Calling on the Name of the Lord

Posted by Chris on February 1, 2009 under Sermons

The Elephant in the Room

• So what about Israel?
• Did God abandon them? Did he change the terms?
• Is God just and fair?
• Did he abandon Jews for Gentiles?

The Lord’s Genius

• God’s not finished with Israel
• If he can save Israel to save the Gentiles …
• Then he can save the Gentiles in order to save Israel!

Romans 9:30-33

• Righteousness and Faithfulness

  Gentiles Not Seeking God Attained Righteousness By Faith

  Israel Seeking God Did Not Attain Law Because of Law

The Irony

• Paul describes the reality of a people who made their own efforts and contribution to righteousness more of a God than God
• Isaiah 8:14, Isaiah 28:16
• The stumbling block = Scandal

Misdirected Zeal

How can it be?
A young man straps a load of explosives to his waist, walks into a crowd and destroys both himself and scores of others.
A group of devotees follow a charismatic leader, surrender their common sense and die out of loyalty to a pathetic cause.
Religious zealots dance on red-hot coals, mutilate their bodies, go on lengthy fasts and subject themselves to every kind of abuse.

Why? How can it be?

The answer is easy to identify but difficult to understand. Misdirected zeal. A subjecting of all that is reasonable to a religious fervor that is ill directed and destructive.
One word describes this deplorable kind of behavior – deception. Ask an escapee from a religious cult. Ask a suicide bomber five seconds into eternity. Ask anyone who has been deceived into believing that zeal and fervor are beneficial, even when misdirected. They will all agree – they have been tragically, pathetically and deplorably deceived.
None of us will forget the carnage of mass suicides as sincere people have been gradually brainwashed into believing that a cause was bigger and more important than life itself. Indeed, misdirected religious zeal is deception at its worst.

Again, how can it be? Why does it happen? Romans 10 (and the last verses of Romans tell us). Here then are the subtle lies that undergird the deception.

Romans 10:1-4

Misdirected Zeal
God’s Way vs Our Way
1. Human Effort Can Earn Divine Favor
2. Human Righteousness = Divine Righteousness
3. Human Initiative Can Compel Divine Response

See also: Misdirected Zeal – The Great Deception {offsite}

Romans 10:5-13

• God’s Way
  – Trusting Christ
  – Acknowledging Christ as Lord
  – Believing God raised Him
  – “All who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved” – Joel 2:32
  WARNING: CHECKLIST MENTALITY
  God’s way is confession and belief. Equals Trust.
  But we can turn even this into a series of obligations that we can manage and trust flies out the window. Self-Reliance vs Reliance in God.

Calling On The Name

1. Jew and Gentile are same in this respect
2. No one is advantaged or disadvantaged
3. No disappointment in trusting God
4. Where does faith begin?

Little By Little

1. You cannot call unless you believe in Him
2. You cannot believe unless you’ve heard about Him
3. You cannot hear about Him unless someone tells
4. One cannot tell unless one is sent

Hearing About Christ

• Isaiah 53
• Acts 2 – Peter preaches Christ
• Acts 8:5, 35 – Phillip proclaims Christ to the Samaritans and the Eunuch
• 1 Corinthians 1:23 – “We preach Christ crucified …”

Christ at the Core

Obedience is to the gospel. A response to the good news. Not simply obedience to commands. Salvation comes through a response to Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.
Response apart from Christ is meaningless.
Reliance on a formula or pattern is misplaced zeal or self-reliance. Salvation comes through trust and reliance on Jesus Christ.
Preaching Christ is what produces faith. See K.C. Moser – The Gist of Romans

Romans 10:16-21

• Can the Good News be Rejected? (Isaiah 53:1)
• Have the Jews heard? (Psalm 19:4)
• Did they understand? (Deuteronomy 32:21; Isaiah 65:1-2)

The Future of Israel

• God has not rejected Israel
• Israel is not without hope

  Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved.

Living Water

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

Read John 4

So here’s this woman at Jacob’s Well in Sychar. She’s there to draw water for the basic needs of her household: water to drink, water to clean with. Approaching the well she notices a worn out, thirsty, hungry man who’s not a local. She can tell by the way he dresses, the way he wears his hair and just his whole look that he’s a Jew. Jews and Samaritans don’t get along.

She’s must be thinking that it is unusual to see a Jew in Sychar. Jews don’t typical venture into Samaritan Land – and that’s just fine with her. She’s all too familiar with their arrogance and contempt.

• They call her and her people half-breeds.
• They call her and her people compromisers.
• They refuse to accept that her and her people are Children of Israel (Jacob is their father too after all)
• They regard her and her people as something less than Gentiles. (Why? They circumcise, they keep the Sabbath, they observe Passover, they honor Moses)

Jews and Samaritans don’t get along.

