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!”
Sunday, March 23, 2008
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.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Sermon Synopsis for February 17, 2008
“Into the Wilderness” Matthew 4:1-11”
Temptations come in a wide variety of choices.
Even pastors can’t escape temptation. This week I had a touch of the flu, and stayed home. I was already feeling bad, so I decided to work on my income taxes. There’s a lot of temptations (falsely) increase my deductions, misrepresent my income, lower my tax liability – “so I could give more to the church.”
Jesus said, “Give unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s”
Have you seen the commercial for a TV game show that asks a contestant, “Would you cheat on your wife if you knew she would never find out about it?”
Are they still temptations if no one knows about it? Is it still sin if no one finds out?
I remember Carnival (Mardi Gras) in Latin America – a time of debauchery, giving in to every sinful desire, wild celebration … leading to Ash Wednesday – penance, forgiveness, a chaste life. This ushers in Lent (a time of showing devotion to God by “giving up” stuff we like).
Is it possible to enter lent without going through Carnival?
After a strong sermon on sin, a parishioner told their pastor, “I didn’t know what sin was until you came.”
For Jesus, a time of temptation came just after his baptism.
Jesus’ baptism was a “high point” for him, a mountain top experience.
The heavens opened, the Holy Spirit descended.
There was a voice from heaven, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Wow, what an experience … then God leads him into the wilderness.
When we enter the Christian life – we are not immune to problems.
The scripture tells us: We have a Savior who was tempted as we are (Hebrews 4:15), yet without sin.
During my recent trip to the Dominican Republic I tried to visit with two pastors. These were friends, I had helped disciple, who had “given in to fleshly desires” according to others. They were no longer in ministry, not in church, far from God – this was hard for me to take. They wouldn’t even see me. Giving in to temptation can bring separation; separation from God is the worst.
Today’s scripture passage is a bit troubling – the Spirit of God led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Mt. 4:1). Why would God do that?
The commitment of Baptism (to cast away sins, and follow Jesus) is often followed by testing. How firm is our commitment to Christ?
Jesus taught us to ask God: “Lead us not into temptation.”
That’s our desire – but when it comes – we need to be ready.
Satan was testing Jesus’ “sonship” – his relationship to the eternal God.
Imagine how hard it must have been for Satan to tempt Jesus. He had to tempt the Son of God to act totally out of character.
THE DEVIL’S FIRST TRY: Turn the stone into bread.
Physical hunger is a terrible thing. Have you looked at commercials and adds for “Food for the Hungry” or “Feed the Children” or “World Vision;” They’re difficult to watch.
Satan knew … “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”
Israel was tested in the wilderness. They said, “We had it better in Egypt. There was all sort of food to eat; even though we were slaves, we were never hungry.”
Could Jesus have turned the stone into bread? Of course he could have.
But he didn’t – because he wasn’t thinking about himself – he was thinking about you and me.
Jesus reply to Satan came from Deuteronomy 8:3, “God’s word is more satisfying than any food we can have.” It’s better to be hungry and spiritually whole than have a full stomach and be spiritually empty.
Jesus 1 / Satan 0
THE DEVIL’S SECOND TRY: Ask God to protect you from self-inflicted danger.
Daring God … is not a good thing to do.
Have you ever purposely done stupid things?
Have you ever gotten yourself into trouble and prayed, “God you’ve got to get me out of this one.”
As a Missionary in Bolivia (doing God’s work) I went to check out an anti-American march by the coca growers. Not a smart thing; I lived to tell about it. Did I learn?
During a visit to the Chapare (Cocaine region), first the Bolivian army detained me (took most everything – they left me with about a gallon of gasoline). Next the American DEA stopped me (they took everything else – I got my documents back at the Embassy a few weeks later). Finally the Drug Lords caught up with me; I didn’t have anything left for them, after some harassment, they send me on my way. All day long I was praying, “God, get me out of this mess.”
Could Jesus have thrown himself off the highest point of the temple and expected God to protect him? Of course he could have.
But he didn’t – because he wasn’t thinking about himself – he was thinking about you and me.
Jesus 2 / Satan 0
THE DEVIL’S THRID TRY: Worldly power, authority, prestige, etc.
Most everything looks good from a distance:
During my trip to the DR, everything looked peaceful and tranquil from the airplane. But when you get down to things – there are problems, and troubles, and sickness and sadness. These are things you can’t see from the mountain top.
