“What Does God Want From Me?” 2 Corinthians 8:1-15
We have had a stewardship emphasis for the past 2 weeks:
First we found that our relationship with God must be good before we can be good stewards.
Second learned that we need to define our relationship with stuff (in our heart)
In this third installment we look at our giving.
I like the old story about the guy who came to church with his family. As they were driving home afterwards he was complaining about everything. He said, “The music was too loud. I didn’t know any of the songs. The sermon was too long. The announcements were unclear. The building was hot. The people were unfriendly.” He went on and on, complaining about virtually everything.
Finally, his very observant son said, “Dad, you’ve got to admit it wasn’t a bad show for just a dollar.”
LEARNING ABOUT GIVING AND RECEIVING
I learned about giving from the poor.
I didn’t expect that.
I expected (as a North American missionary) to give to them, and teach them about giving.
You see, the general understanding is: Those who have it, give to those who don’t.
I found out I was sorely wrong.
It bothered me. These people, who had next to nothing, were giving to me (chickens, potatoes, bus fare, taking time from their underpaid work to help me with menial tasks). They invited me to dinner – gave me chicken, when I knew that their children were only eating potatoes and rice.
It bothered me.
At first, I offered to pay; that really insulted them.
I had to learn to receive before I could learn how to give.
All of us need to do that.
I came to work with a group of pastors who are giving of their lives to the Lord’s service (a group of 18). They barely live on the few $ the church pays them, sometimes living in unfinished quarters on the church property. Many rejected by their families for following God (protestant) – and for being pastors. I needed to raise $30,000 for lots for retirement homes for them. It’s the least I can do for these servants of God. I would never have attempted this, if I had not first seen their giving. The next challenge is building materials.
I’ll tell you about each of them and their stories if you ask me.
THE APOSTLE PAUL’S EXPERIENCE
The apostle Paul traveled around, starting churches, preaching, making tents, spreading the good news of Jesus. His travels took him through the region of Macedonia, during his second and third missionary trips (Acts 16-21).
Macedonia was a Roman Province. It included the cities of Berea, Thessalonica, Apolonia, Philippi, Amphipolis, and Neapolis, which Paul visited. There were people like Lydia, a roman jailor, probably Luke, etc.
In today’s Scripture Paul writes to the believers in Corinth. This was a church with everything – all the gifts needed for a good church, material wealth, a well established church, diverse. But they had problems (some I wouldn’t want to face as a pastor).
One of the difficulties was a lack of love; in spite of many wondrous gifts of the Spirit, they were short on love. Furthermore, their love did not overflow into generosity, but rather ended in pride.
Paul talked to them about the believers in the poor, remote region of Macedonia.
It’s hard to receive advice from those we consider inferior to us. Sort of like the USA receiving advice from the 3rd world. That shouldn’t happen.
As I read this scripture, I ask, “What did God want from the Believers in Corinth?”
It makes me ask, “What does God want from me?”
LIVING BEYOND YOUR MEANS
The Macedonians were known for hardships and extreme poverty.
Verse 3 – “they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.” (NIV)
The Message puts it this way, “They gave what they could, even far more than they could afford.”
I’ve heard of people charging credit cards more than they could afford.
I’ve heard of people spending beyond their means.
I’ve heard of people getting buried in a load of debt because they spend beyond their ability to pay.
I’ve heard of people living beyond their means.
But I’ve never heard of people giving to God and God’s church more than they could afford.
You just can’t out-give God.
"Whose French Fries Are They?"
A man took his son to a fast food restaurant. He buys his little boy some french fries.
Then the father does what all fathers do, he reaches over and takes one french fry to taste it.
The little boy slaps his father’s hand and says, "Don’t touch my french fries."
The father thinks that his son is selfish. The father knows that he bought the french fries and they belong to him. The father knows that his son belongs to him.
The father could get angry and never buy his son another french fry again to teach his son a lesson, or the father could "bury" his son in french fries. The father thinks, "Why is my son selfish, I have given him a whole package of french fries; I just want one french fry."
Of course the point of the story has to do with us.
God has given us money (and all we have), we belong to God. When God asks for a tithe or a portion back, people figuratively slap His hand and say, "Keep Your hands off my money."
Whose French fries are they anyway?
OUR GOD WILL PROVIDE FOR ALL YOUR NEEDS
Tony Campolo tells of being invited to speak at a ladies meeting. There were 300 women there. Before he spoke the president of the organization read a letter from a missionary. It was a very moving letter. In the letter the missionary expressed a need for $4,000 to take care of an emergency that had cropped up. So the president of the organization said, "We need to pray that God will provide the resources to meet the need of this missionary. Bro. Campolo will you please pray for us?"
Tony Campolo, who is very outspoken said, "No." Startled, she said, "I beg your pardon." He said, "No, I won’t pray for that." He said, "I believe that God has already provided the resources & that all we need to do is give. Tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to step up to this table & give every bit of cash I have in my pocket. And if all of you will do the same thing, I think God has already provided the resources." The president of the organization chuckled a little bit & said, "Well, I guess we get the point. He is trying to teach us that we all need to give sacrificially."
He said, "No, that is not what I am trying to teach you. I’m trying to teach you that God has already provided for this missionary. All we need to do is give it. Here, I’m going to put down all of my money I have with me." He wrote, "I only had $15 in my pocket so I wasn’t too worried about that." So he put down his $15 & then looked at the president of the organization. Reluctantly, she opened her purse & took out all of her money, which was about $40, & put it on the table. One by one the rest of the ladies filed by & put their money on the table, too. When the money was counted they had collected more than $4,000."
Tony Campolo said, "Now, here’s the lesson. God always supplies for our needs, & he supplied for this missionary, too. The only problem was we were keeping it for ourselves. Now let’s pray & thank God for His provision."
God knows we have limited resources.
Can it be that our limited resources are more than we think?
WHAT DO YOU HAVE FOR LUNCH
I showed the children the lunch I packed: two small cans of tuna and five rolls.
I asked if I had enough to share with everyone. They didn’t think so. One boy thought that, maybe, everyone could have a very small bite.
I told them that it reminds me of a story (See John 6:1-13)
A little boy gave Jesus his lunch. Not 10%, not half, not even 90%, he gave his whole lunch.
Did the boy go hungry? No, everyone (more than 5000 people), ate until they were full. There were even 12 baskets of bread left over.
I don’t know how Jesus did it. But I know it wouldn’t have happened if a little boy didn’t offer his lunch to Jesus.
What about your lunch? What do you have, that, in the hands of Jesus, could be used to minister to everyone around you?
5 loaves and 2 fish seem entirely inadequate for feeding 5000 people.
Jesus told his disciples, “With men it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Mt. 19:26)
What does Jesus want to do in your neighborhood?
What’s in your lunchbox?
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Sermon Synopsis for April 20, 2008
“Hunting for Treasure” Matthew 6:19-24
Today we continue looking at Stewardship …
Last week we learned from Jeremiah (18:1-6) that God is the potter, we are the clay.
- Everything belongs to God, even the clay.
- We can’t make ourselves.
- We need to let God form us and make us into what God wants us to be.
1. Before we think about our relationship with things, we need to think about our relationship with God.
2. If we don’t have a good relationship with God, it will be difficult to have a good relationship with things.
Today we hear from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, a sermon full of spiritual truths with practical applications.
Jesus admonishes the people – “store up treasure in heaven.”
IT’S NATURAL TO WANT THINGS
I showed the children a statue of the Ekkeko god that is popular in the Andean region of South America. Ekkeko is the god of wealth and prosperity. He has a lot of stuff hung around his neck; each item represents some form of material wealth.
• The little sacks of pasta and dry goods represent food.• The copy of money represents monetary wealth.
• A little house represents a wish for a real house.• The miniature car represents a wish for a real automobile.Every year, (usually before noon on January 24th) people all over Bolivia, and in other countries in South America, tie what they wish for onto the Ekkeko figures. Once given to Ekkeko, the wishes or miniature items are never removed – to do so is considered bad luck. A well-used statue will be loaded down with desires or miniatures that represent many hopes. According to the ancient legend, when you place a miniature object on Ekkeko, you will receive what you wish for the following year.
Does it work? Sometimes.
What would you put on the Ekkeko? Jesus knows what we want (desire).
But Jesus told us (in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 6:25-34), don’t worry about food, clothing, or other things – at least as the first thing you do. “Seek God first and everything else will fall into place.” (Mt. 6:33, RSV, Really Steve’s Version)
IT’S BEEN SAID, “YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU”
For centuries (even millennia) people have been trying to get their wealth into heaven. The tombs of the Pharaohs are a good example.
Trying to disprove the saying "You can't take it with you," a stingy old lawyer, diagnosed with a terminal illness, finally figured out how to take at least some of his fortune with him when he died. He instructed his wife to go to the bank and withdraw enough money to fill two pillowcases. He then told her to take the bags of money to the attic and leave them directly above his bed. When he passed away, he planned to reach out and grab the bags on his way to heaven. Several weeks after the funeral, his wife, up in the attic cleaning came upon the two forgotten pillow cases stuffed with cash.
"Oh, that old fool!" she exclaimed. "I knew I should have put the money in the basement."
JESUS TELLS US, “WE CAN TAKE IT WITH US”
Yes, Jesus tells us we can take it with us. But … it may not be the things we think, or the things we want.
Hunting for Treasure is a passion. Many people have invested all of their lives looking for treasure.
Hunting for Treasure: Where are you going to look?
Russell Conwell gave the speech, Acres of Diamonds, which let’s us know we may find it right in our own backyard. (http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/rconwellacresofdiamonds.htm)
Ali Hafed was a well-to-do Persian farmer. An old Buddhist priest told him about diamonds. He got diamond fever – wanted to be extremely wealthy. He was discontented with life, not because he was poor, but because he was not satisfied.
The following are excerpts from the text:
"Will you tell me where I find diamonds?”
"Diamonds! What do you want with diamonds?”
“Why, I wish to be immensely rich.”
“Well, then, go along and find them. That is all you have to do; go and find them, and then you have them.”
“But I don’t know where to go.”
“Well, if you will find a river that runs through white sands, between high mountains, in those white sands you will always find diamonds.”
“I don’t believe there is any such river.”
“Oh yes, there are plenty of them. All you have to do is to go and find them, and then you have them.”
Said Ali Hafed, “I will go.”
Ali Hafed sold his farm, and traveled around the world looking for diamonds, and spent all he had looking for diamonds. He died a poor man, in a far country, with no friends or family around him.
The man who purchased his farm dug up a shiny stone and put it on his mantle. The priest came by for a visit. When he saw the shiny stone he asked, “Has Ali Hafed returned?” Here is a diamond. The man told him he dug it out of his garden.
Desire and craving and yearning took control of his life, and eventually took his life.
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR MAY NOT BE TRUE TREASURE
To talk about stewardship, we don’t first talk about “things” and “possessions” and money and wealth. All of these things are secondary.
First we look at our own relationship with God.
Last Sunday we emphasized our need to start with a good relationship with God. Matthew 6:33 (not far after today’s scripture passage) “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you.”
If your relationship with God is not solid and firm, you need to work on that first.
Next we need to look at our lives. What is important to us? What do we dedicate our lives to? What are our priorities?
When Jesus exhorts us not to lay up for ourselves treasures upon earth, He uses an interesting play upon words in the Greek. Lay up translates the Greek word thesaurizo. Treasures translates the Greek word thesauros. These two words come from a common term from which we get our English word thesaurus. A thesaurus is a treasury of words. So we might translate this phrase as, "do not treasure up treasures for yourselves on earth."
The idea here is that we give our time and energy for the purpose of amassing things. Our lives are spent to purchase material stuff. And, of course, the reason why we spend our lives in this endeavor is because our desire is for these things. Material things hold our allegiance. Somehow we believe that if we have enough stuff we will be happy.
But does money and social position really satisfy the human heart?
Several years ago Christina Onassis died at the young age of thirty-seven. People magazine carried the comment of her step-sister Henrietta Gelber. She said of Christina, "She was one of those people who would never be happy. She would become impatient. It had all come too easily - all the money, houses all over the world, few real responsibilities. She lacked a sense of achievement. What she was striving for was virtually impossible in her situation. She had houses all over the world, but she never really had a home."
So you think if you were a billionaire that you would be happy? Well, maybe you would. If you were, however, it would probably not be because you had a pile of money.