She attempts to ignore this stranger and go about her business. She doesn’t have much to say to her neighbors, why would she bother with this Jewish stranger? He’s likely to condemn her anyway.

She’s surprised when he asks her for a drink. Because Jews and Samaritans don’t get along.
The shock of it is enough to break through her outer shell. She loses her filters and what she is thinking is changed to words, “How is it that you – a Jew – ask me – a Samaritan and a woman for a drink?” Maybe she’s insulted by the audacity of this Jewish man to ask her for a drink. He’s like all the others – the prejudice, contempt, and exclusion are firmly in place until he needs something. Then it’s “give me drink!” No please or thank you! What gall to demand a drink of water when he and his people make certain that everyone knows why Jews and Samaritans do not get along! So here’s this Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well in Sychar.

Listen to Jesus’ reply: “If you knew God’s gift, his generosity, and who ask you for water, you would ask him for living water and he would give it to you.” Jesus perceives what she doesn’t know: 1) God must not be very generous in her experience. 2) She doesn’t understand who he is – she has filed him away under “Jewish Men” with all the rest of her assumptions and stereotypes. And even though that may not be excusable, Jesus understands it. After all, Jews and Samaritans don’t get along.

The conversation about sharing living water is enough to get her interest. Even though her rejoinder seems defensive and skeptical, there’s a single word that allows the conversation to change. “OUR.” She mentions “our” ancestor Jacob. She admits that Jacob, the founder of the well, is as common to Samaritans and Jews as the need for water.

Maybe the past is a source of hope for the reconciliation of Jews and Samaritans who don’t get along? Maybe, but the past is also a source of tension. When Jesus describes the better living water as never-thirsty water that creates a bubbling spring in someone, then woman asks him for the water. Then Jesus gets personal and asks her to bring her husband.

This woman has something to hide. She facing that moment that all of us know when the conversation, the interview, the relationship, the confession moves into the past and down hidden roads we try to avoid.

She knows that she has two obvious strikes against her when it comes to talking to Jesus. She’s a woman and she’s a Samaritan. If Jesus knows the third strike – that she’s in and out of relationships – then surely there’s no living water for her.

So she makes a clever dodge – “I don’t have a husband.”

And Jesus tells her everything she’s trying to hide. And he doesn’t condemn her, he commends her: “You’re right. You’ve had five husbands and the man you are living with know isn’t your husband.”

Now, instead of focusing on the well that they had in common, the woman is bold enough to bring up the big dispute. Jews and Samaritans are really so much alike. But the one huge difference between them is whether you should worship on a mountain or a temple.

Jews and Samaritans don’t get along because they are so much alike. An outsider looking in probably couldn’t tell the difference. They have basically the same Scriptures. They have the same rituals. They have the same ancestors. They have the same stories. But anytime you might think that these Children of Jacob would have a unity meeting, the Jews tend to bring up a nasty part of the Samaritans history (2 Kings 17). After the King of Assyria invaded the north of Israel, he moved in some foreigners: Babylonians, Cuthanians, Avvanites, Hamathites, and the Sepharvaim. Five tribes of Assyria who brought their pagan Gods with them. And then the King of Assyria sent kidnapped Israelite priests backs to the land to teach all these people how to worship the Lord. And worship of God took place on the hilltop, just as it does for the gods of these five tribes. Jews point that out. And they don’t listen when the Samaritans bring up the point that their common ancestors worshipped on Mount Gerazim and long before any of this. Instead, the Jews see their northern sister sleeping around with five foreigners and her latest relationship isn’t legitimate either.

Jesus and this woman have just named the ugly history that stand between her people and his. He knows everything she’s ever done and it sounds a lot like everything that her people have ever done. How does Jesus answer her question? What can he say? “So how about that drink?” How do you get past such a looming and painful history. How can Jews and Samaritans ever get along?

God is spirit. Mountains and Temples aren’t what matters. Being right on the arguments is not nearly as important as knowing the One who knows all. God isn’t making appointments to meet us on Mount Gerazim or in Jerusalem. His preference is for those who worship him in spirit and truth.

The Samaritans know one thing. This woman knows one thing. Something that her people have believed for generations. There’s a man coming that they call the Taheb. He will restore everything. He’s also known as the Messiah. Maybe she’s saying – It would really be great if he were here to settle all these divisions and restore us from our broken world.

Jesus says, “I am the Messiah.”

She runs off to tell her people about a man who knew everything she ever did. He knew everything that her people ever did, but he still invites her to living water.

Here come the disciples. They noticed Jesus talking to this Samaritan woman. They are surprised too. Because Jews and Samaritans don’t get along. And yet, they don’t have the nerve to bring it up.

