What God Did For Us In Jesus’ Death and Resurrection (part 5)

Posted by David on January 22, 2006 under Sermons

James 1:19-27 This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

There was a time when some of us said, “If we don’t do what Ma said, we will get a beatin’ for sure!” There was a time when some of us said, “If my parents ever find out I did this, I will be grounded for life!” There was a time when some of us said, “When my parents hear about this, they will lock me in my room and throw the key away!” That is the forced obedience of the immature. The immature do not obey because they want to obey, but because they are terrified of the consequences of not obeying.

Hopefully, there has come a time in your life that you obey because a love relationship exists. Allow me to give you an example. If you have a good marriage, it is a marriage with numerous incidents of obedience. In a good marriage, there is lots of obedience. Every day the husband and the wife in that good marriage perform acts of obedience out of love and respect, not because they are terrified of a belt, a willow switch, being grounded, or being locked in a room. In a good marriage, the husband and the wife frequently do things they may never talk about simply because the thing shows the appreciation of affection for the spouse. Then in that marriage there are moments of conscious sacrifice made in the loyalty of affection. Such acts have nothing to do with punishment, but everything to do with love .

1. Perhaps the greatest single act of obedience from a human perspective was given by Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane
   1. Jesus had a relationship with the Father that you and I will never have with the Father.
      1. He had a prayer life that makes any of ours look anemic.
      2. His ministry was filled with personal surrender to the Father.
      3. Never once did he defy his Father’s instructions or will.
      4. Three times he asked the Father to let “this cup” pass from him.
         1. For multiple reasons, he did not wish to die then, in those circumstances, in that way.
         2. May I suggest two of the reasons.
            1. He did not want the pain.
            2. He did not want the responsibility [for thousands of years God worked toward that moment–God’s success hinge on Jesus’ reaction under severe stress and pain].
   2. Yet, though Jesus did not want the agony before him, he surrendered.
      1. Paraphrased, “If Your objective can be achieved in any other way, let’s go the other way.”
      2. “However, I surrender to what You want done and the way You want it done.”
      3. Jesus’ obedience in the face of his own death is incredible! He had an option to do things as he wished, and he did not exercise his option–instead he surrendered.
   3. In Jesus:
      1. We see the basic nature of obedience–surrender.
      2. We see the basic issue in obedience–surrender when there is another option [rebellion].
      3. We see the basic motivation for obedience–respectful love for a superior.

2. Nothing requires as much perspective as does obedience.
   1. We do not have to obey; we choose to obey.
      1. If obedience occurs, it occurs because of our choice.
      2. We do not have to do what God says; we choose to do as God instructs.
      3. Obedience is not always simple!
         1. Sometimes it is personally costly.
         2. Sometimes it is personally painful.
         3. What God asks of us is not always pleasant!
   2. The writer of Hebrews said this of Jesus’ obedience in the Gethsemane situation:
      Hebrews 5:7-10 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
      1. Note he knew God was able to save him from death [at great cost to us, but no additional cost to Jesus].
      2. Note God heard him [I understand that to mean God the Father responded to Jesus’ request].
      3. Note God heard him because of his godly character.
      4. Note Jesus learned obedience through suffering.
      5. Note God used Jesus’ suffering to make Jesus perfect.
      6. Note God used Jesus’ suffering to make Jesus our high priest.
      7. Note God used Jesus’ suffering to make Jesus the source of eternal salvation.

3. First, I wish to call your attention to the joys of obedience.
   1. The first joy is discovered in knowing there is something bigger than we are.
      1. I do not have to “play God” in any situation–I need to serve God, not play God.
      2. I do not have to decide what are right values–I just have to learn, apply, and follow right values.
   2. By letting God be God in my life, I am released from some impossible responsibilities.
      1. I am not responsible for your choices, and you are not responsible for mine.
      2. I can love you, care about you, encourage you, help you, and share with you–but your choices are yours and my choices are mine.
      3. All I am responsible for is my decisions.
      4. Your choices may break my heart, but your choices do not destroy my relationship with God–I never have to answer to God for what you decide of yourself to do.
   3. God knows why I do what I do.
      1. In Romans 14 these incredible statements are found among many incredible statements.
         Romans 14:4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
         Romans 14:6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.
      2. Understanding the context of this statement is critical to grasping its meaning.
         1. It was written by Paul to Jewish and gentile Christians who had very different ways of doing things.
         2. The Jewish Christians were returning to Rome, and the church had become quite gentile in nature in their absence.
         3. The Jewish Christians who did things uniquely as Jews did them for centuries [as far as multiple “hows” as well as “whats”–like in the foods they did and did not eat].
         4. They thought many of the daily practices of the gentiles were ridiculous.
         5. So Jewish Christians observed some days [like the Sabbath] and rejected some foods [like pork] that gentile Christians did not observe or reject.
         6. As a result, in Rome when the Jewish Christians returned, there was a big confrontation in the community of Christians.
      3. Paul incredibly said to both sides, “Leave each other alone!”
         1. “You each are doing what you do for God’s approval, not for each others’ approval.”
         2. “God knows not only what you do, but why you do it.”
         3. “God is as concerned about your motive as your act.”
         4. “You serve God; you are not servants to each other.”
         5. “You cannot make each other stand or fall before God–you do not have that power.”
         6. “You are God’s servants, not each others’ servants.”
      4. A lot of problems instantly would be solved in the church if Christians would stop being self-appointed judges and start being God appointed encouragers.