Woody Allen agrees, albeit with a twist: “Money can't buy happiness,” he said, “it just lets you look for it in better places.”
IT’S A MATTER OF PRIORITIES
Apparently, Jesus wasn’t a wealthy man. (In terms of material possessions)
But does Jesus prohibit the accumulation of wealth and possessions? No. It’s deeper than that. Jesus tells us that there is something wrong with the priorities of his day.
In Matthew 19:16 a rich young man came to Jesus and asked, “What must I do to get eternal life?”
Jesus told him to obey the law (Love God, Love Others)
The rich young man replied that he had done all that.
Jesus told him to sell all he had and give it to the poor, and then he will have treasure in heaven.
The story ends by telling us that the young man went away sad, because he had great wealth.
This story prompts Jesus’ saying, “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
CONSIDER YOUR OWN HEART
1. Draw a heart. It’s your own.
2. What are the things you treasure?
Write them in your heart.
3. Ask Jesus to come into your heart.
Does Jesus like what he sees? Does something have to go for Jesus to stay? Is something missing?
4. What will it take to get your heart (and everything in it) into heaven?
Ask God to help you do whatever is necessary to get your heart into heaven.
YOU CAN TAKE IT WITH YOU
To get our treasures to heaven we need to get them into the same heart where Jesus lives. Some items may be eliminated; some may need to be added.
Then we must give our heart (and all its possessions) to Jesus.
God is hunting for treasure – true treasure – God wants to find it in our lives. That’s the only way we can get our treasures to heaven.
Today we continue looking at Stewardship …
Last week we learned from Jeremiah (18:1-6) that God is the potter, we are the clay.
- Everything belongs to God, even the clay.
- We can’t make ourselves.
- We need to let God form us and make us into what God wants us to be.
1. Before we think about our relationship with things, we need to think about our relationship with God.
2. If we don’t have a good relationship with God, it will be difficult to have a good relationship with things.
Today we hear from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, a sermon full of spiritual truths with practical applications.
Jesus admonishes the people – “store up treasure in heaven.”
IT’S NATURAL TO WANT THINGS
I showed the children a statue of the Ekkeko god that is popular in the Andean region of South America. Ekkeko is the god of wealth and prosperity. He has a lot of stuff hung around his neck; each item represents some form of material wealth.
• The little sacks of pasta and dry goods represent food.• The copy of money represents monetary wealth.
• A little house represents a wish for a real house.• The miniature car represents a wish for a real automobile.Every year, (usually before noon on January 24th) people all over Bolivia, and in other countries in South America, tie what they wish for onto the Ekkeko figures. Once given to Ekkeko, the wishes or miniature items are never removed – to do so is considered bad luck. A well-used statue will be loaded down with desires or miniatures that represent many hopes. According to the ancient legend, when you place a miniature object on Ekkeko, you will receive what you wish for the following year.
Does it work? Sometimes.
What would you put on the Ekkeko? Jesus knows what we want (desire).
But Jesus told us (in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 6:25-34), don’t worry about food, clothing, or other things – at least as the first thing you do. “Seek God first and everything else will fall into place.” (Mt. 6:33, RSV, Really Steve’s Version)
IT’S BEEN SAID, “YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU”
For centuries (even millennia) people have been trying to get their wealth into heaven. The tombs of the Pharaohs are a good example.
Trying to disprove the saying "You can't take it with you," a stingy old lawyer, diagnosed with a terminal illness, finally figured out how to take at least some of his fortune with him when he died. He instructed his wife to go to the bank and withdraw enough money to fill two pillowcases. He then told her to take the bags of money to the attic and leave them directly above his bed. When he passed away, he planned to reach out and grab the bags on his way to heaven. Several weeks after the funeral, his wife, up in the attic cleaning came upon the two forgotten pillow cases stuffed with cash.
"Oh, that old fool!" she exclaimed. "I knew I should have put the money in the basement."
JESUS TELLS US, “WE CAN TAKE IT WITH US”
Yes, Jesus tells us we can take it with us. But … it may not be the things we think, or the things we want.
Hunting for Treasure is a passion. Many people have invested all of their lives looking for treasure.
Hunting for Treasure: Where are you going to look?
Russell Conwell gave the speech, Acres of Diamonds, which let’s us know we may find it right in our own backyard. (http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/rconwellacresofdiamonds.htm)
Ali Hafed was a well-to-do Persian farmer. An old Buddhist priest told him about diamonds. He got diamond fever – wanted to be extremely wealthy. He was discontented with life, not because he was poor, but because he was not satisfied.
The following are excerpts from the text:
"Will you tell me where I find diamonds?”
"Diamonds! What do you want with diamonds?”
“Why, I wish to be immensely rich.”
“Well, then, go along and find them. That is all you have to do; go and find them, and then you have them.”
“But I don’t know where to go.”
“Well, if you will find a river that runs through white sands, between high mountains, in those white sands you will always find diamonds.”
“I don’t believe there is any such river.”
“Oh yes, there are plenty of them. All you have to do is to go and find them, and then you have them.”
Said Ali Hafed, “I will go.”
Ali Hafed sold his farm, and traveled around the world looking for diamonds, and spent all he had looking for diamonds. He died a poor man, in a far country, with no friends or family around him.
The man who purchased his farm dug up a shiny stone and put it on his mantle. The priest came by for a visit. When he saw the shiny stone he asked, “Has Ali Hafed returned?” Here is a diamond. The man told him he dug it out of his garden.
Desire and craving and yearning took control of his life, and eventually took his life.
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR MAY NOT BE TRUE TREASURE
To talk about stewardship, we don’t first talk about “things” and “possessions” and money and wealth. All of these things are secondary.
First we look at our own relationship with God.
Last Sunday we emphasized our need to start with a good relationship with God. Matthew 6:33 (not far after today’s scripture passage) “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you.”
If your relationship with God is not solid and firm, you need to work on that first.
Next we need to look at our lives. What is important to us? What do we dedicate our lives to? What are our priorities?
When Jesus exhorts us not to lay up for ourselves treasures upon earth, He uses an interesting play upon words in the Greek. Lay up translates the Greek word thesaurizo. Treasures translates the Greek word thesauros. These two words come from a common term from which we get our English word thesaurus. A thesaurus is a treasury of words. So we might translate this phrase as, "do not treasure up treasures for yourselves on earth."
The idea here is that we give our time and energy for the purpose of amassing things. Our lives are spent to purchase material stuff. And, of course, the reason why we spend our lives in this endeavor is because our desire is for these things. Material things hold our allegiance. Somehow we believe that if we have enough stuff we will be happy.
But does money and social position really satisfy the human heart?
Several years ago Christina Onassis died at the young age of thirty-seven. People magazine carried the comment of her step-sister Henrietta Gelber. She said of Christina, "She was one of those people who would never be happy. She would become impatient. It had all come too easily - all the money, houses all over the world, few real responsibilities. She lacked a sense of achievement. What she was striving for was virtually impossible in her situation. She had houses all over the world, but she never really had a home."
So you think if you were a billionaire that you would be happy? Well, maybe you would. If you were, however, it would probably not be because you had a pile of money.
Woody Allen agrees, albeit with a twist: “Money can't buy happiness,” he said, “it just lets you look for it in better places.”
IT’S A MATTER OF PRIORITIES
Apparently, Jesus wasn’t a wealthy man. (In terms of material possessions)
But does Jesus prohibit the accumulation of wealth and possessions? No. It’s deeper than that. Jesus tells us that there is something wrong with the priorities of his day.
In Matthew 19:16 a rich young man came to Jesus and asked, “What must I do to get eternal life?”
Jesus told him to obey the law (Love God, Love Others)
The rich young man replied that he had done all that.
Jesus told him to sell all he had and give it to the poor, and then he will have treasure in heaven.
The story ends by telling us that the young man went away sad, because he had great wealth.
This story prompts Jesus’ saying, “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
CONSIDER YOUR OWN HEART
1. Draw a heart. It’s your own.
2. What are the things you treasure?
Write them in your heart.
3. Ask Jesus to come into your heart.
Does Jesus like what he sees? Does something have to go for Jesus to stay? Is something missing?
4. What will it take to get your heart (and everything in it) into heaven?
Ask God to help you do whatever is necessary to get your heart into heaven.
YOU CAN TAKE IT WITH YOU
To get our treasures to heaven we need to get them into the same heart where Jesus lives. Some items may be eliminated; some may need to be added.
Then we must give our heart (and all its possessions) to Jesus.
God is hunting for treasure – true treasure – God wants to find it in our lives. That’s the only way we can get our treasures to heaven.
Sermon Synopsis for April 13, 2008
“A Worthy Vessel” Jeremiah 18:1-6
This is the first part of a three part series about stewardship.
STEWARDSHIP
(Miriam-Webster definition): 1. The duties and obligations of a steward (employed to manage the affairs and concerns of another). 2. The careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care.
A steward is more a position of responsibility, not a position of pride and social standing.
IRS – donations to churches are deductible on federal taxes.
Maybe you’ve heard the story about a man who claimed a deduction for a $10K donation to his church. The IRS Calls the church to verify the deduction, “Did he make this donation.” The Church Treasurer tells him – “I’m sure (after I check) he will have made the donation.”
Our scripture passage is from Jeremiah. He’s known as “the sad prophet.” He had a lot to be sad about.
Jeremiah’s world was a mess. War and violence were all around. There were two super powers in the area: Babylonia (Nebuchadnezzar) and Egypt (Neco II); everyone else had a relative peace while these two big ones were fighting. You just had to be careful whose side you took. In 605 BC, at the Battle of Carchemish, Babylonia defeated Egypt and became the sole super power. Babylonia looked to take control of all the smaller kingdoms. Judah, unfortunately, thought Egypt was going to win, and sided with them.
Judah was a mess. Despite reforms from Young King Josiah, his children and grandchildren went against God. They made alliances with other kingdoms instead of trusting God.
Ultimately, according to Jeremiah, Judah was a spiritual mess. They accepted the gods of the other kingdoms, made graven images, had lax morality (no sin stardards), and sacrifices became cultural traditions.
Before they could become what God wanted them to be, they had to go through a transformation – they couldn’t be useful people to God in the condition they were in. They didn’t have a good value system in place, especially a system for self-worth.
WHAT ARE THINGS WORTH?
Three boys are in the schoolyard bragging about their fathers. The first boy says, "My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a poem, they give him $50."
The second boy says, "That's nothing. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a song, they give him $100."
The third boy says, "I got you both beat. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a sermon and it takes four people to collect all the money!"
It is tax time.
Maybe you heard about a little boy, who wanted $100.00 very badly, prayed for two weeks but nothing happened. Then he decided to write GOD a letter requesting $100.00. When the postal authorities received the letter to GOD, U.S.A., they decided to send it to the President. The President was so impressed, touched, and amused that he instructed his secretary to send the boy $5.00. Mr. President thought that this would appear to be a lot of money to the little boy. The little boy was delighted with the $5.00 and immediately sat down to write a thank you note to GOD that read: "Dear God, Thank you very much for sending me the money. However, I noticed that for some reason you had to send it through Washington, D.C., and, as usual, those devils deducted $95.00.
If a financial counselor asked you, “what’s your net worth?”
Most think of bank accounts, annual income, investments.
If the IRS asked you, “what’s your net worth?”
You might have a different answer.
If God asked you, “what’s your net worth?”
How would you respond?
Martin Luther, the protestant reformer, is quoted as saying, “People go through 3 conversions: their head, their heart and their pocketbook. Unfortunately, not all at the same time.”
WHAT IS OUR HUMAN LIFE WORTH?
There are different aspects of our lives to take into account.
Physical worth:
- Chemical components of human body = 3 to 4 dollars, depending on the market (but you have to lose your life to redeem this amount).
- We could sell our organs at a better price (same result, lose our life).
- Use our bodies to work (value per hour or per monthly salary)
- Sell our bodies (prostitution)
Social worth:
- Position in society.
- Riches, power
- Friends, colleagues, family
- Education
Spiritual worth:
- Religion, ecclesiastical structure, belief system.
- Ethics, moral
- Concept of god
What part of our lives does God want? (Rhetorical question)
I showed the children an old roughly made clay bowl and asked them what they thought it was worth. They didn’t appreciate it very much. When they learned that the bowl was from the formative period of pre-Columbian history in central South America, that changed everything. The fact that someone took some clay and formed this bowl as much as 2400 years ago made a big difference.