Trying to ignore this breach of protocol, the disciples choose to fuss over things that really don’t matter. They want Jesus to eat lunch. But Jesus is focused on mission. For the disciples, mission ends outside the border of the Samaritans country. And it isn’t that they are clueless. Rather they are avoiding the mission. John says that no one had the nerve to ask Jesus about this discussion with the Samaritan woman. Why avoid it? Maybe because their afraid that the Samaritans are part of the mission too? After all Jews and Samaritans don’t get along.

Do we do that? Do we get fussy about things that aren’t part of the mission because we worry about the implications of the mission. Do we fuss about our own mountains and temples and where we’re going to get lunch because we are afraid of the deep waters of worshipping God and we might even be afraid of who else we find around the well of living water?

There’s a lot of fuss over shape notes and songbooks. There’s a lot of fuss over what we’re wearing and the Welch’s we’re drinking. There’s a lot of fuss over lifting hand and bending knees. There’s a lot of fuss over preaching and Power Point. There’s a lot of fuss over this and that.

Do you think we fuss over all that because we find it easier to deal with our symbols rather than our spirits? Do you think we like to make something pretty and precise out of worship to cover over the ugliness of our sins?
The Samaritan woman could argue all day about the proper location of worship, but it didn’t change her history. Jesus knew everything that she ever did.
The Samaritan people could make the case for Mt. Gerazim and their historical claim to being the one true people of God. But that didn’t change their history. Jesus knew everything that they ever did.
The Jewish people could make their case for Jerusalem and stand on their knowledge, but that couldn’t change their history and their sins. Jesus knew everything that they ever did.
And the church, the bride of Christ, can fuss and argue and dress itself up and make the case for being right. But it will not change our history and it will not excuse our arrogance, our errors, our abuses, our nastiness, and all the sins that we bury deep inside. Jesus knows everything we’ve ever done.

Jesus knows. He isn’t fooled. He isn’t tricked. Jesus isn’t a forgive and forget kind of a guy either. Nothing is forgotten – but here’s the good news – all is forgiven. He knows everything we’ve ever done. He knows everything you’ve ever done. But he still offers us living water.

Worship evangelism. Worship and evangelism won’t come together as long as we’re fussing about worship. When worship is a game of insider and outsider, then there will not be any evangelism. Worship in Spirit and Truth gets turned inside out.

As long as worship is focused on our mountains and temples, there’s no spirit and truth. And if there’s no spirit and truth, then who are we worshipping?

Worship in spirit and truth means that our worship is not play-acting. Worship in spirit and truth means we are through hiding our history and we are through making excuses. Instead we proclaim the praises and the words of the one who knows everything we’ve ever done. Thanks to him we have eternal life. And if we keep on doing this – worshipping spiritually and honestly with ourselves and with one another, we will draw many others to believe in the words of the Savior of the World.

Unity: The Concept (part 1)

Posted by David on January 29, 2009 under Sermons

Too often we make assumptions about a concept. We assume our concept is God’s concept. The result is that we never examine the concept to see if it is correct. We simply build on our assumption as if it is God’s concept. Often we generate unquestionable conclusions in the full conviction that our foundation assumption is NOT an assumption, but rather is God’s concept.

Let’s try to illustrate what I just said to see the problem as clearly as possible. For a few minutes, consider our concept of unity. Do you know what the concept unity is? Could you define unity? Are you certain your concept of unity is God’s concept? Are most of your declarations about what it means to be unified in a congregation or in the religious world based on your definition of unity, therefore based on your concept of unity? Is it your complete conviction that your definition (therefore your concept) of unity is God’s definition and concept?

To make your definition and concept specific, think with me congregationally. You are a member of a small congregation. That small congregation has outgrown its physical facilities. It has three choices. First, it can do nothing and begin shrinking (that is what usually happens when a congregation does nothing). Second, it can divide by mutual agreement and become two congregations. However, if it divides (a) some of the work the congregation does will have to cease because there will be no money to do that work, and (b) the new group will have to find or build new facilities. Or, (c) the congregation remains one congregation and builds facilities to meets its needs.

Some members want to do nothing. Some members want to divide. Some members want to remain one congregation, but build new facilities. Question: are they divided? Can the membership have different ideas about what to do and still be one?

1. Years ago when I was a boy, the scripture some would cite would be 1 Corinthians 1:10.
   "Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment."
   
   1. After citing this scripture, the person citing it would say, "There must be complete agreement on everything we decide to do!"
      
      1. The reasoning would be this: "We are not of the same mind and judgment if there is not complete agreement!"
         
      2. Really?
         
         1. If there is not 100% agreement on the size of the new facility, are Christians in violation of the Christian responsibility to be one?
            
         2. If there is not 100% agreement on the design of the new facility, are Christians in violation of Paul’s admonition to be one?
            