Satan was trying to mask Jesus’ main reason for coming to the earth – to save us from our sins, to get close to us. We may look OK from a distance – but close up, you can start to see the flaws, the failings, the “undesirableness.” That’s where Jesus needs to be – close up, in relationship with you and with me.
A SHORT CUT
There are five words that almost always get me into trouble: “I know a short cut.”
My daughters would say, “Oh no, not one of Dad’s short-cuts!”
Inevitably I would get lost, it would take longer, and everyone would be upset with me. Why didn’t I learn ….
The Messiah will have all the things Satan was offering … but he must first go through the suffering for our sins. Satan was offering Jesus a short-cut to full messianic authority.
Who is Lord of Lords? Satan wanted that place and the only way he could have it is if he could put Jesus under his domination.
Jesus knew that the only way to being the messiah is to follow the way God laid out for him. There are no true short-cuts.
It reminds me of the passage in Matthew 27:40, where one of the thieves crucified with Jesus said to him, “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
I’m sure Jesus was tempted to do that – he could have, but he stayed there for you and for me. When tempted, Jesus thought of us (his mission to save us) and not himself. He is the Son of God, but he didn’t abuse that relationship.
Jesus 3 / Satan 0
What do you think about when you’re tempted? Do you think about yourself or about others? Do you think about the effect your giving in to sin will have on them?
JESUS DIDN’T TRY TO AVOID TEMPTATION, HE MET IT HEAD ON
Every time Jesus was tempted, he went to the Word of God (Bible) for help and direction.
Specifically, Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy 6-8.
These words came to Israel when they were “In the Wilderness.”
Israel received salvation (deliverance from slavery in Egypt) and then was led (40 years) in the wilderness to be tested. There they received the word of the Lord – the Law. They didn’t realize it at the time, but all of this was necessary as preparation for them to go into the Promised Land.
We have God’s promise: 1 Cor 10:13 “And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.”
Satan was testing his sonship – his relationship to the eternal God.
Imagine how hard it must have been for Satan to tempt Jesus. He had to persuade the Son of God to act totally out of character.
And yet it is exactly the same when the Evil One tempts you. He tries to inflict you with a desire to do something utterly contrary to your nature. The real you is Christlike.
From the moment you were born again, Christ took up residence inside you. You took on his goodness, his holy character, his purity of motives, his inexhaustible love. All the sins of your former life are forgiven. Certainly you still commit sins. But, every time you commit that sin, you are acting out of character. Satan will muster all his brainwashing skills to try fooling you into thinking that sinning is your real nature.
Social Workers tell us that rape victims often believe it’s their fault, it affects their self image. Victims of child molestation, often have their self worth affected to where they cannot enter into healthy relationships.
When you give into sin, you will be like a rape victim plagued by a wrong self image. This is more than just unpleasant; keep believing that false self image, and you will end up acting as if it were true. It’s just not you; you’re like Jesus, a child of God (1 John 3:1)
Jesus cleans us from all unrighteousness – and helps us to stay that way.
So do not despise yourself when evil thoughts come to you, or when you find yourself longing to do wrong. It simply means that, like God’s holy Son, and all his saints, you have been spiritually molested. And like the most despicable child molester the, the Evil One tries to make his innocent victim feel guilty for his crime, and for feelings he induces.
It’s only if you cease trying to resist those evil thoughts and urges, that the harassment could touch your purity. And even if you totally gave in, you would have no rational basis for continuing to imagine you are impure, because the instant you return to your Savior with genuine regret, you are again spotless in the eyes of the Holy One.
Are you going through a wilderness period in your life?
Where do you go when you’re tempted?
Go to God / God to God’s word.
It’s the only way to have victory over temptation.
When Temptations come to do things we shouldn’t do – we need to ask God for help.
We need to remember: “I can do all things through Christ, who gives me the strength.” (Phil 4:13) “Greater is the one who is in you, than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
Our wilderness experiences are to help us draw closer to God.
Temptations come in a wide variety of choices.
Even pastors can’t escape temptation. This week I had a touch of the flu, and stayed home. I was already feeling bad, so I decided to work on my income taxes. There’s a lot of temptations (falsely) increase my deductions, misrepresent my income, lower my tax liability – “so I could give more to the church.”
Jesus said, “Give unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s”
Have you seen the commercial for a TV game show that asks a contestant, “Would you cheat on your wife if you knew she would never find out about it?”
Are they still temptations if no one knows about it? Is it still sin if no one finds out?