Isaiah wrote (64:8), “Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”
Our value comes from being formed by God!
Jeremiah went to the potter’s house.
In Israel (as in much of the world) pottery is the common stuff of everyday life.
The archaeological periods are (in some part) defined by the pottery style and form.
Pottery was a vital part of the economic structure in Old Testament times. It was a major industry. If you had gone down to the potter's house in those days you would have seen one or more men making this pottery using what we would call crude machinery. He would probably be sitting on a wooden seat with a small table in front of him. Under that table and fastened to it would be a large round rock about the size of a large automobile tire. He would turn the table by placing his feet on top of the large round stone and turning it by using his feet.
What did Jeremiah see? (Verses 3-4) He saw a potter making a vessel, decide it wasn’t very good, and use the same clay to make a new pot. (A Makeover) This was nothing out of the ordinary.
Jeremiah had a gift. He could see spiritual things in everyday objects and events. This ability is truly a gift from God.
God says to Jeremiah, “that’s a lot like you and me.” (v.6) An analogy.
God = potter
Clay = us, humans
Most of us would rather see ourselves in the role of the potter of our own lives (our destinies). That’s not the way God wants us to see it.
The clay is the work of the potter.
God has the authority (and ownership)
God has the power and ability
What can the clay do? Not much.
Can the clay reject what the potter has made?
Can the clay make itself?
Romans 9:20-21 “But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ Does not the potter have the right to make out of the clay what he wants?
God wants to form us – according to Genesis 2:26-27 – in His image.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over “the things I made, that are mine.”
God made us – God made us good – God made us to take care of his stuff.
The psalmist wrote “The Earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” (Psalm 24:1)
Jeremiah talks about a makeover:
God doesn’t want any “self-made men;” God wants men (and women) who submit to God’s forming in t heir lives.
Check out Jonathan Edwards’s 1741 sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” (http://www.ccel.org/ccel/edwards/sermons.sinners.html). Those hands can form you, or destroy you. It’s best to be forgiven when those hands are forming you!
Psalm 119:73 “Your hands made me and formed me …”
A Study was made (you can do a scientific investigation of anything these days) relating the mood of the potter to the work that is produced. This is not a production line with quality control, but an artist working with the clay. By looking at the pot (or whatever is being made) they could tell what mood the potter was in when it was made.
Can we push the analogy here? What mood was God in when you were made?
Why does the potter bother to make the pot?
- He likes to do it.
- He receives something for doing it.
- He’s good at it.
What about the pot?
- it must be useful
- it should be appealing to look at.
- It reflects the nature, person, and ability of the potter.
- Its value depends on these things.
Christian Stewardship doesn’t begin by talking about our relationship with money or things … it begins by talking about our relationship with God, our creator.
Searching for the true value of material possessions and for the value of people depends on the relationship with God
God wants to change our lives, a makeover, re-create us, so that we can be stewards, in God’s world.
Colossians 2:13 “When you were dead in your sins … and your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins.”
What are you worth? Did you ever watch Antiques Roadshow?
If I took you to the heavenly Antiques Roadshow, what would God say you are worth?
Our worth comes from being molded and shaped by God’s hands. It is God who gives us true worth. – Priceless.
Put your lives into God’s hands!
We closed with the hymn, HAVE THINE OWN WAY, LORD
Adelaide Pollard, who wrote "Have Thine Own Way Lord" knew something about the relationship between God and humanity, and the potter and the clay.
She didn’t like her life: changed her name (from Sarah), moved from Iowa to Boston, to Chicago, back to New England, etc. At a church meeting (1902) she heard a woman pray. The woman didn’t ask God for material blessings or things or liberation from problems; instead she prayed “It doesn’t matter what you bring into our lives, Lord. Just have your own way with us.” She decided to let God lead. That night Pollard wrote the words to this hymn.
"Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Thou art the potter, I am the clay! Mold me and make me after Thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still." (First verse of "Have Thine Own Way")
This is the first part of a three part series about stewardship.
STEWARDSHIP
(Miriam-Webster definition): 1. The duties and obligations of a steward (employed to manage the affairs and concerns of another). 2. The careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care.
A steward is more a position of responsibility, not a position of pride and social standing.
IRS – donations to churches are deductible on federal taxes.
Maybe you’ve heard the story about a man who claimed a deduction for a $10K donation to his church. The IRS Calls the church to verify the deduction, “Did he make this donation.” The Church Treasurer tells him – “I’m sure (after I check) he will have made the donation.”
Our scripture passage is from Jeremiah. He’s known as “the sad prophet.” He had a lot to be sad about.
Jeremiah’s world was a mess. War and violence were all around. There were two super powers in the area: Babylonia (Nebuchadnezzar) and Egypt (Neco II); everyone else had a relative peace while these two big ones were fighting. You just had to be careful whose side you took. In 605 BC, at the Battle of Carchemish, Babylonia defeated Egypt and became the sole super power. Babylonia looked to take control of all the smaller kingdoms. Judah, unfortunately, thought Egypt was going to win, and sided with them.
Judah was a mess. Despite reforms from Young King Josiah, his children and grandchildren went against God. They made alliances with other kingdoms instead of trusting God.
Ultimately, according to Jeremiah, Judah was a spiritual mess. They accepted the gods of the other kingdoms, made graven images, had lax morality (no sin stardards), and sacrifices became cultural traditions.
Before they could become what God wanted them to be, they had to go through a transformation – they couldn’t be useful people to God in the condition they were in. They didn’t have a good value system in place, especially a system for self-worth.
WHAT ARE THINGS WORTH?
Three boys are in the schoolyard bragging about their fathers. The first boy says, "My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a poem, they give him $50."
The second boy says, "That's nothing. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a song, they give him $100."
The third boy says, "I got you both beat. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a sermon and it takes four people to collect all the money!"
It is tax time.
Maybe you heard about a little boy, who wanted $100.00 very badly, prayed for two weeks but nothing happened. Then he decided to write GOD a letter requesting $100.00. When the postal authorities received the letter to GOD, U.S.A., they decided to send it to the President. The President was so impressed, touched, and amused that he instructed his secretary to send the boy $5.00. Mr. President thought that this would appear to be a lot of money to the little boy. The little boy was delighted with the $5.00 and immediately sat down to write a thank you note to GOD that read: "Dear God, Thank you very much for sending me the money. However, I noticed that for some reason you had to send it through Washington, D.C., and, as usual, those devils deducted $95.00.
If a financial counselor asked you, “what’s your net worth?”
Most think of bank accounts, annual income, investments.
If the IRS asked you, “what’s your net worth?”
You might have a different answer.
If God asked you, “what’s your net worth?”
How would you respond?
Martin Luther, the protestant reformer, is quoted as saying, “People go through 3 conversions: their head, their heart and their pocketbook. Unfortunately, not all at the same time.”
WHAT IS OUR HUMAN LIFE WORTH?
There are different aspects of our lives to take into account.
Physical worth:
- Chemical components of human body = 3 to 4 dollars, depending on the market (but you have to lose your life to redeem this amount).
- We could sell our organs at a better price (same result, lose our life).
- Use our bodies to work (value per hour or per monthly salary)
- Sell our bodies (prostitution)
Social worth:
- Position in society.
- Riches, power
- Friends, colleagues, family
- Education
Spiritual worth:
- Religion, ecclesiastical structure, belief system.
- Ethics, moral
- Concept of god
What part of our lives does God want? (Rhetorical question)
I showed the children an old roughly made clay bowl and asked them what they thought it was worth. They didn’t appreciate it very much. When they learned that the bowl was from the formative period of pre-Columbian history in central South America, that changed everything. The fact that someone took some clay and formed this bowl as much as 2400 years ago made a big difference.
Isaiah wrote (64:8), “Yet, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”
Our value comes from being formed by God!
Jeremiah went to the potter’s house.
In Israel (as in much of the world) pottery is the common stuff of everyday life.
The archaeological periods are (in some part) defined by the pottery style and form.
Pottery was a vital part of the economic structure in Old Testament times. It was a major industry. If you had gone down to the potter's house in those days you would have seen one or more men making this pottery using what we would call crude machinery. He would probably be sitting on a wooden seat with a small table in front of him. Under that table and fastened to it would be a large round rock about the size of a large automobile tire. He would turn the table by placing his feet on top of the large round stone and turning it by using his feet.
What did Jeremiah see? (Verses 3-4) He saw a potter making a vessel, decide it wasn’t very good, and use the same clay to make a new pot. (A Makeover) This was nothing out of the ordinary.
Jeremiah had a gift. He could see spiritual things in everyday objects and events. This ability is truly a gift from God.
God says to Jeremiah, “that’s a lot like you and me.” (v.6) An analogy.
God = potter
Clay = us, humans
Most of us would rather see ourselves in the role of the potter of our own lives (our destinies). That’s not the way God wants us to see it.
The clay is the work of the potter.
God has the authority (and ownership)
God has the power and ability
What can the clay do? Not much.
Can the clay reject what the potter has made?
Can the clay make itself?
Romans 9:20-21 “But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ Does not the potter have the right to make out of the clay what he wants?
God wants to form us – according to Genesis 2:26-27 – in His image.
Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over “the things I made, that are mine.”
God made us – God made us good – God made us to take care of his stuff.
The psalmist wrote “The Earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” (Psalm 24:1)
Jeremiah talks about a makeover:
God doesn’t want any “self-made men;” God wants men (and women) who submit to God’s forming in t heir lives.
Check out Jonathan Edwards’s 1741 sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” (http://www.ccel.org/ccel/edwards/sermons.sinners.html). Those hands can form you, or destroy you. It’s best to be forgiven when those hands are forming you!
Psalm 119:73 “Your hands made me and formed me …”
A Study was made (you can do a scientific investigation of anything these days) relating the mood of the potter to the work that is produced. This is not a production line with quality control, but an artist working with the clay. By looking at the pot (or whatever is being made) they could tell what mood the potter was in when it was made.
Can we push the analogy here? What mood was God in when you were made?
Why does the potter bother to make the pot?
- He likes to do it.
- He receives something for doing it.
- He’s good at it.
What about the pot?
- it must be useful
- it should be appealing to look at.
- It reflects the nature, person, and ability of the potter.
- Its value depends on these things.
Christian Stewardship doesn’t begin by talking about our relationship with money or things … it begins by talking about our relationship with God, our creator.
Searching for the true value of material possessions and for the value of people depends on the relationship with God
God wants to change our lives, a makeover, re-create us, so that we can be stewards, in God’s world.
Colossians 2:13 “When you were dead in your sins … and your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins.”
What are you worth? Did you ever watch Antiques Roadshow?
If I took you to the heavenly Antiques Roadshow, what would God say you are worth?
Our worth comes from being molded and shaped by God’s hands. It is God who gives us true worth. – Priceless.
Put your lives into God’s hands!
We closed with the hymn, HAVE THINE OWN WAY, LORD
Adelaide Pollard, who wrote "Have Thine Own Way Lord" knew something about the relationship between God and humanity, and the potter and the clay.
She didn’t like her life: changed her name (from Sarah), moved from Iowa to Boston, to Chicago, back to New England, etc. At a church meeting (1902) she heard a woman pray. The woman didn’t ask God for material blessings or things or liberation from problems; instead she prayed “It doesn’t matter what you bring into our lives, Lord. Just have your own way with us.” She decided to let God lead. That night Pollard wrote the words to this hymn.
"Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Thou art the potter, I am the clay! Mold me and make me after Thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still." (First verse of "Have Thine Own Way")
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Sermon Synopsis for March 23, 2008
John 20:1-18 “Our Testimony: Jesus Lives”
I’m sure you’ve heard about the time the Sunday School teacher asked about the true meaning of Easter.
The first child to respond said, “It’s when we color eggs and our parents hide them and we look for them.”
The Teacher politely responded that there is more to it than that.
The next child told her, “It’s when we find a basked full of goodies that the Easter Bunny brings and we eat lots of chocolate and candy.”
The Teacher again asked for something more.
Little Joey responded, “It’s when we remember that Jesus rose out of the tomb …”
“Wonderful,” thought the Teacher.
Joey continued, “and if he sees his shadow there is 6 weeks more of winter.”
