind is almost unbearable to her. Every single item would be useful in building a new home. The bleakness of the wilderness reminds her that all they have is what they have with them.

As she hesitates with a look of deep despondence, her husband catches her attention. He looks her straight in the eyes and says, "Go inside the wagon and mark all the pieces you love so much you are willing to die for them. If we do not significantly lighten our load, we will be left behind and we will die."

Startled, she disappears behind the canvas. Quickly, she returns with no look of despondency and says, "I am not willing to die for any of it. Getting there is all that is important. Leave anything you need to leave any time you need to leave it."

Never again did she hesitate to lighten the load. They reached their destination.

  1. Conversion to Jesus Christ is the beginning of a pioneer journey to a new home.

  1. Significant New Testament emphasis is given to the fact that Christians do not belong to this world (we are merely passing through it).
  1. Jesus said of his apostles in John 17:14-16:

I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

  1. The writer of Hebrews declared concerning the great people of faith:

Hebrews 11:13,14 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own.

  1. Peter issues this Christian challenge in 1 Peter 2:11:

Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.

  1. Paul in Philippians 3:13 said those Christians should "forget the things which are behind, and stretch forward to the things which are before."
  2. The successful Christian in every generation lives with the knowledge and acceptance of the fact that he/she does not belong to this world.
  1. Living successfully for Christ as we travel through life to reach our home with God is similar to that pioneer family going West.
  1. When we are first converted, we are so impressed with God’s power in our salvation that we easily conclude God successfully can take us and everything we like through the journey of our pilgrimage.
  2. Not long after we are converted we are forced to face the reality: Salvation’s real question is NOT God’s ability to save us, but our willingness to follow God.
  1. When we follow Jesus Christ and God, it is frequently over rough, uncharted territory.
  1. That is when the load created by the things of this world attack our strength and cause us to fall behind.
  1. Some of our early decisions make it evident that some things simply must be left behind.

  1. How important is my regular worship with my spiritual family to my faithfulness?

  2. How important to me are Christian standards and values?

  3. How important to me are Christian ethics?

  4. Basic decisions make it evident I cannot travel the way of righteousness with the cargo of a formerly sinful life.

  1. Yet, these early decisions do not compare with the more difficult decisions as I travel to greater spiritual knowledge and maturity.
  1. Concepts such as the living sacrifice, stewardship of blessings and abilities, and responsibility to others demand difficult decisions that depend on prayer and love for Christ.
  2. Often we find that with all we left behind, it is not enough.
  1. There is the constant need to reevaluate our lives, to consider our relationship with God, and to consider our relationship with other Christians.
  1. The decision becomes less a sacrifice of things and more a sacrifice of self.
  1. Inevitable, a crisis arises that forces decisions: How badly do I wish to follow God? How much do I want to spiritually succeed? Shall I move on with God or stop here?
  1. It is at these moments we must say to ourselves, "Look at everything holding you back, and mark all you are willing to die for."
  1. Anything that will keep us from following Christ will eventually kill us spiritually.
  1. It is at these same moments we need to say to ourselves, "None of it is worth dying for. Getting home with God is all that is important."

  1. Perhaps the most important question we need to ask ourselves in our spiritual pioneer journey is NOT how hard are we willing to try, but what are we willing to leave behind.

  1. Trying hard with an impossible load and trying hard with no unnecessary weight will not produce the same result.

  1. Consider Hebrews 12:1, 2:

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

  1. Consider Paul’s statement to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:3, 4

Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier.

  1. Consider Peter’s statement to discouraged Christians in 2 Peter 2:20:

For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

  1. One of our primary purposes in obeying Jesus Christ is to free ourselves from destructive burdens.
  1. Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
  1. Ephesians 4:22-24 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Today, walk around inside your life. Look at the unnecessary weight you are carrying. Ask yourself if you love these things so much you are willing to die for them. Is it not time to off-load everything that keeps you from being the Christian you aspire to be?

Spiritual: By Accident or By Intent?

Posted by on June 15, 2006 under Bulletin Articles

Ephesians 4:30 “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

God wants you to be all you are capable of being in Jesus Christ. Why? God wants you to intentionally focus your physical existence on the time that occurred when He surveyed all He made and said, “It is good!” Your distant ancestors were included in that statement!