         3. If there is not 100% agreement on the ratio of worship space to education space, are those Christians not one like Jesus and God the Father are one?
            
         4. If there is a difference of opinion on color schemes, carpet, or other types of flooring, are these Christians in violation of unity injunctions?
   2. If you are tempted to agree that there are some unity violations involved, consider some questions.
      
      1. Question one: was Paul speaking of decisions such as our building decisions when he wrote this statement?
         
         1. Was Paul speaking of personal preference matters?
            
         2. Or, was Paul speaking of considerations involving Christ and baptism matters?
            
         3. Before you give your answer, read Paul’s entire thought from verse 10 to verse 17.
      2. Question two: since the congregation has no buildings and no New Testament writer wrote about buildings, how could Paul be talking about buildings?
         
         1. The first century church was not defined by "where it met."
            
         2. The first century church was defined by the people who believed Jesus was the Christ.
            
            1. Most Jews did not think Jesus was the Messiah (Christ) that God promised.
               
            2. Many gentiles had significant problems in believing in a resurrection (see Acts 17:32).
               
            3. Many thought that the teaching about a man who had been executed by Roman authorities and later was resurrected was too ridiculous to believe (see 1 Corinthians 12:22-25).
      3. Question three: are you certain that your definition of unity is God’s definition? Are you certain your concept of unity is God’s concept?
         
         1. Have you ever examined your unity definition and concept by the Bible, or did you begin in definition and concept with an assumption?
            
         2. Have you ever read the Bible to discover God’s unity concept and definition to compare it to your definition and concept?
2. How does the concept of "unity means full Christian agreement" fit with what Paul did as a matter of practice that he stated in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23?
   
   1. Paul’s evangelistic practice was to begin teaching a person where he or she was.
      
      1. It was quite a different approach.
         
         1. He did not teach as did a Jewish Rabbi who presented himself as an authority.
            
         2. He did not teach as a gentile philosopher who was in search of wisdom, but who also wanted the student to realize how foolish his reasoning was.
            
         3. He did not seek to "win" by winning a debate.
            
         4. In no way was he "sold on Paul" and what he knew–advancing Paul was never his consideration.
      2. Thus, Paul adopted the reasoning and approach of the person he taught.
         
         1. If he taught a Jew, Paul thought and reasoned like a Jew.
            
         2. If he taught a person devoted to the Law, Paul thought and reasoned like a person devoted to the law.
            
         3. If he taught a lawless person, Paul thought and reasoned like a lawless person.
            
         4. If he taught a weak person, Paul thought and reasoned like a weak person.
      3. That tells us a lot about the Christian Paul.
         
         1. He did not teach to advance Paul.
            
         2. He knew a lot about Jesus Christ.
            
         3. He knew a lot about people.
            
         4. His purpose was the conversion of all kinds of people to Jesus Christ–regardless of what their life and religious background were.
            
         5. He did not present himself as the authority in spiritual matters that demanded that everyone hear and accept what he said.
            
         6. He wanted people to have faith in Jesus Christ by understanding, and that meant they began where they were before they believed.
   2. Can you begin to imagine the variety of people he brought to Christ and what a diverse religious background those people had?
      
      1. Do you realize what little in common all these people had?
         
      2. The only thing they had in common was the common understanding that Jesus was the Christ and had removed their sins.
         
      3. Paul brought Jews, people devoted to the law, people without law, and people who were weak to Jesus Christ–and none of them knew how to "do church" (a new concept) or had a common moral code.
         
      4. These people had a lot to learn.
   3. Now be very honest and definitely specific about your concept of unity, and then apply your definition and concept to this situation.
      
      1. Would they all know what was involved in acting like a Christian? No!
         
      2. Would they all have the same moral code? No–the background of some emphasized that getting drunk was moral, or committing fornication was moral, or lying was moral, or stealing was moral (consider Ephesians 4:25-32 as an example).
         
      3. Would they even know how to treat each other correctly? No!
         
      4. They all had a lot to learn about being a Christian! That is why we have much of the New Testament! Most of the New Testament is about how Christians live and act like Christians!
3. Now consider some very important questions.
   
   1. Could these different people from differing religious and moral backgrounds be one in Christ?
      
      1. My tendency would be to say no.
         
      2. However, scripture says, "Yes!" if these people are in Christ.
   2. Is their being one in Jesus Christ dependent on reaching total agreement on everything?
      
      1. My tendency would be to say they must agree.
         
      2. However, scripture says these people could disagree if they were in Christ.
   3. Could they do things differently in their love for Christ and still be one in Christ?
      
      1. My tendency would be to say no.
         
      2. However, scripture says, "Yes!" if these people are in Christ.
   4. May I anticipate your question: "How can that possibly be and unity exist?"
      