4. Second, I want to call your attention to the fact that there are some horrible consequences to misguided obedience.
   1. The objective of obedience has never been to secure human approval.
      1. The church should be God’s kingdom, not “our” kingdom–what God wills is always far more important than what we will.
   2. It is much easier to condemn than to nurture.
      1. Too often if “I” condemn, the action is much more about my comfort and control than it is about your salvation.
      2. Too often condemnation is much more about control than it is the will of God.
      3. We all have flaws!
         1. You see mine!
         2. I see yours!
         3. Condemning your flaws does not hide my flaws!
         4. God sees both, and forgives!
   3. It is much, much easier to raise sacred cows than it is to kill sacred cows.
      1. Among the devout in the Hindu religion, cows are sacred, cannot be harmed, and are free to roam any where at any time.
      2. Traditions that become marks of a movement are frequently called “sacred cows.”
      3. In a religious movement, it is easy to create a sacred cow.
         1. All it takes is time and consistent practice.
         2. In this way, the practice of a people becomes a directive from God.
         3. Consequently, a believer has and expresses faith in God if he or she follows the traditional practice.
         4. The problem is that the practice is never regarded to be a tradition, but a declaration of scripture.
      4. Thus to kill a sacred cow is to attack proper faith.
         1. So the matter cannot be discussed ever.
         2. Discussion quickly becomes emotional reaction instead of open investigation.

Rule of the thumb: if God specifically instructs something, do it. That is obedience. If it is based on human reasoning instead of a specific instruction from God, it well may be a matter of human tradition instead of a matter of revelation from God.

Loving God’s Character

Posted by David on January 19, 2006 under Bulletin Articles

This is a significant self-disclosure of God’s character often cited (Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 4:31; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalms 86:15; 103:8; Joel 2:13; Romans 2:4).

Note all that flows from God’s character because He primarily is a compassionate [merciful] God filled with graciousness. Because He is full of mercy and grace, He angers slowly and is filled with patience and truth [absolutely trustworthy, not deceitful].

That is quite in contrast to many people’s concept of God’s character. They often declare that the primary quality of God’s character is justice. Thus, expressions of God’s mercy and grace are “out of character.” He is constantly angry, barely holding His anger in check because of Jesus’ cross. He is impatient. He prefers condemnation to salvation. While He is truthful, He quickly remembers our flaws and failures-and cannot wait to punish them!

While there is no desire to diminish our rightful responsibility that makes us accountable for our choices (Romans 14:10-12; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Corinthians 5:9, 10), God’s character declares His desire to save rather than condemn (1 Timothy 2:3, 4; 2 Peter 3:9). The good news is this: God wants to save you and will do all in His power to secure your salvation. He is on our side. The cornerstone of His character is composed of grace arising from His mercy. He rejoices in human repentance. He patiently awaits the redirection of our lives. He never lets us down. He keeps His promises.

At some point [hopefully early in our relationship with God], the Christian must stop running from hell and start running to God. The Christian is not driven by judgment’s terror, but by love for God. Rather than fleeing consequences, God’s people are attracted to His character. They find God’s character admirable in every way. They want God’s character to become their character. That is what they prefer!

Thus their goal as God’s people in an evil world is to be a people of compassion whose grace arises from mercy. In their patience they want to anger slowly. In every way they want to be trustworthy and dependable. Why? That is the nature of their Father, and they are honored to show the world their Father in their character (Matthew 5:43-48).

Would you prefer to own a heart or control a body? God prefers to own hearts. God prefers love to terror. Terror breeds resentment. Love breeds loyalty. Those who know God are committed to love’s loyalty. Feel your responsibility, but also feel God’s love!