There seems to be at least three classifications of people. (1) Those who have no interest in spiritual matters. To them, the only important consideration in existence is the physical. They prefer to indulge the physical while giving little thought to the spiritual.

(2) Those who wish to give just enough consideration to the spiritual to avoid disaster. It is not so much that they are afraid of hell as it is that they do not wish to go to hell if it exists. It is not so much that they wish to go to heaven, but they would like heaven to be their ?fall back’ plan if there happens to be an eternity and heaven.

(3) Those who wish to use physical realities to enhance spiritual realities. These are fully convinced that we humans are spiritual beings designed to exist with God Himself. They view life as an investment. By choice, they invest the physical in the spiritual.

In a huge oversimplification, among those who acknowledge spiritual existence is at least a possibility, there seems to be two general classifications [with many hybrid classifications]: Those who wish to be spiritual by accident, and those who wish to be spiritual on purpose. Christians seek to be spiritual on purpose.

For a moment, consider spiritual existence from a genuine Christian perspective [with so many counterfeit perspectives declaring to be Christian, this is not a simple challenge]. From the genuine Christian perspective, the physical is temporary and the spiritual is eternal. The spiritual, not the physical, addresses who we really are-to the extent that the spiritual defines the physical rather than the physical defining the spiritual. The goal is complex but also simple: the goal is to allow God to define who and what we are.

Paul’s admonition to Christians in Thessalonia and Ephesus: “Do not resist God’s influence in your lives.” To them, God’s Spirit was God’s influence as they lived in corrupt environments, corrupt societies, and corrupt communities. On many occasions, it was easier to hide God’s influence on them than display God’s influence on them. Often it was simpler to behave in ways that made it harder for God to be a living influence in them. It is just so much more convenient to be ungodly in an ?unspiritual’ environment!

What about you? Are you spiritual in all environments because that is what you want?

Life’s Two Bank Accounts

Posted by on June 4, 2006 under Sermons

Matthew 6:19-34 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

How are your investments going? Was the stock market up or down this week? What interest rate do you have on your biggest loans? Is it true the owning your own business means that you will never be unemployed again? If a person beginning college studies were to ask you what career path he or she should take to have a good future, what advice would you give him or her?

May I share an observation with you? If you have a lot of money or possessions, it takes more time than you have to manage them. If you have a little money and few possessions, it takes more time than you have to manage it. If you have no money or possessions, the lack of money and possessions likely consume your time and life as much as money and possessions consume the lives and time of people who have both. It makes me wonder who serves whom: does money serve us, or do we belong to money?

Life focuses on investments. Every person, man or woman, makes those investments: some out of necessity and some out of choice. One of the biggest questions every man and woman faces is this: in what are you investing?

  1. Centuries before Jesus was born into this world, God said these words to second generation Israel through Moses:
    Deuteronomy 8:1-3 All the commandments that I am commanding you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the Lord swore to give to your forefathers. You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.
    1. Moses referred to an experience in their lives that happened when many of them were children.
      1. Their parents had not yet reached Sinai.
        1. The parents were very dissatisfied with living in the wilderness and stated their discontent.
        2. They had been in the harsh wilderness environment for a month and a half.
        3. They had dreams about all the good food they had in Egypt (like us, they forgot the horrible things).
        4. They even said that the only reason they were in the wilderness was for them to die of hunger.
      2. It was in that context that God provided them quail in the evening and manna in the morning.
        1. The people to whom Moses spoke ate manna for 40 years!
        2. Manna began on that occasion at the middle of the second month after their departure from Egypt.
        3. God’s provision of manna ended about 40 years later when they crossed the Jordan River, camped at Gilgal, were circumcised, kept the Passover, and ate some of the produce of Canaan.
    2. In Moses’ statement, quoted centuries later by Jesus (Matthew 4:4), I find several things fascinating.
      1. God brought them to severe hunger and provided them manna for two reasons.
      2. First, to know if obedient trust was in their hearts.
      3. Second, to teach them that there was a greater issue in survival than food.
      4. Or, there is more to life than physical survival.
      5. Following God’s guidance is more important than food.
      6. Food is terribly important to most of us!
    3. The issue: is spiritual survival really more important than physical survival?