Easter means different things do different people.
James MacDonald, a pastor in Chicago, said, “For those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ and take the Gospel seriously, this is our Big Time. Sports fanatics have the Super Bowl, but if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, this is our weekend.”
As Christians we’ve celebrated the triumphal entry, the mystery of Jesus in the Upper Room (washing the feet of his disciples, giving them his broken body and shed blood), the horror of Good Friday, and now we arrive at Easter – Resurrection Day.
Apostles Creed (An important confession of the early believers) states, “I believe in . . . Jesus Christ . . . on the third day he rose again from the dead, he ascended into heaven and he is seated at the right hand of the father.”
Did you ever play the game of Jenga? You pull out the blocks until the stack falls – hopefully for the other person playing. Pulling out the block of the resurrection is what would make the whole thing, we call Christianity, fall.
WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT QUESTIONS THE RESURRECTION
It’s interesting – George Barna Reports – 30% of self described evangelical born-again Christians don’t believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus from the Dead.
Time Magazine (March 2004) was dedicated to “The Search for Jesus.” According to “The Jesus Seminar,” The descriptions of the trial, crucifixion and resurrection in the Gospels have been deemed inauthentic. Unbelievable. Jesus couldn’t have risen from the dead.
These teachings are what led Sigmund Freud to declare, “Religion is the Opiate of the People” and Frederick Nietzsche, “God is Dead”
Our founding father, Thomas Jefferson, cut the resurrection stories out of his personal version of the Bible, dismissing them as too astonishing to believe. His version of the Gospel ends with “There laid they Jesus, and rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.” (Jefferson Bible, chapter 17, verses 63-64 http://www.angelfire.com/co/JeffersonBible/)
Is it possible to be a Christian and not believe in the Resurrection of Jesus?
Not if an empty grave is the pivotal reason for our faith.
FOR OUR FAITH
The Apostle Paul wrote. “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” (I Cor 15:14) “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile.” (I Cor 15:17)
As Christians, without the resurrection, we have nothing to live for, no purpose for our existence. Our Faith – what we firmly believe in – is useless and futile.
"Futile" (Greek, canos – empty) – a great waste of time.
Church, worship, programs, activities, tithes and offerings – useless.
Loving others, community outreach, missionary work - all secular humanism.
JESUS APPROACH
Jesus didn’t make a big show out of the resurrection. If he did, it could have changed everything.
If it were me … I’d jump out and say, “Ta - Da!” I would have shown off to as many people as possible. They would have known right away: The newspapers, the press, CNN, FOX News.
Jesus, on the other hand, went and spoke with those closest to him, in a mysterious way.
If only he had appeared to Pilate, Caiaphas, Herod, or even Caesar – everything would have been different. But he sought out those closest to him – his friends and followers. It would never have stood up in a court of law. These witnesses have a vested interest.
Ultimately, Jesus was interested in his followers … not in the Pilates, Ciaphas, or Caesars. His followers: these were the ones who had followed him, trusted him, put their faith in him.
OUR RESPONSE
Would you recognize Jesus, if you saw him?
Recognizing Jesus is key to the Easter story.
The first time Mary Magdalene saw the risen Jesus, she thought he was a gardener.
Peter, John, the other disciples all were amazed when they saw the risen Jesus.
Thomas needed to feel his wounds to believe it was him.
Jesus appeared to two people on the road to Emmaus (today’s Sunday School lesson)
I’m sure they would have acted different if they knew it was Jesus.
Mary thought he was a gardener.
I’ve had my share of embarrassing and odd experiences of talking with people that I should have known who they were.
As a college student, I was walking to class, complaining with another person about what I heard about the new professor - it was him. Oops!
At the Cochabamba, Bolivia Airport, I saw a humble looking man sitting alone in the waiting area. I asked him about his perspective on the current social problems affecting Bolivia. I talked about the role of faith in our response to the present riots and that I was on my way to a church meeting to decide how to react to the current wave of political unrest. The person turned out to be Evo Morales, who is presently the President of Bolivia. Oops!
Mary, talking to a gardener in the garden near Jesus’ tomb, “They have taken my Lord away and I don’t know where they have put him.”
Jesus / Gardner, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?
Mary, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
Jesus, “Mary”
The sound of her name – in that familiar voice - was all she needed.
Mary went to see a tomb with a body; the other gospels tell us she went to put spices on the body.
Mary found the risen Lord.
I showed the children an empty Easter basket. They were disappointed. Easter is the holiday we celebrate finding nothing. The tomb was empty. We can stay in our disappointment in an empty basket (tomb), or, like the disciples, we can rejoice in seeing the resurrected Jesus.
OUR HOPES
They had hoped that Jesus would be the one who would redeem Israel.
What are your hopes about Jesus? Jesus wants to speak to you in a personal way.
Every Easter morning in Bolivia the protestant evangelical churches march to the Coronilla Hill after an all night prayer vigil (sort of a wake for Jesus). At the Coronilla they celebrate the resurrection!
One year I noticed my friend Jaime Goytia sitting in the crowd of about 20K. Jaime’s father was the 8th protestant Christian in Bolivia. Jaime had seen the believers grow in number from a handful to a great multitude. God is doing things. The risen Jesus is still revealing himself to people going all sorts of places.
Mary didn’t recognize Jesus.
Maybe what’s most important is that Jesus recognized Mary.
Mary felt that God had left her. She (and the other disciples) were without hope and discouraged in the way things turned out.
In the midst of her despair, she was reassured by Jesus presence – He was alive!
Like Mary, we may feel discouraged in the way things have turned out. Jesus presence can assure us as well. Jesus wants you to recognize him. He calls out your name. Are you listening? :I died for you …. Will you live for me?”
Don’t wait for an announcement on the evening news, a CNN newscase, a proclamation from the White House. Look for Jesus; you’ll find him. “Seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) You will be surprised what you find.
Mary was looking for a sealed tomb. She found Jesus.
Mary’s testimony to the others (John 20:18) was, “I have seen the Lord!”
Our testimony is the same – whatever we’re looking for, we need to feel the Lord’s presence in our lives and our testimony is our personal experience with Jesus. That’s enough.
Jesus wants to have a personal relationship with you. It’s the only way you can say, “I have seen the Lord!”
I’m sure you’ve heard about the time the Sunday School teacher asked about the true meaning of Easter.
The first child to respond said, “It’s when we color eggs and our parents hide them and we look for them.”
The Teacher politely responded that there is more to it than that.
The next child told her, “It’s when we find a basked full of goodies that the Easter Bunny brings and we eat lots of chocolate and candy.”
The Teacher again asked for something more.
Little Joey responded, “It’s when we remember that Jesus rose out of the tomb …”
“Wonderful,” thought the Teacher.
Joey continued, “and if he sees his shadow there is 6 weeks more of winter.”
Easter means different things do different people.
James MacDonald, a pastor in Chicago, said, “For those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ and take the Gospel seriously, this is our Big Time. Sports fanatics have the Super Bowl, but if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, this is our weekend.”
As Christians we’ve celebrated the triumphal entry, the mystery of Jesus in the Upper Room (washing the feet of his disciples, giving them his broken body and shed blood), the horror of Good Friday, and now we arrive at Easter – Resurrection Day.
Apostles Creed (An important confession of the early believers) states, “I believe in . . . Jesus Christ . . . on the third day he rose again from the dead, he ascended into heaven and he is seated at the right hand of the father.”
Did you ever play the game of Jenga? You pull out the blocks until the stack falls – hopefully for the other person playing. Pulling out the block of the resurrection is what would make the whole thing, we call Christianity, fall.
WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT QUESTIONS THE RESURRECTION
It’s interesting – George Barna Reports – 30% of self described evangelical born-again Christians don’t believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus from the Dead.
Time Magazine (March 2004) was dedicated to “The Search for Jesus.” According to “The Jesus Seminar,” The descriptions of the trial, crucifixion and resurrection in the Gospels have been deemed inauthentic. Unbelievable. Jesus couldn’t have risen from the dead.
These teachings are what led Sigmund Freud to declare, “Religion is the Opiate of the People” and Frederick Nietzsche, “God is Dead”
Our founding father, Thomas Jefferson, cut the resurrection stories out of his personal version of the Bible, dismissing them as too astonishing to believe. His version of the Gospel ends with “There laid they Jesus, and rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.” (Jefferson Bible, chapter 17, verses 63-64 http://www.angelfire.com/co/JeffersonBible/)
Is it possible to be a Christian and not believe in the Resurrection of Jesus?
Not if an empty grave is the pivotal reason for our faith.
FOR OUR FAITH
The Apostle Paul wrote. “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” (I Cor 15:14) “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile.” (I Cor 15:17)
As Christians, without the resurrection, we have nothing to live for, no purpose for our existence. Our Faith – what we firmly believe in – is useless and futile.
"Futile" (Greek, canos – empty) – a great waste of time.
Church, worship, programs, activities, tithes and offerings – useless.
Loving others, community outreach, missionary work - all secular humanism.
JESUS APPROACH
Jesus didn’t make a big show out of the resurrection. If he did, it could have changed everything.
If it were me … I’d jump out and say, “Ta - Da!” I would have shown off to as many people as possible. They would have known right away: The newspapers, the press, CNN, FOX News.
Jesus, on the other hand, went and spoke with those closest to him, in a mysterious way.
If only he had appeared to Pilate, Caiaphas, Herod, or even Caesar – everything would have been different. But he sought out those closest to him – his friends and followers. It would never have stood up in a court of law. These witnesses have a vested interest.
Ultimately, Jesus was interested in his followers … not in the Pilates, Ciaphas, or Caesars. His followers: these were the ones who had followed him, trusted him, put their faith in him.
OUR RESPONSE
Would you recognize Jesus, if you saw him?
Recognizing Jesus is key to the Easter story.
The first time Mary Magdalene saw the risen Jesus, she thought he was a gardener.
Peter, John, the other disciples all were amazed when they saw the risen Jesus.
Thomas needed to feel his wounds to believe it was him.
Jesus appeared to two people on the road to Emmaus (today’s Sunday School lesson)
I’m sure they would have acted different if they knew it was Jesus.
Mary thought he was a gardener.
I’ve had my share of embarrassing and odd experiences of talking with people that I should have known who they were.
As a college student, I was walking to class, complaining with another person about what I heard about the new professor - it was him. Oops!
At the Cochabamba, Bolivia Airport, I saw a humble looking man sitting alone in the waiting area. I asked him about his perspective on the current social problems affecting Bolivia. I talked about the role of faith in our response to the present riots and that I was on my way to a church meeting to decide how to react to the current wave of political unrest. The person turned out to be Evo Morales, who is presently the President of Bolivia. Oops!
Mary, talking to a gardener in the garden near Jesus’ tomb, “They have taken my Lord away and I don’t know where they have put him.”
Jesus / Gardner, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?
Mary, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
Jesus, “Mary”
The sound of her name – in that familiar voice - was all she needed.
Mary went to see a tomb with a body; the other gospels tell us she went to put spices on the body.
Mary found the risen Lord.
I showed the children an empty Easter basket. They were disappointed. Easter is the holiday we celebrate finding nothing. The tomb was empty. We can stay in our disappointment in an empty basket (tomb), or, like the disciples, we can rejoice in seeing the resurrected Jesus.
OUR HOPES
They had hoped that Jesus would be the one who would redeem Israel.
What are your hopes about Jesus? Jesus wants to speak to you in a personal way.
Every Easter morning in Bolivia the protestant evangelical churches march to the Coronilla Hill after an all night prayer vigil (sort of a wake for Jesus). At the Coronilla they celebrate the resurrection!
One year I noticed my friend Jaime Goytia sitting in the crowd of about 20K. Jaime’s father was the 8th protestant Christian in Bolivia. Jaime had seen the believers grow in number from a handful to a great multitude. God is doing things. The risen Jesus is still revealing himself to people going all sorts of places.
Mary didn’t recognize Jesus.
Maybe what’s most important is that Jesus recognized Mary.
Mary felt that God had left her. She (and the other disciples) were without hope and discouraged in the way things turned out.
In the midst of her despair, she was reassured by Jesus presence – He was alive!
Like Mary, we may feel discouraged in the way things have turned out. Jesus presence can assure us as well. Jesus wants you to recognize him. He calls out your name. Are you listening? :I died for you …. Will you live for me?”
