O Come All Ye Faithful

Posted by Chris on December 24, 2006 under Sermons

Micah 5 ²“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,Yet out of you shall come forth to MeThe One to be Ruler in Israel,Whose goings forth are from of old,From everlasting.”³Therefore He shall give them up,Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth;Then the remnant of His brethrenShall return to the children of Israel.⁴And He shall stand and feed His flockIn the strength of the Lord,In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God;And they shall abide,For now He shall be greatTo the ends of the earth;⁵And this One shall be peace. …

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There’s no historical or biblical evidence that supports December 25 as the date of Jesus’ birth. Nevertheless, is there any significance to the story of Jesus’ birth? Matthew and Luke thought so. However, the significance is much greater than a birthday commemoration.

In the gospels, the birth of Jesus is an important event in human history. The implications of this event involve not only the entire world, but people in every age of human history.

I offer two words that may help us understand the significance and implication of our Lord’s birth as it is set out through the gospels of Luke and Matthew.

The Greek word euangelion is the word behind our English word “gospel.” Generically it means “joyful tidings,” or “good news.”

It is used in the Old Testament background in Isaiah as a verb, “to bring good news,” and it is used of the declaration of Jerusalem’s deliverance from bondage (Isaiah 4:9; 52:7). Later it is also used for a wider announcement of liberation for the oppressed (Isaiah 61:1, 2).

The birth of Jesus is an event that calls for joyful tidings and good news because something good and something new has happened. God has come near and our lives will never be the same again. The deity made flesh and born that day is news – nothing like this has ever happened before. It means that a new age has dawned that signals the end of sin and death.

It is news and it is good news. Which calls up the second word: Immanuel. This is the name that Jesus was given at his birth. It is Hebrew for “God is with us.” In this name is wrapped up the whole significance of God made flesh and born into our world and history. Think of the implications of “God is with us.” He is not far away. He is not remote. He is with us. He knows our struggles. He has cast his lot with us. His death is for us. God is not against us, God is with us.

And the name sticks; for even after his death, Jesus is with us. He is raised from the dead. And yet he is still with us. And when we gather around the Lord’s Supper we believe that we not only commune with one another, but we also commune with God. “I am with you always,” said the risen Lord, “even to the end of the age.”

It matters very little what particular day Christ was born. What matters is that he was born. What matters is that he proclaimed the good tidings of the kingdom of God. What matters is that he died for our sins, he was buried, and he rose again on the third day. What matters is that he is with us always and he is coming again to rule once and for all. This is what we proclaim and commemorate every Lord’s Day. It is the truth we live by every day of the year.

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Read Luke 1:26-56.

When the angel Gabriel visited Mary she might have been thinking “why me?” Surely she was too young. She wasn’t married, so how was it possible that she should be the mother of the Messiah. She was from Nazareth in Galilee – not considered an important place and certainly not worthy of being the hometown of the savior. As Luke often notes, Mary certainly must have pondered all of this.

But then Mary makes the trip to Elizabeth’s house. They are kinfolk, but they have more than blood in common. Elizabeth is also expecting a child under unusual circumstance. Many would think Elizabeth too old. She’s barren, which many would regard as God’s judgment against her. Elizabeth bears shame since she cannot provide a child for her husband. But now the Lord has been gracious to her, even in her old age. Her shame is taken away.

The meeting of Mary and Elizabeth is a dramatic moment; perhaps Mary no longer felt alone and outcast. Here was an older woman who could understand that God is up to something special in history. But certainly when Mary sees Elizabeth and notices that Elizabeth is the recipient of God’s gracious favor all of her pondering must have given way to a flash of inspiration.

Mary must have realized that she and Elizabeth were in good company. They weren’t the first women who played an important role in God’s history.

• There’s Sarah, who also became a mother in her twilight years. Her laughter of doubt became laughter of joy when she realized that God was favoring her and Abraham through the birth of Isaac.
• Then there’s Hannah. She bore shame for years because she could not provide her husband with a son. But then she rose up and went to God and her needs and God’s purposes combined. She dedicated herself and her unborn child to God and he blessed her through the birth of Samuel. He grew up to become a leader of God’s people.
• And there’s Ruth – she was an outsider, a foreigner from Moab. A childless widow in her youth who became poor and dependent on the goodness and charity of good people. But God blessed her with a husband, Boaz, and the birth of a child who was the grandfather of mighty King David and an ancestor of Joseph who was betrothed to Mary.

Luke has recorded this story about Mary. He may have even interviewed Mary, who pondered these things in her heart. But Luke isn’t just interested in telling us about Mary. He let’s Mary tell us something about God.

Mary sings a song that commemorates what God has always done, what God is doing, and what God will always do:

• He has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
• He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
• He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
• He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
• He has helped his servant, remembering to be merciful.

Mary sings a song of those who are not powerful. Her song is a song from below, not from on high. Her praise is for the God who rearranges the order of things and who looks after the oppressed and the forgotten.

Mary, like Elizabeth, like Sarah, like Hannah, like Ruth, is content to be the servant of God. She humbles herself and lets God lift her up. She is faithful. In the story of Christ’s birth in both Gospels (Matt and Luke) the faithful are distinguished from the unfaithful. The faithful understand that God is working in history to exalt the humble and obedient and to bring down the arrogant and rebellious. And God is doing this by entering into our world. The unfaithful are threatened by this work of God, but the faithful have been waiting for it and welcome it.

It is the faithful who rejoice at the news of the birth of Jesus. It is the faithful who understand what the baptism of Jesus means. It is the faithful who follow the teachings of Jesus. It is the faithful, like Mary, who do not leave Jesus even when he is shamed and humiliated on the cross. When Mary sees her son crucified on the cross she remains true to her song that she sang out over 30 years before. She declared what God has done, what he is doing, and what he will always do. I imagine that she is singing to herself and thinking of Jesus knowing that what she sang about God is still true; namely that …

• He will be mindful of the humble state of his servant.
• He will perform mighty deeds with his arm; he will scatter those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
• He will bring down rulers from their thrones but lift up the humble.
• He will help his servant, remembering to be merciful.

Mary is right. Her song sung before Jesus’ birth is still true even at the cross. God does not abandon Jesus to the tomb, but he raises him in glory. Mary’s song is still true today.

Jesus, like Mary, humbled himself. Mary said in response to God’s work: “May it be to me as you have said.” Jesus said: “Not my will but yours be done.” (Luke 1:38; Luke 22:42.)

The invitation to the Lord is for all the faithful to come. Come and humble yourself in the sight of the Lord – and He will lift you up.

O, You’d Better Watch Out!

Posted by Chris on December 17, 2006 under Sermons

Read Zephaniah 3:14-19 and Luke 3:7-12.

Christmas is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, with the kids jingle-belling and everyone telling you “be of good cheer.” It is supposed to be, but it isn’t always that wonderful, is it? This week on a local radio show there was discussion of the “dark side” of the holidays. The guest on the show was a director of a substance abuse problem. She and the host acknowledged that during the holidays there is a marked increase in incidents of substance abuse brought about by increased depression.