What God Did For Us In Jesus’ Death and Resurrection (part 4)

Posted by David on January 15, 2006 under Sermons

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

This is the fourth part of what God did for us in Jesus’ death and resurrection. In the three previous lessons, we have noted:

What God Did For Us In Jesus’ Death and Resurrection (part 3)

Posted by David on January 8, 2006 under Sermons

Colossians 1:9-20 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light. For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

Years ago I discovered an incredibly helpful invention. [Illustrate with two pieces of chain and a coupling link.] The invention is the coupling link. With it, you easily can add a link to a piece of chain. So, with it you can make two broken chains a single chain. The link has an opening that can be opened or closed easily. If it is open, it can easily fit on to a chain. If it is closed, it becomes a strong part of the chain. The link makes what would be impossible easily possible.

This evening I want to begin by reading several scriptures. Though these scriptures come from different contexts and make many points, I want you to notice two things. (1) All of them are in some way about the work of Jesus as he benefits us. (2) All of them state in some way that Jesus is our “link” to God. In Jesus we can be again “connected” to God, and that would be impossible if it were not for Jesus.

Please read with me on the overhead or in your Bible. Notice the “coupling” Jesus makes possible between us and God the Father. The Father can be in Jesus’ disciples because Jesus is in those disciples.

1. Please pay attention to the fact that Jesus allows us to have God the Father in us.
   1. Scriptures:
      • John 1:14-18 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.'” For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
      • John 3:16-21 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”
      • John 10:34-38 Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.”
      • John 12:44-50 And Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness. If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”
      • John 14:9-21 Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 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. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”
      • John 16:25-28 “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but will tell you plainly of the Father. In that day you will ask in My name, and I do not say to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father. I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; I am leaving the world again and going to the Father.”
      • John 17:1-5 Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life. This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”
      • John 17:20-26 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”
      • Hebrews 1:1-4 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.
      • Luke 9:23-26 And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world, and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”
      • Luke 10:21-23 At that very time He rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I praise You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” Turning to the disciples, He said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see.”
      • Mark 8:34-38 And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
      • Matthew 10:32,33 “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.”
      • Matthew 10:25-30 “It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! Therefore do not fear them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”
   2. I know we just read through these, but I hope you saw something emphasized repeatedly in these readings.
      1. In some way, these readings each focus on three parties: we humans, Jesus Christ, and God the Father.
      2. There was a repeated emphasis on this fact: God the Father dwelled in Jesus, and Jesus can dwell in us.
         1. Therefore we can have God in us because Jesus is in us.
         2. It is what God did in Jesus that makes it possible for God to live in us!

2. Let me seek to illustrate the problem and the solution in this way.
   1. The problem:
      1. God is absolute holiness and has no association with anything that has evil in it.
      2. Everyone of us has evil in us.
      3. Thus the problem is how can the holy God have association with people who have evil in them?
      4. It is easy for us to respond, “God can have association with us if we are forgiven,” but that does not solve our problem because we cannot forgive ourselves.
   2. The solution:
      1. God made it possible for us to have association with Him because of what God did through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
      2. God the Father can forgive us because Jesus atoned for us–he paid the full price for our evil in his total innocence.
      3. Thus Jesus becomes the link that makes it possible for unholy us to associate with the holy God.

None of us associate with God because we are worthy. All of us associate with God because we are forgiven. We do not create our forgiveness. God does through what He did in Jesus’ death and resurrection.

I Am Proud to Be Part of You!

Posted by David on December 29, 2005 under Bulletin Articles

Tuesday we said farewell to George Thompson. After a long and valiant fight, George surrendered to the devastation of Parkinson’s disease. Again, we sought to extend comfort to Margaret, his sons, and his daughter.

Thursday we still again said good-bye to Thelma Blackburn as we sought to extend comfort to her daughter and extended family. Thelma at 94 had been sick for years and was unable to be with her spiritual family for so long.

For a few hours Friday night, it seemed sadness would visit us again. Jess Huff in a state of extreme confusion and weakness disappeared. Thankfully he was found in good condition after many of you spent a nervous period of anxiety and prayer.

I was proud of all the expressions of concern and outpouring of helpfulness throughout the week-everything from food coordination to visits! As powerful as all the expressions were on Monday and Tuesday, nothing made me more proud than the support the congregation gave the Blackburn family on Thursday.

Jeremy we knew. He grew up in this congregation. We saw his family every week. Roy was a part of the staff here for over 25 years and is now one of our elders. George and Margaret were here every week. He and Margaret were a weekly illustration of courage and faith in trying circumstances. Just their presence gave many of us strength.

Thelma was not known by many of us. She had been seriously ill for years. The past two years she suffered from Alzheimer’s Dementia. Illness and age prevented her from attending. And yet many who never met her were present Thursday to extend caring and comfort to the family. The family wanted her funeral in our auditorium. The full family numbered considerable less than twenty-in a room that would seat almost a thousand!

I have no doubt that we all were emotionally and physically exhausted that Thursday. It was a demanding, exhausting week! Still to come was Christmas day in only three days. Yet, you still came and in your weariness once again extended comfort by your presence and your words.