I remember Carnival (Mardi Gras) in Latin America – a time of debauchery, giving in to every sinful desire, wild celebration … leading to Ash Wednesday – penance, forgiveness, a chaste life. This ushers in Lent (a time of showing devotion to God by “giving up” stuff we like).
Is it possible to enter lent without going through Carnival?
After a strong sermon on sin, a parishioner told their pastor, “I didn’t know what sin was until you came.”
For Jesus, a time of temptation came just after his baptism.
Jesus’ baptism was a “high point” for him, a mountain top experience.
The heavens opened, the Holy Spirit descended.
There was a voice from heaven, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Wow, what an experience … then God leads him into the wilderness.
When we enter the Christian life – we are not immune to problems.
The scripture tells us: We have a Savior who was tempted as we are (Hebrews 4:15), yet without sin.
During my recent trip to the Dominican Republic I tried to visit with two pastors. These were friends, I had helped disciple, who had “given in to fleshly desires” according to others. They were no longer in ministry, not in church, far from God – this was hard for me to take. They wouldn’t even see me. Giving in to temptation can bring separation; separation from God is the worst.
Today’s scripture passage is a bit troubling – the Spirit of God led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil (Mt. 4:1). Why would God do that?
The commitment of Baptism (to cast away sins, and follow Jesus) is often followed by testing. How firm is our commitment to Christ?
Jesus taught us to ask God: “Lead us not into temptation.”
That’s our desire – but when it comes – we need to be ready.
Satan was testing Jesus’ “sonship” – his relationship to the eternal God.
Imagine how hard it must have been for Satan to tempt Jesus. He had to tempt the Son of God to act totally out of character.
THE DEVIL’S FIRST TRY: Turn the stone into bread.
Physical hunger is a terrible thing. Have you looked at commercials and adds for “Food for the Hungry” or “Feed the Children” or “World Vision;” They’re difficult to watch.
Satan knew … “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”
Israel was tested in the wilderness. They said, “We had it better in Egypt. There was all sort of food to eat; even though we were slaves, we were never hungry.”
Could Jesus have turned the stone into bread? Of course he could have.
But he didn’t – because he wasn’t thinking about himself – he was thinking about you and me.
Jesus reply to Satan came from Deuteronomy 8:3, “God’s word is more satisfying than any food we can have.” It’s better to be hungry and spiritually whole than have a full stomach and be spiritually empty.
Jesus 1 / Satan 0
THE DEVIL’S SECOND TRY: Ask God to protect you from self-inflicted danger.
Daring God … is not a good thing to do.
Have you ever purposely done stupid things?
Have you ever gotten yourself into trouble and prayed, “God you’ve got to get me out of this one.”
As a Missionary in Bolivia (doing God’s work) I went to check out an anti-American march by the coca growers. Not a smart thing; I lived to tell about it. Did I learn?
During a visit to the Chapare (Cocaine region), first the Bolivian army detained me (took most everything – they left me with about a gallon of gasoline). Next the American DEA stopped me (they took everything else – I got my documents back at the Embassy a few weeks later). Finally the Drug Lords caught up with me; I didn’t have anything left for them, after some harassment, they send me on my way. All day long I was praying, “God, get me out of this mess.”
Could Jesus have thrown himself off the highest point of the temple and expected God to protect him? Of course he could have.
But he didn’t – because he wasn’t thinking about himself – he was thinking about you and me.
Jesus 2 / Satan 0
THE DEVIL’S THRID TRY: Worldly power, authority, prestige, etc.
Most everything looks good from a distance:
During my trip to the DR, everything looked peaceful and tranquil from the airplane. But when you get down to things – there are problems, and troubles, and sickness and sadness. These are things you can’t see from the mountain top.
Satan was trying to mask Jesus’ main reason for coming to the earth – to save us from our sins, to get close to us. We may look OK from a distance – but close up, you can start to see the flaws, the failings, the “undesirableness.” That’s where Jesus needs to be – close up, in relationship with you and with me.
A SHORT CUT
There are five words that almost always get me into trouble: “I know a short cut.”
My daughters would say, “Oh no, not one of Dad’s short-cuts!”
Inevitably I would get lost, it would take longer, and everyone would be upset with me. Why didn’t I learn ….
The Messiah will have all the things Satan was offering … but he must first go through the suffering for our sins. Satan was offering Jesus a short-cut to full messianic authority.
Who is Lord of Lords? Satan wanted that place and the only way he could have it is if he could put Jesus under his domination.