Why? Why is there a dark side to what should be the hap-happiest time of the year? Perhaps it is because the holidays remind us of our highest expectations – how we think it ought to be – and that makes our world and our lives as they really are stand out in contrast. Against the backdrop of the glowing and shining holiday cheer, the truth about current reality and our relationships stands out. It’s not that anything is really different it’s just that we notice it. And whether we accept it or not, this makes us feel judged.

Maybe a different holiday song explains how we often feel: “O you had better watch out, you had better not cry, you had better not pout, and I am telling you why: Santa Claus is coming to town.” Andy Williams is unrealistically cheerful, but Gene Autry gets it: We had better shape up or Santa is going to dish out punishment. Seriously, much of our anxiety comes from the fact that our reality doesn’t match up with our expectations. And the judgmental tone of “You had better watch out” convicts us of our shortcomings and failings.

Failed expectations (in self, in family, in church, in others, in the world in general) lead to judgment. Judgment itself is not the problem, but the aim of the judgment is. The aim or outcome of judgment often depends on who is doing the judging.

I have said this before, but it bears repeating, we are not good judges. We are either too lenient and justify the worst of sins, or we are too harsh and we hold ourselves and others to ridiculous standards. When we judge ourselves or others the outcome of judgment is rarely useful, the judgment doesn’t lend itself to change. We are poor judges because our judgment is too often delivered with criticism, fear, worry, and hatred on one extreme; or sentimentalism, self-righteousness, inconsistency, and denial on the other extreme.

Even the best judge on earth is inadequate because no one is outside the judgment of God. Our judgment is limited, but the judgment of God goes beyond merely naming the sin and works to restore righteousness. The prophets from Elijah to John the Baptist have preached “You had better watch out.” Not because they came to judge, but because they spoke the truth that God will judge. God will not ignore the evil in the world that destroys and pollutes his creation. A Day of God’s Judgment is coming that is more than just a personal evaluation; it is the day that God acts to set things right – and he will deliver his judgment with both justice and mercy.

Our reading in worship was from the prophet Zephaniah. We don’t hear often from Zephaniah. He seems to be even more judgmental than “You had better watch out.” It is tough stuff. And if we are going to hear from the prophets during the most wonderful time of the year, we want to hear from Isaiah’s greatest hits – refrains like “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” We want to rush to the Nativity story – but we cannot really understand what that story is all about if we don’t first pay attention to Zephaniah.

Zephaniah speaks for the Lord. He reveals the dark side, the ugly truth that lies hidden beneath the bright shiny decorations and wrapping we use to cover our shortcomings. He knows what is wrong with the world, including God’s people. He declares the judgment of God against human society that has fallen because it has become commercial rather than compassionate, a people who subjugate the weak rather than submit to the Almighty, a people who excel in complacency rather than concern, a people who are privately religious rather than publicly repentant.

Zephaniah (1:2-7) is plain about it: God judges. “I will sweep away everything from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD. “The wicked will have only heaps of rubble when I cut off humanity from the face of the earth,” declares the LORD. “I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal, the names of the pagan and the idolatrous priests – those who bow down on the roofs to worship the starry host, those who bow down and swear by the LORD but who also swear by Molech, those who turn back from following the LORD and neither seek the LORD nor inquire of Him.” Be silent before the Sovereign LORD, for the day of the LORD is near.

But God’s judgment is different from our poor judgment. God’s judgment is also God’s grace. His correction leads to change. When God judges he always creates a new alternative. There’s a flood to judge, but a rainbow to promise new covenant. There is a cross that judges, but an empty tomb to promise new hope, new life. Zephaniah (3:14-17) proclaims this, too:
“Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! (Why?) God will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

At last your troubles will be over, and you will never again fear disaster. On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be, “Cheer up, Zion! Don’t be afraid! (Why?) For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. For the Lord will remove his hand of judgment and will disperse the armies of your enemy. And the Lord himself, the King of Israel, will live among you!

God is with us. His name is Immanuel. The light has broken into the dark side of this world under judgment. Fear is giving way to hope because the Lord really is with us. [Now do you see how the story of his birth is important?] Christ’s first coming into this world was good news, but as John the Baptist warned it was also judgment: “I’m baptizing you here in the river. But the one who comes after me will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house-make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.” (Luke 3)

Watch out! Watch out for the fear, anxiety, hatred, and denial that leads to the hopeless judgment of our age. Watch out! Submit yourself to the Lord’s judgment. He will purify your speech. He will cleanse your life with the Holy Spirit’s fire. The Lord’s judgment is the truth that maybe for the first time allows you to be the person who always thought you might be.

Some of our friends from far away recently reminded my family of the sinfulness and sorrow that persists even in the most wonderful time of the year. We heard from the mother and father of a young man, he is a young adult himself, who stood before a judge in a court of law. He is a young man who has committed crimes to support his drug addiction. The District Attorney was willing to make him an offer. If he would enter a drug treatment program, then he could avoid prison and his sentence for his crimes would be delayed until after his treatment. His sentence following treatment would be very lenient. But this young man refused that offer; instead he accepted a two year prison sentence and chose to live with a felony charge on his record forever. Why? He decided to be his own judge. Even though his judgment is harsher than the court, it is a judgment that doesn’t demand any real change on his part. No repentance. No new life. We are poor judges. Watch out for it.

Who judges you today? Are you living out the sentence of others who’ve judged you? Are you living out your own self-imposed sentence? Do you really know what God’s judgment is?

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Posted by Chris on December 10, 2006 under Sermons

Read Luke 3:1-20.

Despite the fact that we are a nation and state that believes that the people rule, we still depend on the “people at the top” to secure our hope and fortunes. We look to our elected officials to reconcile our problems. We want them to fix our problems. Even our celebrities are called upon to use their charisma and charm to fix problems. Many of them lead our causes and crusades. If nothing else they aim to make us feel better.

There is a certain security we gain from “knowing someone in power.” The old expression about “having the ear” of a powerful official means that the official will listen to you. So one way to think about power has to do with what influential and prominent person listens to us and hears what we say.

I encounter this when I am regarded as the “pastor” of a large religious institution. I have invited people to see this congregation as their church home, a place where they might be welcomed. And sometimes they express their reluctance. For some obvious reason they think they won’t be accepted. And what they often need is a Word of acceptance from someone they perceive as “in charge” of the church: the minister! And not knowing that I am the minister (I guess I don’t look the part) they tend to ask “what will your preacher think?” My reply is usually, “Well, I don’t know. He’s not too bright, but I will talk to him – he listens to me.”

If you wanted to have the ear of someone important in the first century, Luke gives you a directory in the first verse. They are the dignitaries and celebrities of early first century Judea. They are the cream of the Roman Empire and Jerusalem’s power structure. Based on our typical assumptions about power and prestige, a single word from any of these men could bring us ruin or hope.