The biggest message we have to share with our community is who we are by virtue of Jesus Christ’s blessings and influence in our lives. In today’s realities, that is declared as certainly by our priorities in our lives as by our words. Last week you made a powerful statement by demonstrating your priorities. Thank you!

Do You Understand What You See?

Posted by David on December 25, 2005 under Sermons

This evening will be a little different. We will have more singing. We will have more Scripture readings than usual. Each reading will come from the first two chapters in the book of Luke. I will share with you some thoughts from each reading. My objective will be to challenge you to think.

Our first reading is from Luke 1:5-17.
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years. Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering. And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

[Songs]

1. There are not many physical things in life that I desire.
   1. About a month ago, my middle son asked me what I wanted for Christmas.
      1. I tried to convince him, without any success, that I neither wanted or needed anything physical.
      2. I know I merely increased the difficulty of his selecting and giving me a gift, and I felt badly about that.
      3. However, if he asked me right now, I still want nothing physical.
   2. However, there are some things I know I do not want.
      1. I am 65 years old.
      2. If the Lord God announced to me that Joyce and I were going to have a child, that would not be a joyous revelation–to me or to Joyce!
      3. Zacharias and Elizabeth were old–it does not say how old they were, but they knew all hope of having children was gone.
         1. When the angel appeared to Zacharias as he offered incense to God, I get the distinct impression that this was a first time experience for him.
         2. The situation scared him–and scared him badly!
      4. The angel declared several things to Zacharias:
         1. “You and your wife will have a son.”
         2. “You will name him John.”
         3. “When he is born you will have joy and gladness.”
         4. “He will be great in God’s sight.”
         5. “He will be a Nazarite and filled with the Holy Spirit from birth.”
         6. “He will be a restoration influence in Israel–many sons of Israel will turn back to God because of him.”
         7. “He will also be the forerunner of someone God will send, and he will do this in Elijah’s spirit and power.”
         8. “He will prepare a people for the Lord.”

2. I wonder if Zacharias had any in depth understanding of what God was planning to do through his son.
   1. I have little doubt that Zacharias was happy to hear that a son would continue his lineage even after Zacharias was dead.
   2. But what was this business of:
      1. That son beginning a restoration movement in Israel?
      2. That son functioning as Elijah?
      3. That son being a forerunner?

   I seriously doubt that Zacharias had any real idea of what God would do through this son!

   Reading: Luke 2:8-20
   In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

   [Songs]

3. This is likely one of the more familiar events that occurred the night Jesus was born.
   1. Some shepherds were in a field watching their sheep at night.
      1. This may be a clue as to the time of year these events occurred.
      2. From the little indication given, it was a typical, uneventful evening.
   2. The uneventful evening suddenly, shockingly became quite eventful.
      1. God’s angel suddenly stood before them, and the glory of God shone around them.
      2. Just as we would be, they were terrified.
   3. The angel said several things to them:
      1. “Do not be afraid.”
      2. “In the city that David came from, God has sent your Savior, Christ the Lord.”
      3. “This will be your confirming sign: You will find a wrapped baby lying in a manger” (that is not where you would expect to find a new born).
   4. Suddenly there appeared a heavenly host.
      1. They praised God for keeping His promise.
      2. They declared a special form of peace was coming to this world.
   5. The curious shepherds went to find the baby.
      1. They found the family.
      2. They told everyone what happened to them.
      3. The events astounded many, and Mary held these things in her heart.
      4. The shepherds returned to their sheep, glorifying and praising God for what they heard and saw.

   As happy and excited as they were, I wonder if they had any idea of what they had just seen.

   Reading: Luke 2:22-38
   And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation, Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, A Light of revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.” And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed– and a sword will pierce even your own soul–to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

   [Songs]