      1. It can be and is because of what God did in Jesus’ death on the cross.
         
      2. It is not the result of the person’s deeds, but the result of what God did in Jesus’ death.
         
      3. Listen carefully to these scriptures.
         
      4. The first scripture is 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 written by Paul to the Corinthian congregation.
         For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
         
      5. Also consider a statement from Peter made to Christian slaves in 1 Peter 2:21-24.
         For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
   5. We want to be very clear.
      
      1. We are not talking about the need for obedience.
         
      2. We are not talking about the need for growth.
         
      3. We are not talking about the human desire to justify evil.
         
      4. We are saying God’s concept and definition of unity is basically a divine function, not a human achievement.

This is more than a one-sermon consideration. Today’s lesson is merely the beginning. As far as I am concerned, the first thing that had to happen is for you to examine honestly your concept of Christian unity. (a) We had to begin with you looking at your definition of unity, your concept of unity. (b) We had to begin with you acknowledging to yourself that this may be a much more complex concept than you have previously considered. (c) We had to begin with you giving yourself permission to examine scripture with an open mind.

If you do not give yourself permission to examine your concept by scripture, you will spend your time listening in a dedication to defending your views rather than hearing scripture and thinking.

The lessons following this will focus on scripture. These lessons will expect you to do two things: (1) listen and (2) think. The objective is not to entice you to agree with me or anything I present. The objective is to challenge you to grow closer to God and His concepts.

May people be moved closer to God by understanding what an incredible thing God did for us in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Toothpaste Tubes

Posted by David on under Bulletin Articles

The other day I was throwing away an empty toothpaste tube. I had squeezed and squeezed the tube until it was impossible for me to get any more toothpaste out of it. Finally, no decision was left-throw the tube away, get another tube, and start over. After all, what is more useless than a crumpled, empty toothpaste tube that yields no more toothpaste?

I have gone through too many tubes of toothpaste to remember or count. I do not ever recall thinking about an empty tube of toothpaste before (I will confess I think some weird thoughts these days). However, some strange realizations immediately came to me when I threw that empty tube away: (1) The moment I take the cap off a new tube, I know in a little while all that will remain is an empty tube. (2) Toothpaste tubes have one function-to hold toothpaste. (I have never regretted throwing away an empty toothpaste tube by wondering if it could be used for something else.) (3) I best not waste the toothpaste inside because the time will come when there is no more. (4) Do not assume there always will be another tube, for there are places with no toothpaste and no access to toothpaste. Do not think you always will have toothpaste available or affordable.

(1) Physical life ends. Eat as we wish, exercise as we wish, follow all the healthy practices we can, and still our physical life ends. If you live long enough, the time will come when you cannot do what you easily did in the past. (2) Physical life has a primary purpose. Having fun is not it. Do we know the purpose of life? (3) It is our option to waste life. Life will be used as we choose. However, there will come a moment when no more is left to use, and we cannot recover what we have wasted. (4) It is easy to assume when we are young that we have an endless supply of physical life. It is easy to take physical life for granted. However, the moment will come when we know only “a few squeezes” remain. When physical life is gone, it is gone.

Cavity prevention is a wonderful thing. However, wasted toothpaste prevents nothing and serves no purpose.

Preventing evil in my life is a wonderful thing (to be appreciated but not to encourage arrogance). However, wasted life (selfish pursuits) prevents nothing and serves no purpose. It is devastating when we approach our last “squeeze” of physical life to realize we have wasted life, and to know there is no “do over” function.

Jesus once said (in a contrast to those who selfishly exploit others), “. . . I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

Born From Above

Posted by Chris on January 25, 2009 under Sermons

Read John 3:1-21

So here’s Nicodemus, he’s in the dark. It is night and he wishes to interview this Rabbi, Jesus from Nazareth. He’s heard about the signs and Jesus has been discussed often in the religious council. But Nicodemus’ first word to Jesus really isn’t a question – it’s a statement …

“We know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”

We know. Nicodemus and his colleagues have it all figured out. That’s sort of appealing in a way to be so confident. They’re not obtuse academics or scholars gushing with liberal ambiguity. We know, says Nicodemus. And here he is presenting this knowledge to Jesus. Maybe he’s wondering if Jesus really is sound and conforms to what he and his colleagues know. After all, the only way Jesus can do signs is if God is with him. Nicodemus and his associates have spent a lot of time sorting, classifying, and rightly dividing what they know – and anything that doesn’t fit one of their categories must not be right.

Nicodemus relies on what he knows. He relies on his orderly, systematic sorting and typing of all things religious. Nicodemus knows. He is a teacher of Israel.