Don’t wait for an announcement on the evening news, a CNN newscase, a proclamation from the White House. Look for Jesus; you’ll find him. “Seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) You will be surprised what you find.
Mary was looking for a sealed tomb. She found Jesus.
Mary’s testimony to the others (John 20:18) was, “I have seen the Lord!”
Our testimony is the same – whatever we’re looking for, we need to feel the Lord’s presence in our lives and our testimony is our personal experience with Jesus. That’s enough.
Jesus wants to have a personal relationship with you. It’s the only way you can say, “I have seen the Lord!”
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Sermon Synopsis for March 9, 2008
John 11:1-45 “Into New Life”
We talked about the story of Lazarus in John 11. Maybe you heard about the Children’s Sunday School class that studied the story. The little boy asked the teacher hy the Bible doesn’t mention the others that came out of the grave?
The teacher asked why he thinks there were others in the grave.
The Boy responded, “The Bible says that Lazarus came forth.”
That’s a King James Version Joke. That’s a problem with new translations of the Bible – They ruin a lot of old jokes.
HOW IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?
When our relationship with God is good, it’s easy to do many things:
- To attend church and S.S.
- To contribute to the offering and special projects
- To help out where you can
- Volunteer
What about when things get rough?
- Arthritis is keeping you from doing what you enjoy
- Problems of old age, the body is wearing out
- Financial problems
- Marriage problems
- Tragic accident (boy killed in motorcycle accident a month ago)
- your sister-in-law is dying
- your mother is dying
- you are dying
When difficulties enter our lives, sometimes it affects our relationship with God.
How is your relationship with God then?
Martha, Mary and Lazarus had a special relationship with Jesus. They were good friends.
When Jesus heard Lazarus was ill, he waited a couple of days and then went to visit the family. It doesn’t make sense for him to wait if he really liked Lazarus and family. He told his disciples, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep,” by which he meant Lazarus was dead.
MOST OF US WOULD GO TO THE FUNERAL OF A FRIEND
Funerals are a time to remember special relationships we had with people. They are difficult; because we won’t see that person any longer in just the same way we knew them.
Lazarus (and his sisters Mary and Martha) were friends with Jesus and his disciples. Lazarus had died. Jesus went (late) to the funeral; when all the grieving was in full swing.
It turned out to be one of the oddest funerals in the history of the world – Lazarus came back to life and they had a great reunion among friends. Most funerals don’t turn out that way.
Funerals often bring accusations. (The “if onlys”)
- If only I hadn’t let him go
- If only I had seen the warning symptoms
- If only I had sent her to the doctor sooner
The “If Onlys” can destroy us.
As Jesus was approaching the town of Bethany; the funeral was in full swing. The mourners were “sitting shivah.” Martha came out to see Jesus with her “if only.” “Jesus, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21)
Later on, Mary caught up with Jesus and had her own “if only.”
When I was director of the Baptist Seminary in Cochabamba, Bolivia, we sent our students to do internship ministry. A group was going South, over the Taquina mountain range to minister in rural villages. Long story shorter – a tragic accident killed a number of the students. Enrique Ferufino was one of those who died. A bad case of the “if onlys” hit hard. It hit me, the other students, the churches, the seminary, especially his family and community. It was so bad, we considered closing the seminary for a while.
When Martha came with her “if only,” Jesus told Martha, “Your brother will rise again”
Martha replied, “I know, in the end times.”
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believe in me will live …”
Jesus was telling Martha, “Trust me” “Believe in me”
Jesus came to the funeral so they would trust in him.
JESUS WANTS TO BE OUR FRIEND
John 15:15 says, “I no longer call you servants … instead I call you friends.”
Confession time: I had a speeding ticket last week. Your pastor is in trouble with the law. Sorry. I look at that section of road differently now.
The fact is, when there are police around, I drive differently.
Many people consider God as a police rather than a friend.
Jesus is our Savior. He is our Master. He is the eternal God who came to this earth and was made a man. Jesus is the Son of God who offered Himself as a sacrifice on Calvary for our sins. He who knew no sin was made sin on our behalf that we might be made the righteous of God in Him. Jesus rose from the dead on the third day; thereby proving Himself to be both the Son of God and God the Son. Jesus ascended into heaven and took His place on the throne at the right hand of God the Father. Jesus is our ruler, judge, and King. But is he our friend? Would you be comfortable talking to him the way you do to your friends in "your language?"
Jesus wants that kind of relationship with us. You don’t become friends easy. It means spending time together. It means sharing ideas, feelings, experiences. Going fishing together, hunting together, sewing together, shopping together.
The words friendship and together are just about inseparable.
Jesus became friends with Mary, Martha & Lazarus. And the bottom line of their relationship – he loved them. (Greek: filios – “like a brother”)
Jesus loved Lazarus, and we suppose that Lazarus loved Jesus too.
That’s why Lazarus’ death upset Jesus so much.
Jesus likes to be present at his friends funerals.
THE GOSPEL MESSAGE TELLS US THAT JESUS WANTS TO GO TO OUR FUNERALS, JUST LIKE HE WENT TO LAZARUS’ FUNERAL.
Jesus shares our emotions:
Everyone was crying – Mary, Martha, all the people at the funeral …
What was Jesus’ response?
Shortest verse in the English language Bible (John 11:35) “Jesus wept.”
Why did Jesus weep?
Certainly he was moved by the death of his friend and the emotion of everyone else.
Jesus wept …
Because it isn’t fair!
Death dominates.
It’s not the way God wants it to be
God wants us to live - that’s why Jesus came into the world. We learned that fact from Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus. John 3:16-17 - God loves the world so much, he sent Jesus … so that we might live. God didn’t send Jesus to condemn us – we already feel bad enough … God sent Jesus that through him we might be saved
God cries, God weeps - at a world of sin / anger / hatred / death
God sees the sickness, the sadness, the troubles, the sorrow – and it makes God sad.
So he sends Jesus - to do something about it.
Even though it looks like it’s too late (like it was for Lazarus), the gospel message is “It’s not too late!”
It wasn’t fair that Jesus suffered and died; it was one of the great tragedies of all time.
But God used that suffering and death that we might have life.
Jesus said to disciples in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”
When I reflect on my personal friendships, I realized that I really haven’t done much for my friends. Friends do nice things for each other. I had been a friend. I loaned money; treated them to a meal; shared experiences; given them nice gifts (rule: the nicer the gift the better the friend): prayed with them and for them.
I’ve read about friends who: gave a kidney; worked so they could get an education; given large sums of cash. However, I never thought about dying for a friend. It’s tough to think about.
Jesus is just that kind of friend. He wants that kind of relationship with us.
TO THE POINT
Jesus was present at Lazarus funeral. It turned out to be one of the oddest funerals in the history of the world – Lazarus came back to life and they had a great reunion among friends. Most funerals don’t turn out that way.
In two weeks we celebrate the funeral of Jesus (Good Friday). That’s another funeral that didn’t turn out as most people expected.
Friendships are important, but they don't always last. Most of the friends I had as a kid are long gone. The friends I had as a teenager are a distance away. Even many of the friends that I have had as an adult have drifted away. Jesus knows us and loves us. He stands by for us. He cares about our weakness and loneliness. Jesus will always be there for us. He wants to be our friend. He loves us.
Here's Jesus' promise to you! "When you are sad…I will dry your tears. When you are scared…I will comfort your fears…when you are worried…I will give you hope…And when you are lost and cannot see the light…I shall be your beacon, shinning ever so bright. This is my promise, I pledge till the end. 'Why?' you may ask…because you are my friend." Because I love you.
The tragic death of Enrique Ferrufino (long story short), resulted in many coming to Christ.
Lazarus’ death and resurrection resulted in … v. 45 “many … put their faith in him.” They trusted Jesus.
How is your relationship with Jesus?
Is he your friend?
Jesus will come into your life. – Invite Him!
Jesus will come to your funeral.
He will give you new life.
We talked about the story of Lazarus in John 11. Maybe you heard about the Children’s Sunday School class that studied the story. The little boy asked the teacher hy the Bible doesn’t mention the others that came out of the grave?
The teacher asked why he thinks there were others in the grave.
The Boy responded, “The Bible says that Lazarus came forth.”
That’s a King James Version Joke. That’s a problem with new translations of the Bible – They ruin a lot of old jokes.
HOW IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD?
When our relationship with God is good, it’s easy to do many things:
- To attend church and S.S.
- To contribute to the offering and special projects
- To help out where you can
- Volunteer
What about when things get rough?
- Arthritis is keeping you from doing what you enjoy
- Problems of old age, the body is wearing out
- Financial problems
- Marriage problems
- Tragic accident (boy killed in motorcycle accident a month ago)
- your sister-in-law is dying
- your mother is dying
- you are dying
When difficulties enter our lives, sometimes it affects our relationship with God.
How is your relationship with God then?
Martha, Mary and Lazarus had a special relationship with Jesus. They were good friends.
When Jesus heard Lazarus was ill, he waited a couple of days and then went to visit the family. It doesn’t make sense for him to wait if he really liked Lazarus and family. He told his disciples, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep,” by which he meant Lazarus was dead.
MOST OF US WOULD GO TO THE FUNERAL OF A FRIEND
Funerals are a time to remember special relationships we had with people. They are difficult; because we won’t see that person any longer in just the same way we knew them.
Lazarus (and his sisters Mary and Martha) were friends with Jesus and his disciples. Lazarus had died. Jesus went (late) to the funeral; when all the grieving was in full swing.
It turned out to be one of the oddest funerals in the history of the world – Lazarus came back to life and they had a great reunion among friends. Most funerals don’t turn out that way.
Funerals often bring accusations. (The “if onlys”)
- If only I hadn’t let him go
- If only I had seen the warning symptoms
- If only I had sent her to the doctor sooner
The “If Onlys” can destroy us.
As Jesus was approaching the town of Bethany; the funeral was in full swing. The mourners were “sitting shivah.” Martha came out to see Jesus with her “if only.” “Jesus, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died.” (John 11:21)
Later on, Mary caught up with Jesus and had her own “if only.”
When I was director of the Baptist Seminary in Cochabamba, Bolivia, we sent our students to do internship ministry. A group was going South, over the Taquina mountain range to minister in rural villages. Long story shorter – a tragic accident killed a number of the students. Enrique Ferufino was one of those who died. A bad case of the “if onlys” hit hard. It hit me, the other students, the churches, the seminary, especially his family and community. It was so bad, we considered closing the seminary for a while.
When Martha came with her “if only,” Jesus told Martha, “Your brother will rise again”
Martha replied, “I know, in the end times.”
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believe in me will live …”
Jesus was telling Martha, “Trust me” “Believe in me”
Jesus came to the funeral so they would trust in him.
JESUS WANTS TO BE OUR FRIEND
John 15:15 says, “I no longer call you servants … instead I call you friends.”
Confession time: I had a speeding ticket last week. Your pastor is in trouble with the law. Sorry. I look at that section of road differently now.
The fact is, when there are police around, I drive differently.
Many people consider God as a police rather than a friend.
Jesus is our Savior. He is our Master. He is the eternal God who came to this earth and was made a man. Jesus is the Son of God who offered Himself as a sacrifice on Calvary for our sins. He who knew no sin was made sin on our behalf that we might be made the righteous of God in Him. Jesus rose from the dead on the third day; thereby proving Himself to be both the Son of God and God the Son. Jesus ascended into heaven and took His place on the throne at the right hand of God the Father. Jesus is our ruler, judge, and King. But is he our friend? Would you be comfortable talking to him the way you do to your friends in "your language?"
Jesus wants that kind of relationship with us. You don’t become friends easy. It means spending time together. It means sharing ideas, feelings, experiences. Going fishing together, hunting together, sewing together, shopping together.
The words friendship and together are just about inseparable.
Jesus became friends with Mary, Martha & Lazarus. And the bottom line of their relationship – he loved them. (Greek: filios – “like a brother”)
Jesus loved Lazarus, and we suppose that Lazarus loved Jesus too.
That’s why Lazarus’ death upset Jesus so much.
Jesus likes to be present at his friends funerals.
THE GOSPEL MESSAGE TELLS US THAT JESUS WANTS TO GO TO OUR FUNERALS, JUST LIKE HE WENT TO LAZARUS’ FUNERAL.