4. In Jewish society, there were (are in the Jewish orthodox communities) some laws that they had followed for centuries.
   1. Laws surrounding birth were one such group of laws.
      1. Leviticus 12 said:
         1. After the birth of a son, the mother was to be considered “unclean” for seven days–just as she was after her menstrual flow.
         2. On the eighth day after birth, the new son was to be circumcised.
         3. Exodus 13:2, 11,12 states that every first born male belonged to the Lord and must be redeemed.
         4. Leviticus 12 further said that a woman was to be considered ceremonially impure for an additional 33 days after the birth of a male child, and then she was to be purified by giving a sacrifice.
         5. It is my understanding that is what occurred in Luke 2:22-24.
      2. In 40 days when Jesus was taken to Jerusalem for presentation and redemption, he is met by two people who understand his significance.
         1. The first is a man named Simeon who is described as a righteous and devout man.
         2. Some unusual statements are made regarding this man:
            1. The Holy Spirit was on him.
            2. He was looking “for the consolation of Israel”–he understood that Israel was God’s vehicle to a divine goal, not God’s end goal.
            3. He took Jesus in his arms, blessed God, and said in essence, “I am ready to die now because I have seen God’s salvation.”
            4. He made an incredible, unthinkable statement for a first century Israelite–the salvation coming through Jesus is for all peoples, is to serve as a light to the gentiles, and is to serve as the glory of Israelites.
            5. The parents were astounded, and Simeon said to them the child will result in the rise and fall of many in Israel and will reveal the thoughts of many.
         3. The second person is a woman named Anna.
            1. She is elderly and has been a widow for many years.
            2. She constantly stayed in the temple area night and day fasting and praying.
            3. As soon as she saw Jesus, she thanked God.
            4. Incredibly, she began to speak about Jesus to all who were looking for the redemption of Israel.

When you look at Jesus in your life, do you understand what you see?

What God Did For Us In Jesus’ Death and Resurrection (part 2)

Posted by David on December 18, 2005 under Sermons

1 John 1:1-10 “What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life– and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us–what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete. This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.”

Since the attempt at Roman Catholic reform resulted in the Protestant Reformation, reformers have had a tendency to make conditions of salvation difficult for people. To my understanding of what I heard, it was as if God really did not want to extend salvation to humans, but for some reason He had to. Therefore, God made being saved in Christ as difficult as possible. It was as though God said, “I extend you salvation, but I hope you do not accept because I really want to give you the justice of what you deserve rather than the mercy and grace of salvation.” At least, for me, that was the view I was exposed to.

As I matured spiritually, I began to wonder this: If what God really wanted was to destroy us and not save us, to give us justice and not mercy, why bother sending Jesus to become the Christ? If God just withheld Jesus, we definitely would get justice and not mercy. Without Jesus, we gentiles have no form of hope.

There were many factors that resulted in the Protestant Reformation. One of those factors that figured prominently in Martin Luther’s presenting the ninety-five thesis for debate was the sale of indulgences.

This is a very complex evolution in Roman Catholic theology. This evolution of theological view point involved three things: religious goals, secular politics, and money. That is a combination that commonly results in materialism and greed!

At first there was the practice of penance. When a person sinned, he or she had to do something to demonstrate physically he or she regretted the sin. Then there arose a debate about how far reaching the acts of penance were. Could the acts of penance cover the consequences to be endured in purgatory? Then there evolved the concept of indulgences. That concept evolved into the concept that a person could buy total escape from all consequences of sinful deeds.

The idea was this: saints and good people did more than enough good deeds to receive their salvation. From their excess good deeds, there existed a “treasury of merits.” The pope had access to this “treasury of merits” and could authorize the sale of these excess good deeds in the form of indulgences.

A person who had not done enough good deeds to escape punishment could buy an indulgence an assure to himself or herself of an escape from the punishments of purgatory after death. Thus to the average person who did not know all the theological arguments, eternal salvation was for sale and could be bought. In this manner, the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church could collect fees to finance their projects, and the less than virtuous people could assure themselves there would be no suffering after they died.

This was the practice that motivated Martin Luther to attempt a reform of the Roman Catholic Church, and that suggestion resulted in the Protestant Reformation. (I realize this reduces many happenings into an attempt to provide a simple explanation. In no way is this intended to oversimplify a complex happening.)

What does all this have to do with us?

One of the complaints against the Roman Catholic Church in Martin Luther’s lifetime was that (1) the system made salvation too easy by (2) making it primarily a matter of finances.

It seems to me (and I classify this as personal opinion) that for centuries the Protestant Reformation made salvation as terrifying and frightening as possible. I think that has stretched into and has been a part of our past more then we realize. For those of us who are older and have been part of the American Restoration Movement since at least the 1950s, how many gospel meetings have you attended? How many gospel meetings have you attended that had a least one night devoted to hell? How many times have you heard an invitation that had the purpose of scaring a person into being baptized instead of challenging a person to deepen faith in God?

If hell were taken out of our past religious emphasis, we would not have much of a message. Years ago, our message was much simpler than the message of scripture: “If you don’t do what I declare, God is going to get you! Is that what you want?”

At least in my experience, this was the message: “God wants to give you justice, not salvation. When you surrender your life to Jesus Christ, you are on your own. If you are not perfect in the way you live, you will get God’s justice, not God’s mercy. If you think you are afraid of hell before you become a Christian, accept Jesus Christ, and we will spend the rest of your life trying to scare you to heaven.”