  2. Let me call your attention to Jesus’ words in tonight’s text.
    1. First, we need to establish a context.
      1. In the over-all context of the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7) my conclusion is this: Jesus was contrasting God’s concept of righteousness in human existence with the Jewish concept of righteousness in human existence (particularly the Pharisees’ concept).
        1. The Pharisees would have said there was no difference in their view and God’s view.
        2. Jesus said there was an important, basic difference.
      2. Just before our text tonight, in Matthew 6, Jesus discussed the importance of motives in righteous deeds.
        1. He used three accepted, common acts of righteousness in a Jewish community: benevolence, prayer, fasting.
        2. Every devout Jew did all three things.
        3. Jesus even did all three things.
        4. However, Jesus point is seen in these two questions: Did you do these things privately to cement your dependence on God? Or, did you do these things noticeably to others to attract human attention to yourself?
    2. The primary issue is this: “What is the basic focus of your life?”
      1. How does a person determine the primary focus of his or her life?
      2. He or she determines it by looking at the way he or she invests life.
        1. Jesus said, “Do not invest yourself in physical things.”
          1. Physical things are temporary and uncertain.
          2. Forces beyond your control can take your investment from you!
        2. Invest your life in eternal things!
          1. The eternal is permanent and is as certain as God Himself!
          2. God is in charge of that investment, and nothing can destroy anything in God’s possession.
    3. Jesus’ basic truth: Our hearts belong to what is important to us!
      1. Jesus illustrates that truth in several ways.
        1. The importance of the eye’s focus.
        2. The impossibility of serving more than one master.
        3. The realization of life’s purpose–it is more than physical survival: clothes, and food and drink.
      2. He declared some basic truths about God.
        1. God feeds the birds.
        2. God clothes the grass.
        3. God knows and understands our physical needs.
      3. He also made some statements about human limitation.
        1. People can change nothing by worry.
        2. Worry cannot make life longer.
        3. The godless let worry drive them in their pursuit of the physical.
      4. He also made some statements about focus.
        1. Put the rule of God above everything else in your life.
        2. Put your confidence in God when you face a physical need.
        3. Be righteous by God’s standards and values.
        4. Take care of the present day rather than worrying about the future.
    4. I would be among the first to acknowledge that all of this is much easier said than done.

  3. Tonight will be the last time that I, as a regular Sunday evening responsibility, will have the joy and pleasure of sharing a lesson with you.
    1. I knew this moment was coming as soon as my physical condition was diagnosed.
      1. My physical condition declined very rapidly from July to late November last year.
      2. From Thanksgiving until now the decline has been very slow.
    2. My primary issues remain the same.
      1. Balance.
      2. Speech.
      3. Stamina.
    3. The basic cause degenerates very slowly now, but it degenerates.
      1. The shrinkage of my cerebellum cannot be treated.
      2. Basically all I can do is exercise sensibly and be carefully.
    4. I wish to thank Dena Jenkins and Rebecca Holloway (both trained in speech therapy) for the volunteer help they have give me for months.
      1. In spite of Dena’s commitments, she came to my office many Tuesday mornings to assist me with my speech problems.
      2. Rebecca monitored me from the audience and gave me notes to help me be aware of my specific problems.
      3. Even with their help, I could not improve the speech problems.
    5. Please listen to me very carefully–the last thing I want to do is start rumors.
      1. If you do not understand something I share with you, come ask me or ask Joyce.
      2. No, I did not wish to stop preaching to you–I have done this all my life.
      3. Yet, I knew this was what I needed to do–it was not a matter of desire, but a matter of necessity.
      4. I will continue full time on staff here until January 1, 2007.
      5. I will continue teaching the Wednesday night auditorium class until the end of the summer.
      6. I will continue teaching my Sunday morning class indefinitely.
      7. A reassessment of (a) my physical condition and (b) the needs of this congregation will be made in December of this year.

Joyce and I deeply appreciate your prayers, your encouragement, and your friendship.

[Now, one of our elders will speak to you.]

Testing the Boundaries

Posted by on June 1, 2006 under Bulletin Articles

Children who resent control commonly test the boundaries of any control placed on them. “Will I really be in trouble when my parent counts to three, or can I push him [or her] to four, five, or six? Will a temper tantrum control the situation by putting me in charge by embarrassing my parents? Can I defy my teacher’s instructions because he/she is afraid of my parents who are certain to rescue me and be on my side?” Etc.

All limiting instructions are a game. The object of this game is to determine who is in control. To find out the limits of “my” control, I deliberately “push the edge” to see how far I can go and what I can “get away with.”