Jesus shares our emotions:
Everyone was crying – Mary, Martha, all the people at the funeral …
What was Jesus’ response?
Shortest verse in the English language Bible (John 11:35) “Jesus wept.”
Why did Jesus weep?
Certainly he was moved by the death of his friend and the emotion of everyone else.
Jesus wept …
Because it isn’t fair!
Death dominates.
It’s not the way God wants it to be
God wants us to live - that’s why Jesus came into the world. We learned that fact from Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus. John 3:16-17 - God loves the world so much, he sent Jesus … so that we might live. God didn’t send Jesus to condemn us – we already feel bad enough … God sent Jesus that through him we might be saved
God cries, God weeps - at a world of sin / anger / hatred / death
God sees the sickness, the sadness, the troubles, the sorrow – and it makes God sad.
So he sends Jesus - to do something about it.
Even though it looks like it’s too late (like it was for Lazarus), the gospel message is “It’s not too late!”
It wasn’t fair that Jesus suffered and died; it was one of the great tragedies of all time.
But God used that suffering and death that we might have life.
Jesus said to disciples in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”
When I reflect on my personal friendships, I realized that I really haven’t done much for my friends. Friends do nice things for each other. I had been a friend. I loaned money; treated them to a meal; shared experiences; given them nice gifts (rule: the nicer the gift the better the friend): prayed with them and for them.
I’ve read about friends who: gave a kidney; worked so they could get an education; given large sums of cash. However, I never thought about dying for a friend. It’s tough to think about.
Jesus is just that kind of friend. He wants that kind of relationship with us.
TO THE POINT
Jesus was present at Lazarus funeral. It turned out to be one of the oddest funerals in the history of the world – Lazarus came back to life and they had a great reunion among friends. Most funerals don’t turn out that way.
In two weeks we celebrate the funeral of Jesus (Good Friday). That’s another funeral that didn’t turn out as most people expected.
Friendships are important, but they don't always last. Most of the friends I had as a kid are long gone. The friends I had as a teenager are a distance away. Even many of the friends that I have had as an adult have drifted away. Jesus knows us and loves us. He stands by for us. He cares about our weakness and loneliness. Jesus will always be there for us. He wants to be our friend. He loves us.
Here's Jesus' promise to you! "When you are sad…I will dry your tears. When you are scared…I will comfort your fears…when you are worried…I will give you hope…And when you are lost and cannot see the light…I shall be your beacon, shinning ever so bright. This is my promise, I pledge till the end. 'Why?' you may ask…because you are my friend." Because I love you.
The tragic death of Enrique Ferrufino (long story short), resulted in many coming to Christ.
Lazarus’ death and resurrection resulted in … v. 45 “many … put their faith in him.” They trusted Jesus.
How is your relationship with Jesus?
Is he your friend?
Jesus will come into your life. – Invite Him!
Jesus will come to your funeral.
He will give you new life.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Sermon Synopsis for March 2, 2008
“Into New Sight” John 9:1-41
Maybe you’ve heard …
Jesus shows up in the darndest places. One day he was in a local coffee shop.
The waiter was washing mugs, when an elderly Dominican man came in and hoisted his bad leg on the chair beside him, pulled himself up painfully, and asked for some espresso. The Dominican looked across the room and said, "Is that Jesus down there?" The waiter nodded and the Dominican told him to give Jesus an espresso too.
The next patron was an ailing Italian with a hunched back and slowness of movement. He shuffled up to the counter and asked for a mocha latte. He also looked down the counter and asked if that was Jesus sitting down there. The waiter nodded and the Italian said to give him a mocha latte.
The third patron, an American, limped in dragging his leg on the floor and hollered, "Waiter, gimme a black coffee. Hey, is that Jesus down there?" The waiter nodded, and the American told him he wanted to buy Jesus a coffee too.
As Jesus got up to leave, he walked over to the Dominican, touched him and said, "For your kindness, you are healed!" The Dominican felt the strength come back to his leg, and he got up and danced to the door.
Jesus touched the Italian and said, "For your kindness you are healed!" The Italian felt his back straighten, and he raised his hands above his head and did a flip out the door.
As Jesus walked toward the American, the American jumped back and exclaimed, "Don't touch me, I'm drawin' disability!"
It’s just a story, but we know that people get comfortable in their condition …
… they work things out and they get comfortable in their disability.
JESUS HAD A HABIT OF GETTING INTO TROUBLE
In today’s scripture passage we see a man who was blind from birth; his encounter with Jesus enabled him to see. He was looking for a donation, but he received sight. Jesus wants us to see … to see what is right and good and pleasing to God.
It’s difficult to imagine, that healing a blind man can get you into trouble, but that’s just what happened to Jesus.
You see, the ones who are truly blind, who truly need to be healed by Jesus, don’t always want to be healed. They’d rather stay on spiritual disability.
Here’s the story in a nutshell: (I thank Cathy, Wanda, Jonna and the Junior Youth for enacting the story in John 9 for us)
One Sabbath Jesus came across a man who had been blind since birth (he had accepted the condition and learned to live with it). The disciples asked him – who is the sinner, this man or his parents? To prove a point (that sin is a human condition and not always a specific sin), Jesus healed the man. He healed him in an odd sort of way – mixing dirt with spit and putting it over his eye and telling him to wash it in the central pool. If someone put mud in my eye, you wouldn’t have to tell me to wash it off.
The children in church liked the idea of playing with mud. We found that Jesus can use ordinary things (like even us) to do amazing things for God.
There are other amazing parts of this scripture story: The reaction of the Jewish leaders.
They were the law enforcers. The Pharisee leaders were more interested in the fact that Jesus did this on a Sabbath, than that the man was healed.
It seems that obedience – or disobedience - to the law was more important than being made well. The Pharisee leaders had a dilemma.
I understand their difficulty, their struggle:
I was recently at a banquet at Weaver Market (Adamstown). Scratched on the stall wall in the men’s room was: “God Loves You.” What do I think? Am I glad that someone wants others to know that God loves them or am I upset that an apparent Christian defaced the wall in the restroom?
I’m not sure how to feel. I’m sure the Pharisee leaders of Jesus time were in a similar quandary.
How do you decide? God gave laws (Sabbath) / God heals.
God makes the rules about what is sin / God cleanses us from sin.
The Pharisee leaders should have rejoiced because of the healing (what God was doing in the life of the blind man), but they chose to focus on the law. Because (they thought) that obedience to the law is what makes you right with God.
The blind man found out that Jesus’ touch and God’s forgiveness made him right with God.
In the face of such an event …
Why would you opt for following the rules when you can have true healing?
Let me put it this way: Why would you stay on disability when you can be healthy?
The disability thing is a good excuse, it’s comfortable, and it’s gladly accepted. But if Jesus brings something better, why not take it?
We sometimes get into a quandary similar to that of the Pharisees.
What about our X-treme Worship:
It has loud rock music; It doesn’t seem respectful and reverent; they don’t use our traditional hymns.
On the other hand, young people are using their gifts for God and are coming to Christ.
How does leadership decide?
Apostle Paul tells us (Phil 2:12) to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”
Our faith is a struggle when it meets real life situations.
THINGS HAPPEN WHEN JESUS IS AROUND
Because of this encounter with Jesus, the man saw differently; his life was changed. Jesus made him right with God. He would never be the same.
You see – this man was struggling with the same issue as Jesus’ disciples.
Because of his blindness (his flaw) he felt that there must be some sin in his life, or in his family, that caused it.
The traditional teaching of the day was that blindness (and any illness) comes because of sin. It was the way of explaining away the problems in their lives.
What about the Problem of Sin?
Much of the discussion in the Scripture passage in John 9 centered on sin. Sin is a problem!
v. 2. Who sinned? The man blind from birth, or his parents?
v. 16. Is Jesus a sinner? Can a sinner perform miracles in God’s name?
vv. 24-25. Is Jesus a sinner? The Pharisee leadership says he is; the healed man is confused about the problem of sin, but he is certain about his healing. The sign of his sin is gone.
v. 31. God doesn’t listen to sinners. If Jesus weren’t from God (sinless) he couldn’t perform miracles.
v. 34. The formerly blind man was “steeped in sin a birth.”
What is Sin? It’s that barrier that keeps us from getting close to God.
You see, the blind man was considered a sinner.
He couldn’t go to the Temple.
He couldn’t offer sacrifices.
He listened to the praise and worship from a distance.
That was a tough situation.
He couldn’t go to God, so God sent Jesus to him.
Jesus doesn’t want his followers on “Spiritual Disability.” He wants to make us right with God. Things happen when Jesus is around.
Pharisee leadership needed to know a few things:
1. For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23). Sickness and illness are part of a fallen world.
2. God wants to forgive us our sins. We need to confess our sins (1 John 1:9)
3. God sent Jesus to heal us from our spiritual disability, to forgive us of our sins.
Isaiah 53:4-5 tells us, “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed.”
John Newton’s mother taught him to pray, but she died when he was 7 and his heart hardened against God. He became a wild, young man who mocked Christianity and drowned himself in drink.
At 23, while a crewman on a slave ship, Newton was jolted awake by a violent storm—so terrifying that he cried out to the Lord. The John Newton who arrived safely in England was a repentant man. For the rest of his life he would refer to March 10, 1748, as the day of his conversion.
Unfortunately, Newton's conversion did not change his views of slavery for many years. He became the captain of his own slave ship. In time, under the influence of famed abolitionist William Wilberforce and Anglican priests John Wesley and George Whitefield, he had another spiritual awakening. In 1760 he became an ordained minister and a powerful foe of slavery.
He eventually became pastor of a church in Olney. While there he wrote a hymn that he had been carrying with him for some time. On Jan. 1, 1773, his congregation sang a new hymn entitled "Faith's Review and Expectation." We know it by a different name.
John Newton wrote, “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now I'm found, was blind but now I see." Eventually John Newton's eyes failed and he was totally blind when he died—but he had seen clearly the wonder of God's grace.
God helped John Newton see things differently. His spiritual disability had been cured.
JESUS HELPS US TO SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY
This Lenten Season is a good time to ask, How is your relationship with God? Jesus wants to make you whole, to heal you. Jesus wants to help you see the world differently.
Who needed to see?
Obviously it’s that the man born blind needed to see. Jesus changed his life in many ways.
It becomes obvious that the Pharisee leadership is blind on a deeper level – to God’s presence and power in this world.
We all need to see God at work in the lives of others around us, and in our own lives.
Why did Jesus come?
… to enforce the law, or to set people free?
Dove Award winner Paul Baloche, was in a prayer meeting at his church, Community Christian Fellowship in Lindale, TX. The Pastor prayed, “Open the eyes of our hearts so that we can understand your world.” The phrase stuck in his mind.
One morning, Baloche was playing music on his guitar during an altar call at a revival meeting. The phrase came back to him, “Open the eyes of our hearts, Lord. We want to see You.” The story goes, that others started to sing with him, and the song was born.
Good things (unexpected things) happen when we are in a right relationship with God. …
How is your relationship with God? Maybe you need to sing along?
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord;
Open the eyes of my heart.
I want to see You!
I want to see You!
Maybe you’ve heard …
Jesus shows up in the darndest places. One day he was in a local coffee shop.
The waiter was washing mugs, when an elderly Dominican man came in and hoisted his bad leg on the chair beside him, pulled himself up painfully, and asked for some espresso. The Dominican looked across the room and said, "Is that Jesus down there?" The waiter nodded and the Dominican told him to give Jesus an espresso too.
The next patron was an ailing Italian with a hunched back and slowness of movement. He shuffled up to the counter and asked for a mocha latte. He also looked down the counter and asked if that was Jesus sitting down there. The waiter nodded and the Italian said to give him a mocha latte.
The third patron, an American, limped in dragging his leg on the floor and hollered, "Waiter, gimme a black coffee. Hey, is that Jesus down there?" The waiter nodded, and the American told him he wanted to buy Jesus a coffee too.
As Jesus got up to leave, he walked over to the Dominican, touched him and said, "For your kindness, you are healed!" The Dominican felt the strength come back to his leg, and he got up and danced to the door.
Jesus touched the Italian and said, "For your kindness you are healed!" The Italian felt his back straighten, and he raised his hands above his head and did a flip out the door.
As Jesus walked toward the American, the American jumped back and exclaimed, "Don't touch me, I'm drawin' disability!"