1. For a moment, I call your attention to the opening reading.
   1. My paraphrase of the four verses would be this: “What you heard about Jesus is real!”
      1. I heard him–in fact we all did!
      2. I saw him–in fact we all did!
      3. I touched him–in fact we all did!
   2. We know who he is!
      1. He is the Word of Life!
      2. He came from God the Father!
      3. He is the source of eternal life!
   3. I want to convince you to have fellowship with us.
      1. Then we all have fellowship with God the Father and His son, Jesus Christ.
      2. I am writing you this to make that happen!

2. Verses 5-10 contain some of the most hope filled, insightful, inspiring thoughts in the New Testament.
   1. First (verse 5), you need to have a clear understanding of God’s message that is verified by Jesus himself.
      1. God is light (in the contrast that absolute goodness and purity is light and absolute evil is the total absence of light or complete darkness).
      2. There is not even a speck of evil in God–He is 100% purify and 0% evil.
   2. Second (verse 6), you need to be absolutely clear on this basic understanding:
      1. To claim fellowship with God and to knowingly, deliberately live a lifestyle of evil is a horribly serious insult to God and everything God intended in Jesus Christ.
      2. That person is a liar–he is affirming a situation that is impossible.
      3. Though that is his claim, his lifestyle does not reflect his claim–he does not practice the truth (as revealed by God).
   3. However, (verse 7) if the direction of our lives is toward God and we want God to reshape our lives, two things will be true of us.
      1. We will have fellowship with other Christians.
      2. Jesus’ blood will continually cleanse us from all sin.
         1. Note the use of cleanses–an ongoing process.
         2. Note the use of all in all sin.
   4. If we say we do not need this solution for sin from God (verse 8):
      1. We are self-deceived about our purity and our problem with sin (evil).
      2. Truth (as revealed from God) is not in us.
   5. If we confess our sins (willingly accept responsibility when we make a mistake) (verse 9):
      1. God will keep His promise and do precisely what He promised to do.
      2. He, as promised, will forgive our sins.
      3. He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
   6. If we are self-deceived about our sins and our spiritual need created by the evil in our lives (verse 10):
      1. We become guilty of declaring God is a liar.
      2. God’s word is not in us.

3. Let me make this as simple and accurate as I know how to make it.
   1. Jesus’ blood begins flowing through our lives when we on the basis of faith in Jesus and repentance of sins are baptized into Christ.
      1. Every moment of everyday that cleansing blood continues to flow in our lives as a result of two conditions.
         1. The first condition is that God keeps His promise concerning our sins.
         2. The second is that we accept full responsibility for sin when we realize we are guilty of evil.
      2. That forgiveness, that cleansing applies to all sins.
         1. Those I am unaware of–all unrighteousness.
         2. Those I am aware of–confession.
      3. God will keep His promise if I will live responsibly.
   2. That is the perfect solution for sinful people who want to escape evil but cannot stop being sinful–all of us!
      1. God can keep His promise!
      2. I can be responsible in the way I live!

That is a truly workable solution! It is individual! It meets every spiritual need for forgiveness!

However, it is only available to people who want God to remake them! It is not a game of pretense or hypocrisy! The Christian cannot live a double life! He or she cannot pretend to be one thing at one time and behave differently when it is convenient!

If you do not want the God of Light to remake you, the solution is not for you. However, if you want the God of Light to remake you as a person of Light, the solution is for you and will work!

We can live with that! We can live in hope, not in terror! It truly makes the gospel of Jesus Christ “good news.”

Faith … In What?

Posted by David on December 15, 2005 under Bulletin Articles

Religiously we declare faith in many things. “I have faith in our movement.” Or, “my congregation.” Or, “the leaders of my congregation.” Or, “the teachers in my congregation.” Or, “our preacher.” Or, “What I always have been taught.”

To me, one of the simplest statements regarding faith is found in Hebrews 11.

Hebrews 11:1-3, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. … (verse 6) And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”

Speaking of the resurrection and all that follows that event, faith is the assurance the resurrection will occur. Faith is the conviction that though I did not see Jesus’ resurrection and have not seen mine, I live in confidence that Jesus was raised from the dead, and so will I be. The Christian sacrificially lives his or her life for the unseen that is not yet a part of his or her experience.

Faith even enables a Christian to understand how the world came to existence.

Faith in what? God the Father! There can be no hope of pleasing God unless I have faith in God. Two things must be believed: (1) I must believe God exists! (2) I must believe God rewards those who seek Him.

Regardless of how much you believe in “our religious movement,” that confidence is not enough. Regardless of how much you believe in “my congregation,” in the “leadership” of “my congregation,” in preachers past or present, in teachers past or present, in obedient acts past or present, or in issues past or present, such confidence is not enough.