Jesus knew that the only way to being the messiah is to follow the way God laid out for him. There are no true short-cuts.
It reminds me of the passage in Matthew 27:40, where one of the thieves crucified with Jesus said to him, “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
I’m sure Jesus was tempted to do that – he could have, but he stayed there for you and for me. When tempted, Jesus thought of us (his mission to save us) and not himself. He is the Son of God, but he didn’t abuse that relationship.
Jesus 3 / Satan 0
What do you think about when you’re tempted? Do you think about yourself or about others? Do you think about the effect your giving in to sin will have on them?
JESUS DIDN’T TRY TO AVOID TEMPTATION, HE MET IT HEAD ON
Every time Jesus was tempted, he went to the Word of God (Bible) for help and direction.
Specifically, Jesus quoted from Deuteronomy 6-8.
These words came to Israel when they were “In the Wilderness.”
Israel received salvation (deliverance from slavery in Egypt) and then was led (40 years) in the wilderness to be tested. There they received the word of the Lord – the Law. They didn’t realize it at the time, but all of this was necessary as preparation for them to go into the Promised Land.
We have God’s promise: 1 Cor 10:13 “And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.”
Satan was testing his sonship – his relationship to the eternal God.
Imagine how hard it must have been for Satan to tempt Jesus. He had to persuade the Son of God to act totally out of character.
And yet it is exactly the same when the Evil One tempts you. He tries to inflict you with a desire to do something utterly contrary to your nature. The real you is Christlike.
From the moment you were born again, Christ took up residence inside you. You took on his goodness, his holy character, his purity of motives, his inexhaustible love. All the sins of your former life are forgiven. Certainly you still commit sins. But, every time you commit that sin, you are acting out of character. Satan will muster all his brainwashing skills to try fooling you into thinking that sinning is your real nature.
Social Workers tell us that rape victims often believe it’s their fault, it affects their self image. Victims of child molestation, often have their self worth affected to where they cannot enter into healthy relationships.
When you give into sin, you will be like a rape victim plagued by a wrong self image. This is more than just unpleasant; keep believing that false self image, and you will end up acting as if it were true. It’s just not you; you’re like Jesus, a child of God (1 John 3:1)
Jesus cleans us from all unrighteousness – and helps us to stay that way.
So do not despise yourself when evil thoughts come to you, or when you find yourself longing to do wrong. It simply means that, like God’s holy Son, and all his saints, you have been spiritually molested. And like the most despicable child molester the, the Evil One tries to make his innocent victim feel guilty for his crime, and for feelings he induces.
It’s only if you cease trying to resist those evil thoughts and urges, that the harassment could touch your purity. And even if you totally gave in, you would have no rational basis for continuing to imagine you are impure, because the instant you return to your Savior with genuine regret, you are again spotless in the eyes of the Holy One.
Are you going through a wilderness period in your life?
Where do you go when you’re tempted?
Go to God / God to God’s word.
It’s the only way to have victory over temptation.
When Temptations come to do things we shouldn’t do – we need to ask God for help.
We need to remember: “I can do all things through Christ, who gives me the strength.” (Phil 4:13) “Greater is the one who is in you, than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
Our wilderness experiences are to help us draw closer to God.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Sermon Synopsis for January 13 2007
“My Grace Is Sufficient” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Maybe you’ve heard …
A college recruiter interviewed a high school basketball star. The recruiter said, "I hear you're pretty good." "The best there is," the player replied. "I averaged 45 points per game. I was the best rebounder in my high school. And I led our team to 3 undefeated seasons and 3 state championships." "That's incredible," said the recruiter. "Tell me," he said, "Do you have any weaknesses?" "Well," said the youngster sheepishly, "I do have a tendency to exaggerate."
We all have weaknesses. None of us are perfect.
That may be a difficult thing for some of us to admit. For example, 90% of men rank themselves above average in athletic ability. Men sometimes exaggerate. Some of us are “a legend in our own mind.” We all have our weaknesses.
Maybe these aren’t so bad.
JESUS’ PERSPECTIVE
Jesus often talked about changing the way we look at things, about turning things upside down: the first will be last, the mountains will be made low, the valleys brought up, the mighty will be humbled and the humbled exalted, etc. Today we hear from the Apostle Paul – “I am strong when I am weak.”
Today’s passage of scripture comes from the Apostle Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. Paul struggled with the Christian life. He was open about his struggles and his short comings.