But Luke the historian is doing more than simply giving us a chronicle of the political and religious powers of the day. He is doing more that locating these events chronologically. He is making a statement in the first verse. He is telling us the truth: the truth about power, hope, judgment and repentance. He is saying that the word of the Lord doesn’t trickle down from the upper class of the dignitaries and celebrities in the city. It doesn’t even bubble up from the grassroots. Rather, the word of the Lord comes from outside the city. It comes from the remote and barren wilderness.

And the one who proclaims the Word of the Lord is a lonely voice. John the Baptist is a prophet. He is a preacher-prophet cut from the cloth of the Old Testament. He is wearing Elijah’s hand-me-downs and his sermon for the day is taken from Isaiah. Luke is telling us the truth: We will not find hope and help by “having the ear” of a listening powerful official. We will find hope and help by having an ear that listens to the voice from the wilderness; the voice that is outside our typical structures of power and might.

Listen to the voice of the one calling in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord. Make straight paths for him. Making a smooth path for the Lord’s arrival is no small task. The low places have got to be filled in. The high places brought down. Everything is going to be leveled out.

Growing up out on a rural road we had to maintain our own road. About once or twice a year we hitched the grader up to the tractor and scraped it down the road. The wide blade would shave down every bump and mound and it would pull in clay and dirt to fill in the potholes. It was a lot of work to smooth out that road. It got in the way of what little traffic we had and it required our attention for a whole weekend.
As kids we would walk on the smooth new road behind the grader, we would pick up the big rocks the grader uncovered and toss them in the ditches. And then we would ride our bikes over the new road that somehow magically came from the old rocky road.

It may seem inconvenient to prepare the way for the Lord. The dignitaries and those invested in the power structure as it is certainly don’t want to bother with the Lord’s way. They like their mountains and valleys. But the coming of the Lord demands that we open a new way for his arrival. And we’ll appreciate it when our work is through and we walk the smooth path of the Lord’s way. Listen to the one calling in the wilderness.

Listen to the voice calling in the wilderness: Do you hear what I hear? It is a call to repent and live a life that shows that repentance. Repentance means turning from the way of sin and walking the Lord’s way.

Denial of sin has not liberated or enhanced human life. Denial of the gravity of sin leaves people disabled in the face of the world’s evil and their own shortcomings. Denial of sin has left Christians and non-Christians alike unable to understand their predicament save in terms of the misdoings of others or the randomness of existence. The denial of sin has unleashed despair, confusion, and anger.

Learning that you are a sinner, admitting that you are a sinner can be a part of the good news. When we live entrenched in the city of the celebrities and powerful rulers, confession is not a good thing. We mistakenly think that confession and admission of sin leads to scandal and humiliation. When we live in the structures of the city with the powers at the top, we mistakenly think that confession and repentance in church and religion is all about the judgment of others.

But it is different in the wilderness. In the wilderness we can hear the voice of the prophet telling us the truth. Confession may mean admitting our shortcomings and it may mean learning how we have offended God, but it also means that we know that we can be reconciled to God. The voice in the wilderness preaches the good news of restoration. Naming our sins means that can also name the forgiveness of God. Do you hear what I hear? Repentance is hope, not hopelessness. Listen to the one calling in the desert.

Listen to the voice of the one calling in the wilderness. He’s not the Christ. He is not the Savior. But the Christ and Savior is coming. He came following John the Baptist the first time. He will come after us the second time.
If we will prepare the way of the Lord and live out repentance; if we can be as bold in our prophetic proclamation as John the Baptist was (and those invested in the power structures as they are may not appreciate that), then we may share in the hope that all people will see the salvation sent from God.

Land of Bondage or Opportunity?

Posted by David on December 5, 2006 under Sermons

What makes physical life a land of bondage to some and a land of opportunity to others?

For some life is always a land of bondage. In all circumstances, all they ever see is trouble. Nothing ever works for their advantage. All blessings turn to bitterness. Even with good health, a good family, trustworthy friends, a secure job, and a good home, life is still bleak and oppressive.

Yet, others find life to be ceaseless opportunity. The greater their adversities are, the greater their opportunities are. Poor health liberates their personality. Hardships are stepping stones to a fuller life. Trials are a ladder to a higher plain of living. Every adversity that comes their way results in a blessing to them.

You know what I am saying is true. You have observed it too often. If a person for whom life is bondage and a person for whom life is opportunity are placed in the same circumstances, the first would still be in bondage and the second would still see opportunity. If the circumstances were excellent, it would be the same. If the circumstances were horrible, it would be the same.

Why? Why is that true? It is not merely external conditions that produce our outlook on life. Internal outlooks are just as important. Quite often, what we are within ourselves chain us to bondage or liberate us to see opportunity. That is why the Christian’s greatest concern in life must not be focused on changing external conditions. It must be focused on developing the inner person into a genuine person of God.

Examine the life of a person who was physically sold into slavery but never lived in bondage. His name is Joseph, and I challenge you to think about him in a manner that maybe you never thought about him before.

1. Consider how Joseph turned his land of bondage into his land of opportunity.
   
   1. Begin with a look at his early life.
      
      1. His father was Jacob and his mother Rachel.
         
         1. Joseph was the oldest son born to Rachel, and one of only two sons Rachel gave birth to.
            
         2. Rachel was Jacob’s favorite wife, in fact she was likely the only wife he wanted.
            
         3. As a result of Rachel being Jacob’s favorite wife, Joseph was his favorite child among all his thirteen children.
      2. Jacob showed favoritism to Joseph in striking ways.
         
         1. Joseph did not work in the fields with the flocks as did his brothers.
            
         2. His father also gave him a special garment to wear to symbolize his special love for Joseph.
      3. Joseph also had two dreams that implied his family members would some day bow before him.
         
      4. I think we are justified in drawing some conclusions about Joseph’s life at this point.
         
         1. As a teenager, he seems to have been spoiled by the special treatment his father showed him.
            
         2. That special treatment from the father resulted in his brothers resenting him as they harbored feelings of jealousy.
            
         3. Joseph’s dreams and his handling of those dreams did nothing to improve his relationship with his brothers.
      5. It comes as no surprise when his brothers vent their resentment and jealousy.
         
         1. Jacob sent Joseph to check on his brothers as they tended the flocks.
            
         2. Joseph had difficulty locating his brothers.
            
         3. When, finally, the bothers saw him coming, they plotted his death.
            
            1. They said, "Here comes the dreamer! Let’s kill him, thrown him into a pit, say a wild animal ate him, and see what becomes of his dreams!"
               
            2. Only Reuben prevented the others from killing Joseph by convincing them to put him alive into a pit.
               
            3. Reuben intended to later release him and return him to Jacob.
         4. Soon, when Reuben was gone, the brothers saw a caravan of traders [Ishmaelites] on the way to Egypt.
            