One cannot come to God unless he or she has confidence in God’s existence and confidence in God’s ability to reward. There is no substitute for faith in God! Faith in God is not optional! We obey because we believe in God! We serve because we believe in God! We live our chosen lifestyle because we believe in God!

How sad it would be to approach God in judgment and say, “I placed my confidence in the Restoration Movement!” Or, “I believed in my congregation.” Or, “I trusted the men who led or taught me!” And have God respond, “That is true! However, you never placed confidence in Me.” Your faith is not questioned. However, the question is, “In what do you have faith?”

Let Jesus show you the Father and lead you to life! (John 14:6)

What God Did For Us In Jesus’ Death and Resurrection (part 1)

Posted by David on December 11, 2005 under Sermons

Hebrews 12:18-29 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and to the blast of a trumpet and the sound of words which sound was such that those who heard begged that no further word be spoken to them. For they could not bear the command, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it will be stoned.” And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, “I am full of fear and trembling.” But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven. And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heaven.” This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.

For a few Sunday evenings we have focused on the conscious roles Jesus served in his earthly ministry. I stressed several times, “It is not a question of what we do for God. It is an understanding of what God did for us in Jesus’ death and resurrection.”

The focus of our faith must not be on our achievements in obedience. The focus of our faith must be on God’s achievements in giving the life of Jesus on the cross and on resurrecting Jesus from the tomb.

For a few weeks I want us to consider God’s accomplishments (for us) in Jesus’ death and resurrection. This evening I want to focus on this accomplishment: In Jesus’ death and resurrection, God gave us an entirely new way to look at him and to approach him.

1. To make the point I wish to make, we must begin with a basic understanding of the writing called Hebrews.
   1. First, I want to share this understanding.
      1. When we approach any scripture, we first need to ask ourselves, “What was the problem to writer addressed? How was the problem being addressed in this statement?”
         1. No writing in scripture was consciously written to 21st century America.
         2. That does not mean that scripture was not “god breathed” or inspired.
         3. That does not mean that the messages of scripture are not relevant to our lives today.
         4. It simply means that if we do not seek to understand the point the author made, we are likely to miss God’s point an make the wrong application of what was said.
         5. No scripture receives its meaning from us.
         6. All scripture means what the writer meant as he was moved by God to write–the true point is the point of the writer.
      2. Originally, each book (especially in the New Testament–most of the Old Testament books were written to Israel) was written to someone or a specific group about a specific problem or set of problems in that group.
         1. The more we understand what the problem or problems were in the group who first received the writing, the better we understand the point the author of the writing made to them.
         2. The better we understand the author’s point, the more likely we are to make the correct application of the author’s statement.
         3. That simply means the more likely our lives reflect God’s values instead of our human values.
   2. Let’s make application of these principles to the New Testament writing called Hebrews.
      1. We do not know who the author is because it does not give the author
         1. While it is legitimate to be concerned about who the author is, it is not a matter of grasping the message because we “know” who the author is.
         2. At best, it is a matter of opinion.
            1. We each have the right to hold an opinion.
            2. We do not have the right to use our opinion as a standard of faithfulness.
      2. It is my conclusion and understanding that the message is written to Jewish Christians who were in spiritual difficulty.
         1. I hold that understanding for several reasons.
            1. First, the message shows the superiority of Jesus as God’s spokesman, to angels (big in Jewish first century theology), as the means to God, to the Jewish high priest, and to Moses–all this would have special significance to Jewish people.
            2. Second, there is extensive use of the concept of covenant, which was an important part of Jewish theology–there is even a long quote from Jeremiah 31 to explain what God was doing in Jesus.
            3. Third, there is the reminder of “the former days” when these Christians made enormous sacrifices for Jesus.
            4. Fourth, there is a contrast made between the temporary nature of Jewish sacrifices and the permanent nature of Jesus’ sacrifice.
            5. Fifth, there is the role call of faith in the 11th chapter in which people and instances from Jewish history are prominent.
            6. Sixth, there is the contrast between God acting at Mount Sinai and God acting at Jesus cross and tomb (in the church).
         2. These understandings become even more significant to me when I understand the resentment of Judaism against the conversion of gentiles through nothing more than faith in Jesus.
      3. What was the problem?
         1. Some Jewish Christians were seriously considering leaving faith in Jesus Christ to return to Judaism.
            1. They would not be leaving God, just Jesus.
            2. Judaism worshipped the same God, just not Jesus.
            3. If they did this, they would avoid the ire and consequences of Jews who said, “You can be a part of Judaism or a part of the church, but not both!”
            4. “If you choose the church, we no longer regard you as part of the Jewish community”–and that was a huge sacrifice!
         2. The writer said in a number of ways, “You cannot do that!”
            1. “If you leave Jesus, you leave God!”
            2. “Jesus is God’s intent and purpose!”
            3. “Every blessing God intended you to have is through Jesus!”
         3. The basic point is simple: “You cannot go back by deserting Jesus! That is not the solution!”