But Nicodemus cannot see. He is in the dark and he cannot see the kingdom of heaven.
He cannot see the kingdom of heaven because he hasn’t been born from above. What he knows is from the earth, not from above. What he speaks is from the earth, not from above. That doesn’t mean that Nicodemus is worldly or non-religious. No, it means that his religion and his belief isn’t spiritual. It hasn’t been inspired by the spirit from above.

If you haven’t heard, television signals are going to change. If you haven’t then don’t worry because you don’t watch TV anyway. You can have a TV, a TV antenna, a TV guide but if it isn’t converted to the new signal, then you will get nothing. [This illustration and other observations are inspired by the work of Gregory Stevenson, Tom Olbricht, and David Fleer in Preaching John’s Gospel: The World It Imagines (Chalice Press, 2008).]

Nicodemus is on a different wavelength. According to his dial, Jesus is a teacher sent by God. He would have to be sent by God to work those signs. That’s sounds like a confession of faith, but it is really a limiting and defining statement. Nicodemus is trying to explain it, limit it, categorize it and classify it.

Here’s a warning that even people on the inside can still be in the dark. Nicodemus is not a godless pagan. He’s not a hopeless sinner. He’s one of the chosen. He’s a teacher and leader. But he’s still in the dark because he’s more invested in what he knows rather than knowing God’s Spirit.

What wavelength are we on? Can we get in tune with the Spirit from Above and see the kingdom? Or are we going to rely on what we’ve always known, like Nicodemus. What does this means for us?

Born Again means Born from Above
The difference between dark and light is the ability to see. We can stand in a dark room and we may be able to get around because we “know” the layout. But we cannot see a thing. What happens when the furniture get rearranged?

Jesus says that if we want to see the kingdom of God breaking into this dark world, then we need to be born from above.
Your text probably reads born again. You might have an asterisk explaining that it can also be translated as born again. There’s a word play here and it’s odd that the majority of translations in history have followed not what Jesus is saying, but what Nicodemus misunderstands. Nicodemus understands the phrase as born again because that’s all that fits is categories.

But truly, truly Jesus is saying that being born again is being born from above: a rebirth that involves the spiritual renewal of heaven. To be born from above through water and Spirit tunes us into the wavelength of the spirit. It fills our eyes with light. Flesh and Spirit is a not a dualism of body and soul, rather they are points of reference.

What About Israel?

Posted by Chris on January 18, 2009 under Sermons

Romans 1 – 8

• Thesis – 1:16-17
• Antithesis – 1:18-3:20
• Restatement of Thesis – 3:21-31
• Abraham – 4:1-25
• Christ and Adam – 5:1-21
• Sin & Grace, Law & Spirit – 6-8

The Elephant in the Room

• So what about Israel?
• Are they separated from God’s love?
• Did God abandon them? Did he change the terms?
• Is God just and fair?

Romans 9:1-5

1. The advantage of being a Jew (Romans 3:1-6)
2. Paul is not antagonistic to Jews
3. Paul is dedicated to their salvation, just as he is for the Gentiles

Retelling the Story

9:7-13 – Patriarchs
9:14-18 – Exodus
9:24-28 – Exile
9:29 – Messiah

Patriarchs – Romans 9:7-13

1. Isaac and Ishmael
   • Natural means vs. Promise
   • Genesis 21:12
   • Genesis 18:10-14
2. Jacob and Esau
   • Genesis 25:23
   • Malachi 1:2-3

Exodus – Romans 9:14-18

1. So is God unjust?
   • Exodus 33:19
   • God’s covenant name
2. Example of Pharaoh
   • Exodus 9:16
   • The demonstration of power and love

Exile – Romans 9:24-28

1. So why does God blame us?
   • Potter and Clay imagery
   • Isaiah 29:16, 45:9
2. The Remnant
   • Some are left to start over
   • God works with the outcasts
3. Israel: Forest and Trees

The Rest of the Story

• God’s not finished with Israel
• If He can save Israel to save the Gentiles …
• Then He can save the Gentiles in order to save Israel!

The Understanding

Posted by David on January 15, 2009 under Bulletin Articles

Foundations are essential. Their importance cannot be exaggerated. They do more than determine the shape of the building. They determine the strength of the building. When the building is under stress, its foundation must be firm.

The longest sermon of Jesus is in Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7. It contrasts the Pharisees’ sayings (the popular Jewish conservatives) with Jesus’ insights (which are God’s insights). Jesus ended his sermon by declaring that people who heard and did what he shared were like a house with a solid foundation. The house was solid because its foundation was solid. The solid foundation rested on a rock. Because of the solid foundation, the house endured extraordinary stress. People endure extraordinary stress when their lives are founded on Jesus’ solid sayings. The difference between enduring and falling in periods of stress is our foundation.