            1. Greed became stronger than hate.
               
            2. Judah suggested there was not profit in killing Joseph–they should sell him as a slave.
               
            3. The others agreed [in Reuben’s absence], drew Joseph out of the pit, and sold him into slavery.
         5. When Reuben returned, he was overcome with remorse!
            
            1. To hide their act, they took Joseph’s special garment, soaked it in goat blood, and returned it to their father with the report that Joseph was killed by a wild animal.
               
            2. Like most of us, the sons never considered the effect of their act on their father.
               
            3. His sorrow created an impression they vividly remembered years later.
   2. From the incident at the pit, Joseph’s life encountered one hardship after another.
      
      1. Consider his life under Potiphar.
         
         1. When Joseph arrived in Egypt, he was sold to Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh’s guard.
            
            1. Joseph had grown up as a rich man’s son.
               
            2. He had grown up as the favored son of the rich man.
               
            3. He knew what to do and how to act as a slave in a prosperous household.
               
            4. Yet, can you imagine the adjustment involved in falling from the status of a rich man’s son to the status of a slave?
         2. To Potiphar Joseph proved himself to be responsible, resourceful, and trustworthy.
            
            1. Joseph prospered in all he did.
               
            2. He prospered to the extent that Potiphar put Joseph in charge of everything.
               
            3. Potiphar did not even know what he owned!
         3. Just as the situation looked hopeful, Potiphar’s wife was attracted to Joseph and began an continual effort to seduce him.
            
            1. Joseph resisted her advances for two reasons.
               a) He could not abuse Potiphar in that manner.
               b) He could not sin against God.
         4. She persisted until one day she found him alone in the house.
            
            1. When he resisted her advances, she took hold of his robe in an attempt to force him.
               
            2. He left the robe in her hand and fled.
               
            3. Angered by his rejection, she screamed and told the other servants Joseph attempted to rape her.
               
            4. She reported the same story to her husband that evening.
               
            5. In anger, Potiphar had Joseph placed in the royal prison.
         5. Can you imagine Joseph’s sense of hurt and disappointment for being punished for something he refused to do?
      2. Consider Joseph’s life in prison.
         
         1. There he demonstrated the same resourcefulness and trustworthiness.
            
            1. All he did went well.
               
            2. Soon he was in charge of all the prisoners.
         2. Later Pharaoh became upset with his baker and butler and had them placed in the royal prison.
            
            1. They came under Joseph’s care.
               
            2. One day he noted both looked especially sad.
               
            3. Joseph discovered they were troubled by dreams they could not interpret.
               
            4. Joseph interpreted their dreams with only the request that he be remembered.
         3. When the butler was restored to his position, he forgot about Joseph.
   3. Here we need to make two observations.
      
      1. We do Joseph a real injustice if we do not appreciate the spiritual values and principles instilled in his life as a child.
         
         1. He may have been spoiled.
            
         2. However, his understanding of God was not neglected.
      2. It amazes me given his early background that Joseph could and did react to adversity the way he did.
         
         1. His understanding of God preserved him.
   4. Think about some alternate reactions to his adversities Joseph could have had.
      
      1. When he woke up in Egypt as a slave, he could have said:
         
         1. "Life had dealt me a horrible injustice!"
            
         2. "I had it all–a future, power, certain prosperity, and happiness!"
            
         3. "Now I have nothing–and there is no chance my father will find me or that I will escape."
            
         4. "There is little benefit I can derive from this awful situation–I will still be a slave no matter what happens."
            
         5. "I will just get by–Potiphar may own me, but he will soon learn he did not get much for his money!"
      2. When Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him, he could have thought:
         
         1. "My parents did not know how wrong they were–thoughts about God are pure nonsense!"
            
         2. "My problems are only going to increase!"
            
         3. "The odds of my marrying as a slave are not good."
            
         4. "Since I am a slave, I better grab what pleasure I can get when I can get it."
            
         5. "It is time for me to find some pleasure."
            
         6. "Sure, I trusted God–but where did that get me?"
            
         7. "Sure, my parents taught me the ways of God–but now I am in the real world and must be realistic."
            
         8. "Potiphar will never know the difference!"
      3. When he was in prison he could have reasoned:
         
         1. "The dignity of man, the rewards of integrity, the principles of honor–what a laugh!"
            
         2. "Where was dignity when my brothers sold me?"
            
         3. "Where was integrity when I did ‘the right thing’ in refusing the advances of Potiphar’s wife?"
            
         4. "Where was honor after I interpreted the dreams?"
            
         5. "People use people–kindness given is kindness forgotten!"
            
         6. "The only real philosophy is ‘look out for yourself.’"
      4. If at any time Joseph embraced these views, he would have been a man of bondage in a land of bondage.
   5. The inner man, the real person Joseph was, used his trials as steps on the ladder of triumph.
      
      1. Because he refused to "get by," because he was a man of honor who accepted personal responsibility, because he refused to forget God, because he maintained concern for people, Egypt became his land of opportunity.
         
      2. When Pharaoh had a dream that defied interpretation, the butler remembered Joseph.
         
      3. Because Joseph was sustained by his faith and godly character, things happened in Egypt that would never have happened in Palestine.
         
         1. He ascended to the position of the second most powerful man in the world.
            
         2. He delivered that world’s greatest nation from famine and ruin.
            
         3. He delivered his own family from starvation.
            
         4. He united his family in peace.
2. Very few of you will live a life that does not have tragic moments.
   
   1. If you knew what would take place in your life before you died, you likely would waste today by worrying about the future.
      
      1. A lot of people you care about will die before you do.
         
      2. Your marriage will know downs as well as ups.
         
      3. There will be times when your children will break your heart.
         
      4. You will move to places you do not wish to live.
         
      5. Your life will be an economic roller coaster.
         
      6. You will live with the consequences of some bad decisions.
         
      7. And all of that will occur if you are blessed to live in a time of peace.
   2. Each of us must know the true issue confronting us.
      
      1. The true issue confronting us is not who we are when everything is going well.
         
      2. The true issue confronting us is who are we when nothing is going well.

Every day of life, there is a lot you can do to help yourself, and a lot you can do to hinder yourself. For Joseph, Egypt was never a land of bondage. It was always his land of opportunity. His faith in God and strength of godly character sustained him. May our faith in God and strength of godly character sustain us in a world hostile to God. May faith in God and godly character determine who we are rather than adversity determining who we are.

May every stage of our lives be our land of opportunity. May we understand that Christian faith, Christian living, and godly principles are never nonsense even in times of adversity.

We Aim To Please

Posted by Chris on December 3, 2006 under Sermons

Sports Hog talk show – the greatest change in college athletics is the focus on what pleases the student athlete.