2. Now let me call your attention to the text that was read earlier.
   1. The contrast is between God’s actions at Mount Sinai resulting in the nation of Israel and God’s actions in Jesus’ cross resulting in a kingdom of people called the church.
      1. The contrast is not between a nation and an institution.
      2. The contrast is between two kinds of people–the people who responded to Mount Sinai and the people who responded to Jesus.
   2. In Hebrews 12:18-21 a reminder of what occurred at Sinai is given.
      1. There was the mountain the could not be touched, the fire, the darkness, the storm, the blast of the trumpet, and the sound of words–all designed to create an atmosphere of fear.
      2. Now consider Exodus 19:16-21:
         So it came about on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunder and lightning flashes and a thick cloud upon the mountain and a very loud trumpet sound, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked violently. When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder (or a voice; literally a sound). The Lord came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain; and the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Go down, warn the people, so that they do not break through to the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish.”
   3. The text says that was not the experience of those who come to God through Jesus.
      1. Christians come to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, to the Judge of all Who perfects the righteous, to Jesus who is superior to anything before him.
      2. Realize the superior thing God did through Jesus!
      3. Realize how serious it is to reject Jesus!
   4. In the context of the entire book, the point is simple: Jesus provides you a whole new way to approach God. Consider this chart.
      1. Sometimes I think we just do not appreciate how evil people were prior to Sinai.
         1. The Israelites were so evil they did not even appreciate what God did for them in releasing them from slavery (see Exodus 32).
         2. Under no consideration did the bulk of those people love God!
      2. What do you do with people who are so wicked they are out of control?
         1. You try to bring them under control.
         2. How do you do that?
         3. You fill them with the fear of the consequences of being out of control.
      3. Yet, if the goal is to create a relationship of love that allows you to bring yourself under control because in love you appreciate what is done for you, the fear of consequences is only the beginning of the journey.
   5. The point is not that God is some great big teddy bear you snuggle up to.
      1. The nature of God had not changed.
      2. The nature of those who come to God through Jesus has changed.
      3. God is still a consuming fire, but those who come to him through Jesus have no reason to be afraid of Him.
3. To me, Hebrews 4:14-16 states this powerfully and beautifully.
   Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
   1. Jesus represents us to God the Father.
      1. He represents us because Christians acknowledge and trust who he is.
      2. Therefore, Christians must not abandon Jesus.
   2. Jesus knows our weaknesses.
      1. He has experienced human limitations and temptation.
      2. Yet, he refused to sin.
   3. Because of him, God can look at us with grace and mercy.
      1. Because of him, weak we can go to God in confidence.
      2. The confidence is not in us, but in Jesus.
      3. We can go to God when we are really struggling and know we will receive grace and mercy in our struggles.
   4. That is an enormous blessing we can live with!

The point is simple. We are not saved because we are so good. We are saved because of what God allows Jesus to do for us that we cannot do for ourselves. Because of Jesus, we have a new way to come to God.

The Power of God’s Patience

Posted by David on December 8, 2005 under Bulletin Articles

Take a moment to note something in God’s ancient promise to Abraham. God said “all families” would receive a blessing because of Abraham’s faith in God. Not just the nation of Israel, but all families. Not just a handful of elite people mysteriously selected by God, but all families. Not just the Jews of Jesus’ lifetime, but all families.

There was a moment when the Israelite foremen said to Moses, (my paraphrase) “I hope you are satisfied! The Egyptians hate us now! Because of what you have done, the Egyptians will kill us Israelite slaves!” (Read Exodus 5:21-23.) However, the patient God endured the faithlessness of the Israelite foremen.

There was a moment when escaping Israel was caught between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army. They said at that moment in Exodus 14:12: “Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ?Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” However, the patient God endured the contempt of a terrified people.

There was a moment when a bewildered Israel insulted God by reverting to idolatry. In Exodus 32:4 they even credited an idol for God’s act of deliverance. Yet, a patient God endured the insult of His people.

There was a moment when a faithless Israel was certain the Canaanites would defeat them and make their wives and children slaves. See Numbers 14:1-4. Yet, a patient God continued toward Christ in spite of the faithlessness of Israel.

The examples are numerous: Israel’s desire for a king; the division of Israel; the idolatry of both Judah and Israel; some of the horrendous situations the prophets wrote about; the rejection of Jesus. Yet, every time our patient God persevered.

To Christians John wrote these words in 1 John 1:5-10: “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.”

Thank You, God, for Your patience. Without Your patience expressed in the forgiveness of Your mercy and grace, we would have no hope.