It’s just a story, but we know that people get comfortable in their condition …
… they work things out and they get comfortable in their disability.
JESUS HAD A HABIT OF GETTING INTO TROUBLE
In today’s scripture passage we see a man who was blind from birth; his encounter with Jesus enabled him to see. He was looking for a donation, but he received sight. Jesus wants us to see … to see what is right and good and pleasing to God.
It’s difficult to imagine, that healing a blind man can get you into trouble, but that’s just what happened to Jesus.
You see, the ones who are truly blind, who truly need to be healed by Jesus, don’t always want to be healed. They’d rather stay on spiritual disability.
Here’s the story in a nutshell: (I thank Cathy, Wanda, Jonna and the Junior Youth for enacting the story in John 9 for us)
One Sabbath Jesus came across a man who had been blind since birth (he had accepted the condition and learned to live with it). The disciples asked him – who is the sinner, this man or his parents? To prove a point (that sin is a human condition and not always a specific sin), Jesus healed the man. He healed him in an odd sort of way – mixing dirt with spit and putting it over his eye and telling him to wash it in the central pool. If someone put mud in my eye, you wouldn’t have to tell me to wash it off.
The children in church liked the idea of playing with mud. We found that Jesus can use ordinary things (like even us) to do amazing things for God.
There are other amazing parts of this scripture story: The reaction of the Jewish leaders.
They were the law enforcers. The Pharisee leaders were more interested in the fact that Jesus did this on a Sabbath, than that the man was healed.
It seems that obedience – or disobedience - to the law was more important than being made well. The Pharisee leaders had a dilemma.
I understand their difficulty, their struggle:
I was recently at a banquet at Weaver Market (Adamstown). Scratched on the stall wall in the men’s room was: “God Loves You.” What do I think? Am I glad that someone wants others to know that God loves them or am I upset that an apparent Christian defaced the wall in the restroom?
I’m not sure how to feel. I’m sure the Pharisee leaders of Jesus time were in a similar quandary.
How do you decide? God gave laws (Sabbath) / God heals.
God makes the rules about what is sin / God cleanses us from sin.
The Pharisee leaders should have rejoiced because of the healing (what God was doing in the life of the blind man), but they chose to focus on the law. Because (they thought) that obedience to the law is what makes you right with God.
The blind man found out that Jesus’ touch and God’s forgiveness made him right with God.
In the face of such an event …
Why would you opt for following the rules when you can have true healing?
Let me put it this way: Why would you stay on disability when you can be healthy?
The disability thing is a good excuse, it’s comfortable, and it’s gladly accepted. But if Jesus brings something better, why not take it?
We sometimes get into a quandary similar to that of the Pharisees.
What about our X-treme Worship:
It has loud rock music; It doesn’t seem respectful and reverent; they don’t use our traditional hymns.
On the other hand, young people are using their gifts for God and are coming to Christ.
How does leadership decide?
Apostle Paul tells us (Phil 2:12) to “work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”
Our faith is a struggle when it meets real life situations.
THINGS HAPPEN WHEN JESUS IS AROUND
Because of this encounter with Jesus, the man saw differently; his life was changed. Jesus made him right with God. He would never be the same.
You see – this man was struggling with the same issue as Jesus’ disciples.
Because of his blindness (his flaw) he felt that there must be some sin in his life, or in his family, that caused it.
The traditional teaching of the day was that blindness (and any illness) comes because of sin. It was the way of explaining away the problems in their lives.
What about the Problem of Sin?
Much of the discussion in the Scripture passage in John 9 centered on sin. Sin is a problem!
v. 2. Who sinned? The man blind from birth, or his parents?
v. 16. Is Jesus a sinner? Can a sinner perform miracles in God’s name?
vv. 24-25. Is Jesus a sinner? The Pharisee leadership says he is; the healed man is confused about the problem of sin, but he is certain about his healing. The sign of his sin is gone.
v. 31. God doesn’t listen to sinners. If Jesus weren’t from God (sinless) he couldn’t perform miracles.
v. 34. The formerly blind man was “steeped in sin a birth.”
What is Sin? It’s that barrier that keeps us from getting close to God.
You see, the blind man was considered a sinner.
He couldn’t go to the Temple.
He couldn’t offer sacrifices.
He listened to the praise and worship from a distance.
That was a tough situation.
He couldn’t go to God, so God sent Jesus to him.
Jesus doesn’t want his followers on “Spiritual Disability.” He wants to make us right with God. Things happen when Jesus is around.
Pharisee leadership needed to know a few things:
1. For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23). Sickness and illness are part of a fallen world.
2. God wants to forgive us our sins. We need to confess our sins (1 John 1:9)
3. God sent Jesus to heal us from our spiritual disability, to forgive us of our sins.
Isaiah 53:4-5 tells us, “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed.”
John Newton’s mother taught him to pray, but she died when he was 7 and his heart hardened against God. He became a wild, young man who mocked Christianity and drowned himself in drink.
At 23, while a crewman on a slave ship, Newton was jolted awake by a violent storm—so terrifying that he cried out to the Lord. The John Newton who arrived safely in England was a repentant man. For the rest of his life he would refer to March 10, 1748, as the day of his conversion.
Unfortunately, Newton's conversion did not change his views of slavery for many years. He became the captain of his own slave ship. In time, under the influence of famed abolitionist William Wilberforce and Anglican priests John Wesley and George Whitefield, he had another spiritual awakening. In 1760 he became an ordained minister and a powerful foe of slavery.
He eventually became pastor of a church in Olney. While there he wrote a hymn that he had been carrying with him for some time. On Jan. 1, 1773, his congregation sang a new hymn entitled "Faith's Review and Expectation." We know it by a different name.
John Newton wrote, “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now I'm found, was blind but now I see." Eventually John Newton's eyes failed and he was totally blind when he died—but he had seen clearly the wonder of God's grace.
God helped John Newton see things differently. His spiritual disability had been cured.
JESUS HELPS US TO SEE THINGS DIFFERENTLY
This Lenten Season is a good time to ask, How is your relationship with God? Jesus wants to make you whole, to heal you. Jesus wants to help you see the world differently.
Who needed to see?
Obviously it’s that the man born blind needed to see. Jesus changed his life in many ways.
It becomes obvious that the Pharisee leadership is blind on a deeper level – to God’s presence and power in this world.
We all need to see God at work in the lives of others around us, and in our own lives.
Why did Jesus come?
… to enforce the law, or to set people free?
Dove Award winner Paul Baloche, was in a prayer meeting at his church, Community Christian Fellowship in Lindale, TX. The Pastor prayed, “Open the eyes of our hearts so that we can understand your world.” The phrase stuck in his mind.
One morning, Baloche was playing music on his guitar during an altar call at a revival meeting. The phrase came back to him, “Open the eyes of our hearts, Lord. We want to see You.” The story goes, that others started to sing with him, and the song was born.
Good things (unexpected things) happen when we are in a right relationship with God. …
How is your relationship with God? Maybe you need to sing along?
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord;
Open the eyes of my heart.
I want to see You!
I want to see You!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Sermon Synopsis for February 24, 2008
“Into New Birth” John 3:1-17
I showed the children a picture (ultrasound) of my granddaughter. It’s a little difficult to see because she hasn’t been born yet. I’m going to get to meet her sometime about the first of May. I already love her. God loves her.
God said to Jeremiah “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)
The psalmist wrote, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” (Psalm 139:13-14)
God loves and cares about my granddaughter (yet to be born), how much more God cares about each one of us.
Today we continue our Lenten journey from the wilderness of temptation heading to Easter. Today we meet Nicodemus on our journey.
WHO WAS NICODEMUS?
Q: What Bible character may have only been a foot tall?
A: Nicodemus, he was a ruler.
Nicodemus was a prominent Jewish citizen of Jerusalem.
- He was Jewish – he had the bloodline of one who was part of God’s chosen family (starting with Abraham, or maybe even back to Adam)
- He was a Pharisee (believed in afterlife and spiritual discipline based on God’s word)
- He was Wealthy (by nature of the position)
- He was a Teacher of the Jewish law
- He was a Member of the Sanhedrin (Jewish Ruling Council)
He shows up three times in the Gospel story told by John.
John 7:50-52 – he argued for fair treatment of Jesus.
John 19:38-42 – helped prepare Jesus’ body for burial.
John 3 is the first time we hear about Nicodemus. He comes to Jesus at night.
It’s the equivalent of a US Senator showing up at your doorstep in the middle of the night – something to worry about.
This renowned leader came at night; the theme of light vs. darkness in John isn’t lost on us. Coming at night represents that he is in “darkness,” spiritual darkness.
What was the message that this noted leader needed to hear?
Nicodemus knew: The world was not headed in a good direction, Israel needed a savior. He wanted God’s Kingdom to be established. He also knew that Jesus was in a difficult situation.
Nicodemus needed to hear the message that led him to Easter; God loved the world à God gave Jesus to the world for our good.
A FAVORITE SCRIPTURE PASSAGE
Out of this dialog came one of the most beloved verses to Christians around the world: John 3:16.
Sometimes there’s a disjunction between church language and what the world understands.
Did you ever see John 3:16 cards in end zone at football games?
(Rolland “rock n rolland” Stewart took on this project back in the 70s)
Christians know what this means, but what about others?
People were asked what they thought it meant
- It’s a distraction for kicker;
- It’s a hex on the kicker?
- Insiders subject for football?
- Is it a riddle?
- Secret message for coach
- Subliminal message
- Something to do with turning football into a religion.
In the Peanuts comic strip: Lucy thought John 3:16 referred to John Madden.
VP Al Gore made a speech during his campaign in which he stated how important his faith was to him. He also stated that his favorite Bible verse was John 16:3.
Of course, he and his speech writer meant John 3:16 but no one in the Gore camp was familiar enough with the scripture to catch the error. The most interesting thing about this story is what John 16:3 says:
" ( Jesus speaking about bad things that will happen to followers) And this they will do unto you because they have not known the Father nor Me. "
Of course, Jesus wanted Nicodemus to know how much God loved him and everyone else, and that was the reason Jesus came.
IT’S A SIMPLE MESSAGE
One of the greatest theologians that ever lived, Karl Barth, was a guest lecturer at the University of Chicago Divinity School. At the end of a captivating closing lecture, the president of the seminary announced that Dr. Barth was not well and was quite tired, and though he thought that Dr. Barth would like to be open for questions, he shouldn't be expected to handle the strain. Then he said, "Therefore, I will ask just one question on behalf of all of us."
He turned to the renowned theologian and asked, "Of all the theological insights you have ever had, which do you consider to be the greatest of them all?
It was the perfect question for a man who had written literally tens of thousands of pages of some of the most sophisticated theology ever put into print. The students held pencils right up against their writing pads, ready to take down verbatim the premier insight of the greatest theologian of their time.
Karl Barth closed his tired eyes, and he thought for a minute, and then he half smiled, opened his eyes, and said to those young seminarians, "The greatest theological insight that I have ever had is this: "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so."
WHAT DID NICODEMSU NEED TO UNDERSTAND?
Nicodemus needed to understand the simple gospel message, a simple message of God’s love for us – a love that transforms us – that re-makes us – that gives us new birth.
Nicodemus (and his Sanhedrin friends) probably understood God’s message to humanity something like a USED CAR CONTRACT. (clauses and conditions, fine print and consequences) You will receive this beautiful 1989 Ford S-10 pick-up if you:
-Sign a contract
- make a down payment
- make payments on time
- if you miss a payment, interest rates go up
- if you miss more payments, the contract becomes void, and you lose everything.
There can be a lot of mis-trust when it comes to a used car salesman.
But the gospel message isn’t a contract, it’s a LOVE STORY.
God sent Jesus to remind us that God isn't in the business of keeping books and tallying ledgers, nor is God concerned about our status or position in life. If God were concerned about any of those things, then he wouldn’t have had to send Jesus. Giving us a contract with a rule book would have been enough. The Old Testament covenant and law would have done it.
SO WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO?
Jesus told Nicodemus, “You need to be born again.”
Nicodemus (being a good Pharisee) took Jesus’ words literally (a practice that can get us into trouble sometimes): “How can an old guy like me, go back to his mother’s womb and, be born again?”