PAUL WRITES A SECOND LETTER TO THE CHURCH IN CORINTH
Now, as he writes this letter, Paul is trying to help the Corinthians grow in the faith. But they’re resisting. They’re questioning Paul’s power and authority. Paul’s letters may be bold, some say, but when you actually see him, he’s of no account (2 Corinthians 10:10). So, to get through to these people, Paul is forced to boast of his qualifications as an apostle, even though he realizes that when he does he sounds like a madman (verse 11:23). I’m a Hebrew, I’m an Israelite, I’ve been persecuted, Paul tells them (verses 11:21-26). He has a long list of credentials, but his greatest is this: in Paul’s own personal weakness he has the power of Jesus Christ.
Why does Paul spend so much time developing that idea? Why do the Corinthian Christians need to hear that message? Well, it seems the Corinthians fancied themselves as especially strong.
-The Corinthians thought themselves strong in worldly wisdom. (2 Cor. 8-9)
-we have indications that they’re strong in cash.
-As a large, cosmopolitan port city, we know the Corinthians were strong in Mediterranean culture.
-Unfortunately, they were also strong in the flesh (physical aspects) (2 Cor. 12:21).
-They seem to have spent too much time comparing themselves to other people rather than to God’s holiness (2 Cor. 10:17),
-and they were plagued by the presence of “super-apostles” teaching a different gospel (2 Cor. 11-12). Maybe these super-apostles were attracted to a church in a wealthy and metropolitan place.
How did Paul deal with these problems? He talks about the little flaw that makes a big difference, The little problem that causes him to question everything. He lets the Corinthians know that true Christian strength comes through weakness, because in our weakness we learn to depend on God.
WHAT ARE OUR WEAKNESSES?
Some of our weaknesses are physical, some are mental, and some are moral. Some of those weaknesses have to do with our work, some with our family life, and some with our relationship with Christ. Some of us, for example, have short tempers, others of us lack diplomacy. Some of us are too proud, others of us lack back-bone. Nobody’s perfect. Maybe that is just as well. It’s easier to be in a group of imperfect people. The perfect person has to keep up his reputation; I wouldn’t want it.
HOW DID THE APOSTLE PAUL HANDLE HIS WEAKNESS?
The Apostle Paul had his weaknesses. One in particular caused him much heartache. We don't know for certain what it was. He called it his "thorn in the flesh." Some have suggested that Paul suffered from epileptic seizures. If so, he was in good company. Two of the most powerful men who ever lived-- Julius Caesar and Napoleon--were epileptics, as have been many other great individuals. In Paul's day there was no Dilantin or Phenobarbital to control seizures. If that was his thorn, he was stuck with it.
Paul prayed that God would deliver him from his affliction. Three times he beseeched God about this matter, but God's answer to him was, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." In other words, God seemed to be saying to Paul, "Trust me, Paul. I will take care of you. But I can use your weakness to demonstrate my power."
IT’S OK TO HAVE A WEAKNESS
We can learn from Paul's experience. Paul not only learned to accept his thorn, he even began to boast about his weakness in order to show the power of Christ. Our weakness can become our strength as well. Some of us may even learn to rejoice that we are not perfect. And when we are not perfect – Jesus tells us – God’s GRACE is sufficient.
Jesus told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
WHAT IS GRACE?
I remember the song: Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, and it left him high and dry.
Grace is the free and undeserved favor of God; mercy, clemency, unmerited love,
Mark Twain said, “Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out, and your dog would go in.”
Sometimes a financial institution gives you a grace period. “You don’t have to pay”
As Christians we are saved by grace and we should live by grace. We are people of grace.
People don’t always live up to the name. People are always going to come up short of our expectations.
The church also communicates ungrace through its lack of unity.
“Mark Twain used to say that he put a cat and a dog in a cage together as an experiment, to see if they could get along. They did, so he put in a bird, pig and goat. They, too, got along fine after a few adjustments. Then he put a Baptist, Presbyterian, and Catholic; soon there was not a living thing.” (Yancy, What’s So Amazing About Grace, p. 33)
WEAKNESS CAN BE A HELPFUL SIGN
Sometimes what seems a weakness is only a signal that we are pursuing the wrong trail. One of the most revealing lines in literature appears in the opening paragraph of A. A. Milne's WINNIE-THE-POOH: "Here is Edward Bear coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only way of coming downstairs, but sometimes he feels that there really is another way...if only he could stop bumping for a moment and think of it!"
If you keep bumping your head coming down the stairs, maybe it is time you stop for a moment and think if there is another way it might be done. Sometimes our so-called weaknesses are simply warning signs to us that we are on the wrong road.