Timothy:

1. An Encouraging Letter from His Mentor (Background to 2 Timothy)
   1. Timothy was Paul’s troubleshooter and representative (1 Corinthians 4:17; 16:10-11; Philippians 2:19-23; 1 Thessalonians 3:2)
   2. At work in Ephesus
   3. Paul is in prison, facing death.
   4. Members of the church are opposing him, he is disrespected.
   5. Rival teachers, who are teaching garbage, are having more success
   6. Timothy is strongly considering a career change
      1. Thus, Paul’s letter
2. The Essence of the Message: “This is no time for Wimps!” (1:7)
   1. Paul = Don’t give up.
      Being mediocre, neutral is being a wimp/timid
   2. Paul Gives Examples Timothy would know:
      1. Phugelus and Hermogenes (1:15) – deserters
      2. Humenaeus and Philetus (2:17-18) – false teachers (for selfish reasons no doubt)
      3. Demas (4:10) – deserter, “he loved the world”
3. Paul charges Timothy to:
   1. Continue in what he knows is true (3:14)
   2. Who do you aim to please?
      [Sports Hog Talk Show – The biggest change in college sports. The goal is now to please the student athlete.]
   3. He gives three examples:
      1. Soldier (Courage). Fear says “Be safe and neutral”
      2. Athlete (Endurance). Comfort = “Risk-free Christianity”
      3. Farmer (Patience). Self-Gratification says “what do I get from putting up with these people?”
   4. But the common element of all three is duty and dedication
      1. Rewards are only experienced by the dedicated
      2. Rewards are only enjoyed by heroes
4. 2 Timothy 2:11-13
   If we died with Him, we will also live with Him (baptism)
   If we endure, we will also reign with Him (dedication)
   If we disown Him, He will also disown us (so don’t)
   If we are faithless, He will remain faithful … (grace and repentance)

   [Give invitation, then Pause and have them stand and pay attention …]

5. Charge in Paul’s Words: “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus … Fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you … for God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”

The Foolishness and Weakness of God

Posted by Chris on under Sermons

Read I Corinthians 1:18-25.

1. Abraham and Sarah – Would we choose them to build a nation? Aren’t these two too old and unqualified?

2. Moses – Would he be our spokesman and representative for God? He is a reluctant man who stutters and has a criminal record in Egypt.

3. David – Who would bet on David in the battle against Goliath?

4. Esther – There is a threat of genocide. Is our only plan a young woman who is part of the King’s harem? Is there a backup?

5. Christ – Expectations of Messiah/Salvation/ Submission to Death

These all seem foolish to us and they do not fit our standard categories of wise, powerful, and strong, but the foolishness of God is wiser that our wisdom and the weakness of God is greater than our strength.

Are we really comfortable with the foolishness and weakness of God?

• Or do we insist on signs and wisdom?
• We are always tempted to make our faith sensible and credible. And that sort of pressure might make it seem to conform to the wisdom of the age or appeal to our desire for power and control.
• ²²Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, ²³but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, ²⁴but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

Every leader in this congregation is able to lead and serve only as God empowers us.

This church cannot be involved in the mission of God to make disciples if we are focused on our own ability to succeed. For that always tempts us to hide our weaknesses and to cover up the truth. …

²⁶Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are, ²⁹so that no one may boast before him. ³⁰It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

We are always tempted to work by our own strength and our own know-how.

• This is the challenge for me and for you
• God doesn’t need our strength and our resources
• We don’t give God our success, he gives us grace
• God can use our weaknesses and our limitations. He can redeem them and demonstrate his grace.
• Don’t just surrender your strength and wisdom to God – give him your weakness & foolishness . . .
• And then we will experience the sustaining power of God’s grace.

Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.
³¹Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

Why Did They Do It?

Posted by David on November 29, 2006 under Sermons

A person cannot read the book of Acts with open eyes and open heart and not be amazed at the actions and activities of men and women who were the first Christians. Can you imagine people so converted to Christ on a pilgrimage that they refused to return home when their money ran out because they wanted to understand the good news about Christ in completeness? That occurred with some converts who heard the good news on Pentecost. Can you imagine a congregation so close to each other that they met every day to encourage each other as they praised God? Can you imagine finding so much joy and fulfillment in Christ that we would meet every day voluntarily, without command, to glorify God? Can you imagine having an a community who where not Christians acknowledging the Christians were a beneficial part of the community? That describes the earliest congregation in Jerusalem. Can you imagine willingly selling private possessions to help people you do not know but who believe in Christ? That is what Christians did in Acts 4:32-37.

One of the most amazing qualities of early Christians was their evangelistic fervor. In about 70 years, those Christians took the good news concerning Jesus Christ throughout Palestine, to Syria, throughout Asia Minor, to Europe, to North Africa, with plans to go to Spain–and that is just where we know about! They commonly did this in pagan societies that were more immoral than today’s world. They often did it as they faced personal sacrifice and persecution for their faith in Jesus Christ. They did not have missionaries and evangelists–they were what we call missionaries and evangelist.

Look at what Acts says about the activities of some of these first Christians: Acts 8:1-5, "Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison. Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them."

Acts 8:25 says of Peter and John, "So, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans."

Acts 8:40 says of Philip after he baptized the eunuch, "But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea."

Acts 9:32 says of Peter, "Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda."

Acts 11:19-21 So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.

The outreach work of early Christians was in no way limited to the activities of Paul and Barnabus. Evidence indicates the joyous fervor was characteristic of many converts to Christ. Indications are the congregations in places like Colosae and Laodicea existed because Christians from other places taught the people of those places.

To me one of the sad facts about today’s Christians is that many of us take the outreach of the church for granted. To often our attitude is, "So they shared their faith in Christ with others. Fine. But so what?" We are not touched by their incredible expression of faith and commitment. Their joy in Christ was too real not to share!

1. To attempt to etch their sharing of Christ with others, mentally trade places with them.
   
   1. Suppose:
      
      1. The preacher, elders, and deacons were arrested for preaching the gospel, taken to court, and given a legal injunction against further preaching and teaching as were Peter and John in Acts 5.
         
      2. Suppose they defied the injunction, were arrested again, and were publicly beaten for their arrogant rejection of the injunction.
         
      3. Then a zealous leader, like Stephen, gets into a religious discussion about the identity of Jesus Christ, is arrested, and is executed for his public religious stand as in Acts 7.
         
      4. Then one who hates Christians obtains the legal power to make a house-to-house search for Christians, literally drags them out of their homes, has them jailed and tried, with the result is that some are executed.
         
      5. The threat is so real and close that you leave your home and property to find a new place to locate.
   2. What would you do?
      
      1. "I would get out of town just like they did!"
         
      2. Then what?
         
         1. Would you slip in quietly, go about your business, and avoid mentioning you came from the place that ran Christians out of town?
            
         2. Would you weep and complain about all you lost?
            
         3. Would you angrily denounce those who ran you out of town?
            
         4. Would you resent God for letting such injustice fall on you?
            
         5. Or, would you rejoice at the opportunity to suffer for Jesus and tell others about the priceless joy of being a Christian seeking to convert them to Christ?
      3. Remember, the outreach of early Christians was born in hatred, persecution, and rejection, not in the kindness of open hearts who asked for the good news about Christ.
2. Why did they do it?
   