Jesus clarified that he wasn’t speaking literally: “You can’t get into God’s Kingdom unless you’re born into it.” “You have already been physically born, now you need a spiritual birth”
Water = physical birth / baptism
Sprit = wind / spiritual (unseen, but present)
This is the only passage in the Gospel of John that talks about the Kingdom of God.
We are called to become citizens of God’s Kingdom. How do we do that?
How to become a citizen
To become a citizen of the USA
- You are Born in USA or to US Citizen.
- You Naturalize (In Biblical Times people could pay for citizenship, Acts 22:28)
Fill out forms, follow process, take test (US Government and history), appear before a judge for pronouncement.
To become a citizen of the Kingdom of God
You need to be born into God’s Kingdom. Not in the way that Nicodemus was already born into the family of Israel, but spiritually re-born.
You go through the citizenship process / the re-birth process:
1. Repent – John the Baptist called the people to repent of their sins.
2. Believe – John 3:16 – whoever believes in him shall have eternal life
3. Confess your sins – 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
4. Be baptized – as a symbol of your new faith.
IT’S A COMPLETE MAKE-OVER
Nicodemus didn’t need a continuation of life as we know it. He didn’t need to tweak a few things to get right with God. It wasn’t enough to remodel.
Nicodemus needed a complete makeover.
He needed to be born again.
Birth implies a family: Nicodemus needed a new family!
When a child is born…
… unwanted / without a family (like my son David), it’s tragic.
… into a dysfunctional family, there are problems. (Jesus was telling Nicodemus, that the Jewish family had become a dysfunctional family. It wasn’t working; it was causing more problems than it was helping)
… into a loving family, there is nurture, maturity and positive growth has the best chance of happening.
During Jesus’ lifetime, Nicodemus lived on the sidelines of Jesus’ family.
Jesus was telling Nicodemus that he needed to be fully born into God’s family.
Many say they can be a Christian without being a part of a church. Being born implies being born into a family. 1 John 3:1 “Behold what manner of love the father has for us, that we should be called children of God!”
We aren’t orphans, we aren’t alone. We are part of a family.
To be born again, implied that Nicodemus needed to change!
WE NEED TO CHANGE! GOT CHANGE?
One day on the street, a ragged fellow came up to me and asked, “Got any change, Mister?”
“Change? Of course I’ve got change. Change is what I have most.”
We live in a world where everything seems to be changing.
The only thing that is constant is the change.
Someone once said, “Change is inevitable – except from a vending machine.”
But change can be good. Without change we could not improve ourselves, have a better life or even grow. Change is the main component of our conversion experience. When Jesus told Nicodemus, “You must be born again,” he was telling him he needed a complete makeover. Start over, do it again, change completely.
The Easter Story is about change: a caterpillar to a butterfly, an egg to a chick, pain to joy, the earthly to the spiritual.
Easter changed everything changed for Jesus and his disciples. The ecstatic joy of Palm Sunday, the deep emotion of clearing the sellers from the Temple, The intimacy of a meal together in the upper room, the arrest, trial, crucifixion, burial, and, ultimately, the resurrection. What a week. You can find every emotion possible expressed at some point during that week. Change is emotional.
What changed? Jesus showed us that a life controlled by God brings new life; that change, in God’s hands, is for the good.
Did I give the beggar my change? To attend to his needs I had to change my immediate plans. I bought him a meal. We ate together. He shared his life; I shared my life.
The Gospel story demonstrates a world begging for change, and our Lord who wants to change everything for us. Jesus calls us to be “born again.”
TO THE POINT
If God knows us and loves us before we are born, while we are in our mother’s womb, how much more God knows and loves us after we are born, and before we are born again.
Who gives us life? God.
We need to let God give us new life.
I showed the children a picture (ultrasound) of my granddaughter. It’s a little difficult to see because she hasn’t been born yet. I’m going to get to meet her sometime about the first of May. I already love her. God loves her.
God said to Jeremiah “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)
The psalmist wrote, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” (Psalm 139:13-14)
God loves and cares about my granddaughter (yet to be born), how much more God cares about each one of us.
Today we continue our Lenten journey from the wilderness of temptation heading to Easter. Today we meet Nicodemus on our journey.
WHO WAS NICODEMUS?
Q: What Bible character may have only been a foot tall?
A: Nicodemus, he was a ruler.
Nicodemus was a prominent Jewish citizen of Jerusalem.
- He was Jewish – he had the bloodline of one who was part of God’s chosen family (starting with Abraham, or maybe even back to Adam)
- He was a Pharisee (believed in afterlife and spiritual discipline based on God’s word)
- He was Wealthy (by nature of the position)
- He was a Teacher of the Jewish law
- He was a Member of the Sanhedrin (Jewish Ruling Council)
He shows up three times in the Gospel story told by John.
John 7:50-52 – he argued for fair treatment of Jesus.
John 19:38-42 – helped prepare Jesus’ body for burial.
John 3 is the first time we hear about Nicodemus. He comes to Jesus at night.
It’s the equivalent of a US Senator showing up at your doorstep in the middle of the night – something to worry about.
This renowned leader came at night; the theme of light vs. darkness in John isn’t lost on us. Coming at night represents that he is in “darkness,” spiritual darkness.
What was the message that this noted leader needed to hear?
Nicodemus knew: The world was not headed in a good direction, Israel needed a savior. He wanted God’s Kingdom to be established. He also knew that Jesus was in a difficult situation.
Nicodemus needed to hear the message that led him to Easter; God loved the world à God gave Jesus to the world for our good.
A FAVORITE SCRIPTURE PASSAGE
Out of this dialog came one of the most beloved verses to Christians around the world: John 3:16.
Sometimes there’s a disjunction between church language and what the world understands.
Did you ever see John 3:16 cards in end zone at football games?
(Rolland “rock n rolland” Stewart took on this project back in the 70s)
Christians know what this means, but what about others?
People were asked what they thought it meant
- It’s a distraction for kicker;
- It’s a hex on the kicker?
- Insiders subject for football?
- Is it a riddle?
- Secret message for coach
- Subliminal message
- Something to do with turning football into a religion.
In the Peanuts comic strip: Lucy thought John 3:16 referred to John Madden.
VP Al Gore made a speech during his campaign in which he stated how important his faith was to him. He also stated that his favorite Bible verse was John 16:3.
Of course, he and his speech writer meant John 3:16 but no one in the Gore camp was familiar enough with the scripture to catch the error. The most interesting thing about this story is what John 16:3 says:
" ( Jesus speaking about bad things that will happen to followers) And this they will do unto you because they have not known the Father nor Me. "
Of course, Jesus wanted Nicodemus to know how much God loved him and everyone else, and that was the reason Jesus came.
IT’S A SIMPLE MESSAGE
One of the greatest theologians that ever lived, Karl Barth, was a guest lecturer at the University of Chicago Divinity School. At the end of a captivating closing lecture, the president of the seminary announced that Dr. Barth was not well and was quite tired, and though he thought that Dr. Barth would like to be open for questions, he shouldn't be expected to handle the strain. Then he said, "Therefore, I will ask just one question on behalf of all of us."
He turned to the renowned theologian and asked, "Of all the theological insights you have ever had, which do you consider to be the greatest of them all?
It was the perfect question for a man who had written literally tens of thousands of pages of some of the most sophisticated theology ever put into print. The students held pencils right up against their writing pads, ready to take down verbatim the premier insight of the greatest theologian of their time.
Karl Barth closed his tired eyes, and he thought for a minute, and then he half smiled, opened his eyes, and said to those young seminarians, "The greatest theological insight that I have ever had is this: "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so."
WHAT DID NICODEMSU NEED TO UNDERSTAND?
Nicodemus needed to understand the simple gospel message, a simple message of God’s love for us – a love that transforms us – that re-makes us – that gives us new birth.
Nicodemus (and his Sanhedrin friends) probably understood God’s message to humanity something like a USED CAR CONTRACT. (clauses and conditions, fine print and consequences) You will receive this beautiful 1989 Ford S-10 pick-up if you:
-Sign a contract
- make a down payment
- make payments on time
- if you miss a payment, interest rates go up
- if you miss more payments, the contract becomes void, and you lose everything.
There can be a lot of mis-trust when it comes to a used car salesman.
But the gospel message isn’t a contract, it’s a LOVE STORY.
God sent Jesus to remind us that God isn't in the business of keeping books and tallying ledgers, nor is God concerned about our status or position in life. If God were concerned about any of those things, then he wouldn’t have had to send Jesus. Giving us a contract with a rule book would have been enough. The Old Testament covenant and law would have done it.
SO WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO?
Jesus told Nicodemus, “You need to be born again.”
Nicodemus (being a good Pharisee) took Jesus’ words literally (a practice that can get us into trouble sometimes): “How can an old guy like me, go back to his mother’s womb and, be born again?”
Jesus clarified that he wasn’t speaking literally: “You can’t get into God’s Kingdom unless you’re born into it.” “You have already been physically born, now you need a spiritual birth”
Water = physical birth / baptism
Sprit = wind / spiritual (unseen, but present)
This is the only passage in the Gospel of John that talks about the Kingdom of God.
We are called to become citizens of God’s Kingdom. How do we do that?
How to become a citizen
To become a citizen of the USA
- You are Born in USA or to US Citizen.
- You Naturalize (In Biblical Times people could pay for citizenship, Acts 22:28)
Fill out forms, follow process, take test (US Government and history), appear before a judge for pronouncement.
To become a citizen of the Kingdom of God
You need to be born into God’s Kingdom. Not in the way that Nicodemus was already born into the family of Israel, but spiritually re-born.
You go through the citizenship process / the re-birth process:
1. Repent – John the Baptist called the people to repent of their sins.
2. Believe – John 3:16 – whoever believes in him shall have eternal life
3. Confess your sins – 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
4. Be baptized – as a symbol of your new faith.
IT’S A COMPLETE MAKE-OVER
Nicodemus didn’t need a continuation of life as we know it. He didn’t need to tweak a few things to get right with God. It wasn’t enough to remodel.
Nicodemus needed a complete makeover.
He needed to be born again.
Birth implies a family: Nicodemus needed a new family!
When a child is born…
… unwanted / without a family (like my son David), it’s tragic.
… into a dysfunctional family, there are problems. (Jesus was telling Nicodemus, that the Jewish family had become a dysfunctional family. It wasn’t working; it was causing more problems than it was helping)
… into a loving family, there is nurture, maturity and positive growth has the best chance of happening.
During Jesus’ lifetime, Nicodemus lived on the sidelines of Jesus’ family.
Jesus was telling Nicodemus that he needed to be fully born into God’s family.
Many say they can be a Christian without being a part of a church. Being born implies being born into a family. 1 John 3:1 “Behold what manner of love the father has for us, that we should be called children of God!”
We aren’t orphans, we aren’t alone. We are part of a family.
To be born again, implied that Nicodemus needed to change!
WE NEED TO CHANGE! GOT CHANGE?
One day on the street, a ragged fellow came up to me and asked, “Got any change, Mister?”
“Change? Of course I’ve got change. Change is what I have most.”
We live in a world where everything seems to be changing.
The only thing that is constant is the change.
Someone once said, “Change is inevitable – except from a vending machine.”
But change can be good. Without change we could not improve ourselves, have a better life or even grow. Change is the main component of our conversion experience. When Jesus told Nicodemus, “You must be born again,” he was telling him he needed a complete makeover. Start over, do it again, change completely.
The Easter Story is about change: a caterpillar to a butterfly, an egg to a chick, pain to joy, the earthly to the spiritual.
Easter changed everything changed for Jesus and his disciples. The ecstatic joy of Palm Sunday, the deep emotion of clearing the sellers from the Temple, The intimacy of a meal together in the upper room, the arrest, trial, crucifixion, burial, and, ultimately, the resurrection. What a week. You can find every emotion possible expressed at some point during that week. Change is emotional.
What changed? Jesus showed us that a life controlled by God brings new life; that change, in God’s hands, is for the good.
Did I give the beggar my change? To attend to his needs I had to change my immediate plans. I bought him a meal. We ate together. He shared his life; I shared my life.
The Gospel story demonstrates a world begging for change, and our Lord who wants to change everything for us. Jesus calls us to be “born again.”
TO THE POINT
If God knows us and loves us before we are born, while we are in our mother’s womb, how much more God knows and loves us after we are born, and before we are born again.
Who gives us life? God.
We need to let God give us new life.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