The “rock” on which we can build our solid foundation in order to endure stress is this: faith in God’s accomplishments for us in Jesus Christ. Faith makes any act of obedience meaningful and effective. It is much more than trust in the act. The act can be baptism, benevolence, communion, or any other commanded act. Much more is involved than correct compliance with a commanded act.

What else is involved? Confidence in God’s accomplishments in Jesus Christ! Faithless obedience is powerless. Obedience founded on faith in Jesus Christ is powerful. Because of faith in Jesus, baptism removes sins. Because of faith in Jesus, a gesture of kindness becomes an act God remembers-eternally. Because of faith in Jesus, communion is an act of appreciation that goes far beyond bread and grape juice. Because of faith in Jesus, any obedient act becomes a “thank you” spoken in God’s ear. Because of faith in Jesus, obedient acts declare appreciation to the God of love.

Without faith in what God did and does in Jesus, obedient acts become attempts to manipulate God by seeking to put God in our debt. Humans must obey because we believe. Only because we believe do our acts of obedience become declarations of loving appreciation to the God who does so much for us in Jesus Christ.

When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. Acts 14:27

More Than Conquerors

Posted by Chris on January 11, 2009 under Sermons

Read Romans 8:18-30

Already and Not Yet

• Justified
• Sanctified
• Indwelling Spirit
• Freed from sin and death
• Children of God
• Mortal
• Subject to passions
• Suffer from evil
• Persecuted

Hope and Spirit

1. We share in the suffering of creation
2. Hope to share in glory also
3. The intimacy with the Spirit also sustains us
4. God loves

Sharing in Glory

• 2 Corinthians 3:18 – Made into his likeness
• 2 Peter 1:4 – Participants in divine nature
• Theosis – “Making Divine” – a process of atonement involving justification and sanctification
• So, the freedom in the glory of the children of God.

  And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

  ?3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

  Theosis (written also: theiosis, theopoiesis, theosis; Greek, meaning divinization, or deification, or making divine) is the process of a believer in emulating the life example of Jesus Christ and of following the gospel of Christ in one’s daily life; the process of seeking to become more holy. According to this doctrine, the holy life of God, given in Jesus Christ to the believer through the Holy Spirit, is expressed beginning in the struggles of this life, increases in the experience of the believer through the knowledge of God, and is later consummated in the resurrection of the believer when the power of sin and death, having been fully overcome by the atonement of Jesus, will lose hold over the believer forever. – “Theology and Mysticism in the Tradition of the Eastern Church” from The Mystical Theology of the Eastern Church

  St. Athanasius of Alexandria wrote, “God became man so that man might become God.” (On the Incarnation 54:3, PG 25:192B).

Romans 8:28 [in Greek]

1. All things work together for good.
2. God works all things together for good.
3. God works in all things for good.

   Osburn in the Westminster Theological Journal, 1982
   1. Traditional reading – KJV and other older English translations: Problem is that it is universal optimism. God isn’t truly the subject. Paul is not saying that calamity is good because it all ends up for the good. Calamity is not good and it is part of a system that is corrupt (the groaning creation), but God’s love does not fail in the face of calamity. God will cooperate with us for good, despite the circumstances.
   2. Has been suggested but may not be grammatically correct.
   3. God is the subject of the verb sunergei.

Read Romans 8:31-39

First Question

• If God is for us, then who is against us?
  – 8:32 – Answers the question with a question
  – God, like Abraham, did not spare his son
  – Why would God be against us?

Second Question

• Who will bring any charge against God’s elect?
  – Not Jesus – he is risen and exalted
  – He intercedes for us
  – 8:1 – There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus

Third Question

• What can separate us from God’s love?
  – External circumstances are not signs of God’s disapproval
  – Quotes Psalm 43: We are like sheep being slaughtered for your sake.
  – We are like Christ
  – We are more than conquerors
  – Nothing is more powerful than God’s love and his expression of that love in Jesus Christ

  Why can’t we be so bold as to tell each other this? What are we afraid of? Are we afraid that people will run loose with this? What’s the alternative?

  (Paul has already addressed why free and uncondemned people wouldn’t live under sin.)

  Our evangelism and gospel has to proclaim why there is no condemnation. If we cannot do that, then we do not have “good news.” We might as well be honest and say that God is against you and your only hope (though a slim one) is to appeal to His good side.

The Sign of the Wine

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

John 2
¹ The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, ² and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. ³ The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.”
⁴ “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.”
⁵ But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
⁶ Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. ⁷ Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, ⁸ he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions.
⁹ When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. ¹⁰ “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!”
¹¹ This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.

So here’s Mary, she’s the guest at a wedding in Cana. It’s probably a wedding for some of her kin. John says that Jesus is “also there.” It means that Jesus’ eclectic band of disciples is there too. Some of them are probably just in their teens. They’ve chosen to follow this Jesus because they think he might be the Messiah. Probably the last thing they are concerned about is attending a wedding.