   1. "They loved the Lord!"
      
      1. I have no doubt they did!
         
      2. Do not you, too, love the Lord?
         
      3. Would any of you publicly declare you do not love the Lord?
         
      4. If they loved the Lord and you love the Lord, that does not seem to be the explanation.
   2. "They were commanded to do that!"
      
      1. Commands emphasize responsibility, but seldom motive that kind of commitment.
         
      2. Besides, most of us admit their commands are our commands.
         
      3. It seems there was more to their commitment than a command.
   3. "They had to do it!"
      
      1. When I read Acts, it seems obvious they did it out of desire rather the necessity.
         
      2. It surely would have been easier to find a quiet place, peacefully settle in, and dedicate yourself to being "Jesus private follower."
         
      3. It seems to involve much more than necessity.
   4. I submit they discovered something in Jesus Christ that was so valuable, so cherished, so priceless they wanted to share it even in the face of hardship.
      
      1. Forgiveness of sin and freedom from guilt was a priceless gift!
         
      2. Sanctification, justification, and purification were gifts beyond measure!
         
      3. The love of God and Christ was (is) beyond comprehension!
         
      4. To be children of God, not slaves to a deity is incredible!
         
      5. Everything they found in Christ was available to all people!
   5. I also submit that the first Christians found in Christ something many of today’s Christians never have discovered.
      
      1. How long has it been since you deeply, genuinely thanked God for all He did in Jesus Christ?
         
      2. How long has it been since you seriously thought about your forgiveness, that God remembers your sin no more, and that he does not impute sin to your life?
         
      3. How long has it been since you thought about what Christ contributes to your marriage, your parenting skills, or your personal relationships?
         
      4. How long has it been since you appreciated the gift and power of prayer?
         
      5. How long has it been since you valued the strength and hope of faith?
         
      6. How long has it been since you cherished the fellowship of Christians?
         
      7. How long has it been since you were grateful for being a new creation in Christ?
         
      8. Can you with hold those precious things from those who struggle because they do not know or have them?

The more you value your salvation, the more imperative it becomes that you share it. You do not seek to force it on someone–you share it. That is the key to evangelistic zeal and fervor. To share it, you must value it.

Never forget because you have Christ you have something to share. May your life and who you are encourage people to want what you have found in Christ.

It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like …

Posted by Chris on November 26, 2006 under Sermons

We do not need a calendar to know that the Christmas season is beginning. Starbucks uses a holiday paper cup – they actually started right before Halloween. City workers have been putting up lights long before they are lit. People lined up outside stores early in the morning for big savings. It reminds me of Johnny Mathis’ song …

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Ev’rywhere you go;
Take a look in the five and ten, glistening once again
With candy canes and silver lanes aglow.
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas;
Toys in ev’ry store.
But the prettiest sight to see is the holly that will be
On your own front door.

Of course we don’t have our decorations up yet. And there’s the sense in my family that it is time, past time, to string our lights and trim our tree. Why the sense of urgency? Because we can read the signs of the season and we know it is time!

Now, the weather may fool you right now, but right before the cold front comes some of us will know it – and you won’t need a weather report – you simply have the experience to look for the signs of the changing seasons.

As we read from the teaching of Jesus Christ this morning, I hope you will recognize that our Lord wants us to be skilled at reading the signs of the times. And I hope you will recognize the proper reason he wants us to be so aware … [Read Luke 21:25-38.]

There seems to be a entire cottage industry of biblical prophecy. It isn’t hard to find someone using the Scriptures to foretell the future and predict calamity. And that probably isn’t very appealing unless you are fan of disaster films. The sort of films in which a huge earthquake destroys the western half of the United States, or a meteor is about to strike the earth, or there is sudden climate shift, or nuclear war wipes out two-thirds of earth’s population. Whether you look toward the cinematic thriller version of disaster scenarios, or the prophecy preacher scenarios there’s one common element – they don’t inspire a lot of hope, do they?

Talk about reading the signs of the end often makes us fretful and anxious. We get reactionary waiting for the next crisis. There tends to be more gloom and doom than hope and faith. But notice that although Christ is all for us paying attention to the signs, he isn’t interested in gloom and doom. He isn’t trying to frighten us. No, much the opposite, he is trying to embolden us!

See, Jesus encourages us to stand up and keep our heads up. Why? Because our redemption is near. The promise of the Son of Man is about to be fulfilled. He wants us to read the signs so that we can interact faithfully with the events of history. And when we keep our heads up we see that history fitting into the larger context of what God is doing. And that gives us hope because we know that God’s purposes are larger than the brief interludes that we call current events.

Paying attention with faithfulness matters because we are accustomed to react to life rather than interact with it. For instance, we may be well versed in the teachings of the church and Scripture, but what do we do with that insight and knowledge? Are we storing it up for Sunday or some final exam on the day of judgment? If we are actively involved in hearing and doing the word, then we are going to take the teachings of Scripture and use them as a compass to navigate the signs of the times. The word of God builds maturity in us, and when we possess a mature faith we can read the signs of the times and keep our heads up and stand tall – rather than wring our hands fretfully worrying about the next great terror.

To read the signs as mature believers means that we recognize that there is a lot of anxiety and worry in the world. Jesus said that the signs would throw entire nations into turmoil – and they would be anxious about what is happening to the sea. And after a Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, there is quite a lot of fear that our own planet may destroy us. There’s a lot of talk of war. A generation has grown up not knowing the fear of Cold War nuclear conflict. But now we worry about random terror strikes and the rise of new nuclear powers such as North Korea and Iran – nations that aren’t on the best terms with us.

Let’s not be so arrogant to assume that these disasters and conflicts are the greatest that have ever been or ever will be. But we ought to recognize, as Jesus as indicated, that people are distressed. And just when we all might feel that vengeance and destruction are about to arrive, we can look up with hope because we know something! We know that our redemption is drawing near. We know that the Son of Man approaches!

Too often, end-time scenarios suggest that all of us have to change the world. These are a bit arrogant in that they claim that we fallen human beings someone hold all the answers and all the power to either destroy the earth or save it. But we have a mature faith and we know that it is our redemption at stake. It isn’t the world we need to change – we need to change ourselves.

As a people who know that the surest prediction is that the Son of Man will return to redeem us, there are some things we can change in our own worldview as we read the signs of the times:

1. There will be an end time. Human life has limitations set upon it. Our hearts can be content and at peace when we learn to live as creatures rather than creator. How much better would it all be if all of us would live by hope rather than fear?
2. God is in charge of the end. The end of time is not the end of life with God. God is in charge of the end time, not us. (In the movies, the hero is always trying to stop the end of the world. But the end of the world is a good thing for the one who is not ashamed of the Son of Man. The end of the world is good when it happens God’s way.
3. God is worthy of our trust. God is not going to end the world because he is mad and throwing a fit. The end is the end of God’s work. And the beginning and end of time are the grace of God. Just as God has set a limit on how much power evil and sin can have over us, he sets a limit on injustice and sin. It cannot continue. Its days are numbered. That’s grace.
4. The judgment of God and the Son of Man are passed on all of us. Jesus came the first time so that we could stand tall when he comes the second time. What makes us right for meeting the Son of Man when he comes again at the end is our relationship with him in the present. And that relationship has been defined by the life of Christ, the cross, and the resurrection. He went up to heaven and this same Jesus will return.