There are adults with that same attitude. Two sets of rules exist. One set for “me,” and the other set for everyone else. This person operates on the attitude and thesis-in-life that “rules are made for me to break! If the speed limit is 30, I will go 45. If I am supposed to be thoughtful of my spouse on this occasion, I will ignore my spouse. If I am supposed to do things “Y” way in my work, I will do them “X” way. No one is allowed to tell me no, and no one is allowed to restrict me! I know what I am doing, so just get out of my way! If you cross me, I guarantee you, you will regret it! Life is always about “me,” “my” pleasure, “my” ambitions, and “my” objectives. “You” exist to please “me,” and don’t “you” forget that fact!

Such attitudes have no desire to know God in any genuine sense, because God always is viewed inwardly as a rival Who places restrictions on people. In Deuteronomy 6:16-19, Moses warned Israel not to put God to the test. God does not bless us for us to “push His boundaries” in our relationship with Him.

To illustrate the point, Moses referred to the incident at Massah. The incident is recorded in Exodus 17:1-7. It was there that the thirsty people of Israel asked, “Is the Lord among us, or not?”

The question was needless. The issue was self-evident. God delivered them from slavery. God rescued them from a hostile army by deliverance across a sea. God made the waters at Marah drinkable. God gave them quail and manna to eat. Why should they doubt God would provide them water? Yet, instead of a faith reaction, they demanded for God to perform once again.

Moses made the point that Israel should obey God because they had confidence in God, not because God performed as they wished. He said if they obeyed God, (1) it would be well with them, and (2) they would possess the good land God promised them. Good things happening to them depended on their confidence in God!

Life is filled with undesirable circumstances and undesirable happenings. Each time the undesirable occurs, our issue remains the same: do I or do I not trust God? Does God truly know what is best for me? Will He in actuality keep His promises to me?

In each undesirable occurrence, the temptation remains the same: the temptation to demand that God perform in the manner we desire. Instead of trusting Him in the face of the frightening, we too often demand that “God do something immediately about this” regardless of what He has done for us in the past. Thus instead of the crisis becoming a time of confidence in God, it becomes a time to doubt God. In our arrogance, our importance constantly escalates as God’s importance constantly diminishes.

Perhaps no conviction lies at the heart of faith in God more than does this conviction: God has my best interest on His heart!

The Challenges of Difficult Commitments

Posted by on May 25, 2006 under Bulletin Articles

The above words were written of the Christian Barnabas. While not a perfect man (Galatians 2:13), he was an exceptionally good man. He was one of the few Jews in his age that could see God at work among people who were not Jews. Not only could he see God’s grace at work, but he could be delighted that God’s work was obviously being done among people who were not proselytes!

His exceptional commitment was obvious in four ways. (1) He was an encourager. He helped people come even closer to the Lord Jesus. (2) He was a “good man.” Knowing the Lord only magnified his commitment to being a “good man.” (3) He was full of the Holy Spirit. He encouraged God’s influence in his life. [See 1 Thessalonians 5:19.] (4) He was full of faith in God’s work in Jesus. Perhaps the reasons for his being a good man were found in these facts: (a) he did not resist God’s influence in his life, and (b) he encouraged within himself faith in God’s purposes in Jesus Christ.

Some commitments are fairly easy, and some commitments are extremely difficult. May I make five observations about hard commitments. [Commonly, hard commitments are commitments which are unpopular.] If a person is to make a hard commitment, there are five stages when he or she may encounter difficulty.

(1) Simply getting started, actually beginning.
(2) Continuing in the face of discouragement.
(3) Continuing in the reality of opposition.
(4) Knowing when to pass the torch to another.
(5) Knowing when you have achieved your goal.

The last two may not seem to belong in the list. However, hard commitments are usually commitments to something bigger than yourself. If that is true of your difficult commitment, inevitably it means you must know when to step aside. I always admired John because he knew someone greater than he would fulfill a greater purpose (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16; John 3:27-30). Fulfilling a personal goal to be useful to God’s purposes does not preclude passing the torch. We must never forget that God’s purposes do not begin and end with us! For us, thankfully, God’s purposes did not end in the first century. It is enough to aid God’s purpose without being God’s purpose! Never be deceived by your own arrogance! Lowliness blesses, but arrogance curses!

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