We might think that it’s a bit embarrassing for Mary to play den mother to Jesus’ crew, but that’s not the case. What’s potentially embarrassing to Mary is the news that the host and bridegroom have run short on wine. Jesus of course wonders, “Why is that such a problem?” And we might be inclined to ask the same thing – what’s the big deal? Just tell folks the wine is gone.

Well, here’s the big deal. In that culture, wine was about more than partying. It was very ceremonial and even sort of religious. These people aren’t having a keg party and don’t want their minister to know about it – all the religious leaders and honorable people of the community are there. The focus is not on the bride and her family. The bridegroom is the central figure and he needs to bring honor to his family. This is his opportunity to be blessed and show his respect to the community. Wine is an essential sign and element of the blessing.

Certain toasts and blessings had to be made and hospitality demanding that good wine should be served. Running out of wine means that the bridegroom is cheap. He got skimpy and stingy. He’s irresponsible and not ready to wed. If you don’t have the proper wine for the celebrations, well that would be like us running out of matzos and Welch’s this morning – “How would we have communion?” It’s more than awkward, it’s doesn’t bode well and can get sort of shameful. Everyone will remember how awkward it was and they’ll all talk about the wedding when the wine ran dry. That’s a bad sign.

But Mary knows that Jesus can do something about it. She’s witnessed enough by now. Despite Jesus’ protests, Mary tells the servants five words that set the stage for the entire gospel: “Do whatever he tells you.”

Jesus could have responded any number of ways. He could’ve refreshed the supply of wine without bothering the servants. He could have taken a wineskin and told everyone to line up and an endless supply of wine would’ve been available. He could’ve touched everyone’s cups and they would’ve been miraculously full. But he doesn’t do that. He just speaks. He gives instructions.

“Go fill the jars with water.”
“Take some and give it to the master of ceremonies.”

That’s all. Jesus just directs this miracle and doesn’t star in it. He steps back – but he does instruct and the servants follow Mary’s advice and they do whatever he says.

The reviews come in and they are glowing. But look who gets the credit – the bridegroom! Master of Ceremonies tastes the wine and walks up alongside this sweating, nervous bridegroom. “Most people serve up the best wine, then when everyone has had enough and not really paying attention they bring out the cheap stuff. But you’ve saved the best for last.” He’s telling the bridegroom. Congratulations, brother! You impressed us. This is a good sign.

It’s also a sign for disciples. It’s a sign for those who heed Mary’s advice and “do whatever he tells you.”

The sign of the wine is this: When we do whatever he tells us …

1. There’s an abundance of goodness. Jesus isn’t stingy. Six jars would have made about 150 gallons.
2. Shame is cast out. There’s no embarrassment or tension. There’s honor and praise.
3. There’s celebration. Doing what Jesus says promotes festivity. This is jubilee and thanksgiving. The bridegroom may not even realize who gets the glory, but he participates in the festivities. The servants know, and the disciples believe.

How do we view this Lord’s Supper? How do we regard our worship?

• Let’s not be cheap or skimp by on the base minimum that’s required.
• Let’s give thanks and enjoy the abundance of God’s hospitality
• Let’s set aside the shame and celebrate.

Do whatever Jesus says and he says “Do this in remembrance of me.” Not just remember what he did, but it means we acknowledge his presence among us. At this festival, Jesus is the bridegroom and he always saves the best for last. That’s the sign of the wine.

The Objective

Posted by David on January 8, 2009 under Bulletin Articles

God’s investment in people who see and respond to what He did in Jesus Christ exceeds comprehension! No matter how deeply we love our spouses, our children, our country, or our fondest relationships, we will never, never approach God’s selfless investment in us. We cannot fathom the depth of love God has for people!

The question: If we know God has this enormous love for us, how do we demonstrate our appreciation for His incredible love expressed by giving us Jesus Christ? Answer: we willingly are transformed.

How? We see what we were in sin. We see what we can be in Christ. We commit to being the person we can be in Christ. We adopt and imitate God’s values.

If we are deceived, we speak truth because we value people. We refuse to be ruled by anger. Instead of exploiting others by stealing, we help those in need. Our words encourage instead of discourage. We do not resist God’s influence in our lives. Instead of being ruled by the negative emotions of ill will, we are kind. God’s kindness shown in His tenderness and forgiveness in Jesus is our supreme example. As those who benefit from being in Christ, we are committed to “godlikeness” in character and integrity. That is not what we have to be; it is what we want to be!

Those who grasp God’s love in Jesus respond to God’s love in Jesus by committing to transformation. By being transformed we encourage others to be transformed.

Romans 12:1,2 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.