As we read the signs of the times we will find see more than enough to make us angry, afraid, worried, fretful, and despairing. But Christ wants us to lift up our heads and stand tall. He wants us to be hopeful and see beyond the initial sings and look at the bigger picture of God’s work in human history. [It isn’t unlike the concern that some have that the real meaning of Christmas gets lost in the glitz and symbolism of the Holiday Season.] Listen to Jesus and keep in mind that in every season and in our times the message of the Son of Man can be lost in the anxiety and confusion of the age.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas;
Soon the bells will start,
And the thing that will make them ring is the carol that you sing
Right within your heart.

What song do we sing right within our hearts? Do we join in with the large chorus of gloom, despair, and agony on me? Or can we sing a song that pays attention to the pain and suffering in the world but ends with a crescendo of hope? It is a song that includes this line from our Lord: “Stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

A Message for Parents and Grandparents

Posted by David on November 21, 2006 under Sermons

How much do you love your children? How much do you love your grandchildren? To conscientious Christians, children and grandchildren represent one of life’s most important and unique treasures. Few sacrifices are rejected if their well being is at stake. Regardless of circumstances, their well being is priority for parents or grandparents. At birth our concern is enormous, and that concern grows as they grow. In adolescent years, our concern passes description.

From years one to twenty-one, we make every possible preparation for their development and future. Does my child have a learning disability? Where can I get help for my child? Does my child have a medical problem? Where can I get treatment for my child? Does my child need special training? Where can I find it for my child?

We provide them the best educational opportunity we can afford. We create special opportunities for them in every form of development from athletics to talent. We alter our adult schedule and run ourselves crazy for them. We do everything possible to build their self-images, develop their skills, teach them poise, and give them advantages mentally, psychologically, and physically.

I pray you consider for a long time these things I share with you.

1. We as Christians understand parents have a spiritual responsibility to provide our children spiritual instruction and guidance.
   
   1. That responsibility existed from Christianity’s beginning.
      
      1. Ephesians 6:1-4 "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord." (This refers to one of the Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20:12 with its focus on the responsibility on adult children.)
         
         1. Parents focused on God provide their children a reason to obey them.
            
         2. If they honor God, they can obey their parents without problem.
            
         3. Parents have not abused them, neglected them, refused to love them, or done things to generate and nurture a lasting anger in them.
            
         4. Instead, the parents provide them an example of how to live a disciplined life devoted to God and His instructions.
      2. Colossians 3:21 Fathers, do not exasperate your children, so that they will not lose heart.
         
         1. Parents’ relationship with their children should not create and nurture a continuing frustration producing a state of discontentment.
            
         2. The severity and fault finding that destroys the spirit should not characterize the parents’ relationship with their children.
   2. Parents, do not be deceived into believing that our parental faith in and commitment to Jesus Christ guarantees our children automatically will become Christian adults.
      
      1. The Old Testament has a number of examples of godly persons whose children did not follow God.
         
      2. Perhaps the greatest period of Israelite godliness came in Joshua’s leadership.
         
         1. Judges 2:7 "The people served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who survived Joshua, who had seen all the great work of the Lord which He had done for Israel."
            
            1. What a testimony to godly influence!
         2. Then Judges 2:10 notes, "All that generation also were gathered to their fathers; and there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord, nor yet the work which He had done for Israel."
            
            1. I do not think you could convince me that Joshua did not teach godliness to his children.
               
            2. Yet, his descendants did not follow God.
               
            3. I conclude they were deliberately ignorant and willfully forgetful.
      3. Samuel was a powerful spiritual influence in Israel in an extremely ungodly period.
         
         1. Listen to 1 Samuel 8:3 "His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice."
      4. King David made some serious mistakes, but he was a man whose love for God included the knowledge of repentance.
         
         1. We are still blessed by some of his powerful thoughts.
            
         2. In the New Testament he is still known as the man after God’s own heart.
            
         3. Yet, many of his children were truly ungodly.
      5. Hezekiah led one of Judah’s few spiritual reforms.
         
         1. Listen to 2 Kings 18:3, 5 “He did right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father David had done.  …He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him.”
            
         2. Now listen to what is said about his son, Manasseh in 2 Kings 21:2, 9: “He did evil in the sight of the Lord, according to the abominations of the nations whom the Lord dispossessed before the sons of Israel. …But they did not listen, and Manasseh seduced them to do evil more than the nations whom the Lord destroyed before the sons of Israel.”
   3. The New Testament covers too brief a historical period to include such detail.
2. The most important factor in determining what your child becomes as a spiritual adult is the person he or she marries.
   
   1. Your child will make that choice largely to your exclusion.
      
      1. You will not choose the person your child "falls in love" with.
         
      2. You will not choose how the experience of "falling in love" will affect your child.
         
      3. If you try to exercise an inflexible control over the people your child dates, you likely will severely injure your relationship with your child.
         
         1. While you certainly must provide guidance, there are restrictions on the guidance you can provide.
            
         2. Attempts to provide inflexible control can alienate, create an unhealthy dependence, or drive your child to the person of your disapproval.
      4. If you try to structure, control, direct, or alter your child’s marriage, you create more serious problems than you correct.
         
         1. Rarely is continuous parental involvement in a child’s marriage constructive.
            
         2. Attempting to "run or fix" a child’s marriage often produces undesirable results:
            
            1. Anger
               
            2. Alienation
               
            3. Resentment
               
            4. Impeding or destroying their maturing process.
               
            5. Destruction of healthy independence.
               
            6. Creation of a sick dependence on the parent.
         3. Interference in a child’s marriage can produce many bad things and few good things.
            
         4. We should understand that.
            
            1. Look at the impact of your parents’ unwanted advice and interference in your marriage.
               
            2. Recall the problems, stress, anger, and complications produced when your parents felt like they needed to structure an aspect of your marriage.
               
            3. Do not deceive yourself into believing your actions will be viewed as constructive and thereby appreciated.
   2. The possibility of your child experiencing a serious marriage crisis is frightening.
      
      1. The fact that you provide them the best home, best training, best environment, and best spiritual foundation you can provide does not eliminate the possibility of your child experiencing a serious marriage crisis.
         
      2. Your initial reaction may be, "That cannot be true!"
         
         1. For the sake of reflection, recall married people you know from 5 years younger than you to 5 years older than you.
            
         2. How many people did you go to school, college, or church with who are now divorced, separated, or in deeply troubled marriages?
            
         3. And those are just the situations your know about!
      3. Every major social influence in this society (today) works against "once for life" marriage, not in support of it.
3. Consider a living nightmare.
   
   1. You witness your own child in an abusive, unloving, selfish, inconsiderate marriage.
      
      1. You watch as it happens causing your child suffering, pain, and agony.
         
      2. You see what this is doing to your child as a person.
   2. You witness your grandchildren in such a marriage.
      
   3. As you watch, there is little you can do.
      
      1. You cannot fix it.
         
      2. You cannot "make it go away."
         
      3. You do not dare try to take control for fear of making things worse.
         
      4. You cannot make the relationship healthy.
4. If such happens in your family, let me suggest what to pray for.
   
   1. Pray he or she is in a congregation that believes in loving those that hurt and reaches out to those who are troubled.
      
      1. Pray he or she is part of a people who help the distressed.
         
      2. Pray he or she is not part of a congregation who turns it back on "Christians who have problems like that."
   2. Pray they are under a compassionate eldership who believes in shepherding.
      
      1. Pray they are under elders who know how to listen and be understanding.
         
      2. Pray they know how to be constructively supportive.
         
      3. Pray they believe in keeping confidences.
   3. Pray they are in a congregation devoted to administrating Jesus’ spiritual healing.
      
      1. Pray that scripturally uninformed members do not control the congregation.
         
      2. Pray their congregation is not filled with Christians who feel it is their duty to say:
         
         1. "If you genuinely believed in Christ, you would not have a problem like that."
            
         2. "Real Christians do not have marriage problems."
            
         3. "You are not a spiritual person."
            
         4. "If you trusted God like I do, this never would have happened."
5. Constantly help us be a congregation that brings the troubled to Jesus’ forgiving healing, to Jesus’ compassion, to Jesus’ hope, to Jesus’ help.
   
   1. Help us want to be just Christians who are not afraid to let Jesus teach us how to compassionately care.
      
   2. Help us be a people that troubled Christians can turn to without fear because we are ruled by the Great Physician.
      
   3. Help us be the kind of people who care in the same way the first congregations cared.

Why do this? We want to be just Christians. We want to be a congregation of people who fit the image of Jesus’ expectations. We want to be an oasis of spiritual healing for ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren when worlds collapse and life falls apart. In a world filled with hopeless struggle, we want to be a refreshing place of healing. May we each say, "That attitude begins with me."

The Thanksgiving Family

Posted by Chris on November 19, 2006 under Sermons

Read Ephesians 5:1-20.

“Because of your confession in Christ, I baptize you now in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, for the forgiveness of your sins and so you may receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and walk in newness of life.” I have spoken those words – or words very similar – almost every time I baptize someone. Very early in my experience of baptizing people I learned that those words carried a lot of freight. After leaving out certain phrases (i.e. “for the forgiveness of sins” or “to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”) I was approached by anxious brothers and sister concerned that the baptism was somehow invalid because of my error in recitation. I have since resolved it in my mind that the power of baptism is not dependent on my ability as a “baptizer” but it rests completely in the mercy of God and the saving power of Christ’s blood.

But I have learned that the words we speak at a baptism are meaningful. We use words to describe the reality and truth of baptism. And we also use those words to communicate to everyone what is really taking place in the experience of baptism. Just recalling the words spoken at your baptism should remind you of the reality that you have been immersed into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Your sins have been forgiven. You share in the gift of the Holy Spirit. You have new life.

These words are not the words that have always been spoken at baptisms everywhere. Other words have been used to express the same truth, and in the text we just read we have what may very well be the words used in the first century churches: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Paul is recalling these words for the Christians in Ephesus so that will remember who they are. He returns not only to the words of the baptism, but he also unpacks the freight that those words carry …

We are dearly loved children. We are children of light. This is family language. God is our Father and we are a family. And that has meaning as well. We are called to live up to the family name. We are to be imitators of God. And that’s why we need to return to these words that shape us. In a culture that isn’t always in synch with God’s ways, it can be challenging to try and imitate God. And there is always a tendency to slip away from the center of God’s way into one of two ruts on either side …

One option is to be consumed with the values that are contrary to God’s values. Paul describes this as darkness and foolishness. Falling into the darkness and foolishness immerses us into all kinds of immorality and impurity. Not simply sexual immorality, but also impurity such as greed: (I hope you got your PS3 if you stood in line for one. In some nations people stand in line for food, but here in America we will stand in line for a video game system that costs more than what some people in the world make in an entire year.) ?Tis the season – the shopping season – but watch out for the immorality and consumption of greed. That’s not you! You are children of light, you are people who live by the wisdom of God. The reason there isn’t to be even a hint of such impurity is because this isn’t proper for God’s family. It’s not that someone is going to scowl at us or sneer because we break the rules – it is because that is not who we are!

The other rut is to become cynical and combative against a culture that runs counter to God. This happens when we are constantly condemning of others. But that’s not our identity as God’s children either. We do not have to resort to “dirty politics” and “negative campaigning.” We don’t have to talk about what the disobedient do in secret – we aren’t interested in scandals and rumors. We aren’t so angry or cynical that we are reduced to obscenity, foolish talk, and filthy joking. We are not going to partner with those who talk a lot of empty words. We don’t have to get drunk in our despair and self-destruction. None of this is what it means to be God’s people.

The sad result of God’s children breathing out hateful and combative words is seen in Sam Harris’ recent book, “Letter to a Christian Nation.” …

“Thousands of people have written to tell me that I am wrong not to believe in God. The most hostile of these communications have come from Christians. This is ironic, as Christians generally imagine that no faith imparts the virtues of love and forgiveness more effectively than their own. The truth is that many who claim to be transformed by Christ’s love are deeply, even murderously, intolerant of criticism. While we may want to ascribe this to human nature, it is clear that such hatred draws considerable support from the Bible. How do I know this? The most disturbed of my correspondents always cite chapter and verse.” – Sam Harris, Letter to a Christian Nation

As much as I may disagree with Harris’ philosophy and worldview, I do believe that he has probably been confronted by angry Christians who demonstrate an unloving spirit. Some might say, “Well we shouldn’t give in to an atheist like Harris. What do his feelings matter?” This is isn’t just about the Sam Harris’ in the world – it’s about imitating our Father and living up to the name he gave us. It’s about living a life of love – just like Christ who gave himself up for us (and Sam Harris!).

Our family is a Thanksgiving Family. Instead of obscenity, foolish talking, and coarse joking, we give thanks. We speak a family language and it is a language of praise. We give thanks to God and encourage one another with our words. We are the Thanksgiving family and we need to be wise.

Rather we are filled with the Spirit. We sing praises, even though we are persecuted. We are a thanksgiving people and we need to be very careful how we live. We need to be wise and make the most of the opportunities around us because these are dark days. And the way to make the most of our opportunities is to be a people who express Thanksgiving in our words and in our actions.

Brothers and sisters, remember who you are. We are people whose native tongue is Thanksgiving. We are children of light. This is our time to shine!