I remember some of my weakest moments (there are many):
These were times when I felt completely helpless.
Food poisoning in Bolivia left me unconscious for 3 days.
Dengue fever almost killed me.
Typhoid wasn’t a pretty experience.
Once my Landcruiser broke down in middle of nowhere in Southern Bolivia.
I said, “God, you have to take over now.” I should have prayed that sooner.
God can act in the midst of these situations – we need to trust God.
OUR WEAKNESSES CAN HELP US LEAN ON GOD FOR HELP
I can just hear the Apostle Paul boasting, can't you? "Look at me," he would say, "I once persecuted the church. Look at me, a man who has to battle this humiliating affliction- -this thorn in the flesh. Yet Christ has used me to plant churches all over the known world." Paul was a man of tremendous intellect. He was also a man of unquestionable persuasive powers.
Perhaps if it had not been for his thorn in the flesh, he would have leaned upon his own ability rather than the power of God working through him. And you and I would never have heard the name of Paul.
His weakness became his strength.
His scar became a star.
His hurt became a halo.
And the same thing can happen to us …
… if our weakness helps us to grow,
… if our weakness makes us more determined to succeed,
… if our weakness causes us to try new things,
… and if our weakness causes us to rely on God.
Paul said, “For when I am weak, I am strong”Jesus said, “My power is made perfect in weakness”
AN EXAMPLE
Bani is a bus stop on the road from Santo Domingo to Haiti in the Dominican Republic.
Alexis is a young person in the church in Bani. He witnessed to Bingo (a.k.a. Elvis, a drug trafficker) who witnessed to his fellow (former) gang members.
On evening during a prayer meeting there was a shoot-out on church steps – one dead.
Bingo told us, “That should have been me.”
Bingo, with no gun, no guards, went alone, vulnerable – to speak to the killers about Jesus.
He told them that the guy that died didn’t deserve it, Bingo deserved it.
He told them about Jesus who died when he didn’t deserve it – so that we all might live.
He told them that Jesus died in his place – and for them – and they deserved to know it.
That’s Grace in Action.
Jesus said, “My power is made perfect in weakness”
A STORY
Maybe you’ve heard the story about the church visitors. (This would never happen at Maple Grove)
One day, a man went to visit a church. He got there early, parked his car, and got out. Another car pulled up, and the driver got out and said, “I always park there! You took my place!"
The visitor went inside for Sunday School, found an empty seat and sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated, "That's my seat! You took my place!" The visitor was somewhat distressed by this rude welcome, but said nothing.
After Sunday School, the visitor went into the sanctuary and sat down. Another member walked up to him and said, "That's where I always sit! You took my place!" The visitor was even more troubled by this treatment, but still He said nothing.
Later as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them, the visitor stood up, and his appearance began to change. Horrible scars became visible on his hands and on his sandaled feet. Someone from the congregation noticed him and called out, "What happened to you?" The visitor replied, as his hat became a crown of thorns, and a tear fell from his eye, “I took your place.”
Grace is Jesus taking our place when we deserved to be there.
That’s all there is to it, it’s enough.
Jesus tells us, “My Grace is Sufficient for you.”
Maybe you’ve heard …
A college recruiter interviewed a high school basketball star. The recruiter said, "I hear you're pretty good." "The best there is," the player replied. "I averaged 45 points per game. I was the best rebounder in my high school. And I led our team to 3 undefeated seasons and 3 state championships." "That's incredible," said the recruiter. "Tell me," he said, "Do you have any weaknesses?" "Well," said the youngster sheepishly, "I do have a tendency to exaggerate."
We all have weaknesses. None of us are perfect.
That may be a difficult thing for some of us to admit. For example, 90% of men rank themselves above average in athletic ability. Men sometimes exaggerate. Some of us are “a legend in our own mind.” We all have our weaknesses.
Maybe these aren’t so bad.
JESUS’ PERSPECTIVE
Jesus often talked about changing the way we look at things, about turning things upside down: the first will be last, the mountains will be made low, the valleys brought up, the mighty will be humbled and the humbled exalted, etc. Today we hear from the Apostle Paul – “I am strong when I am weak.”
Today’s passage of scripture comes from the Apostle Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. Paul struggled with the Christian life. He was open about his struggles and his short comings.
PAUL WRITES A SECOND LETTER TO THE CHURCH IN CORINTH
Now, as he writes this letter, Paul is trying to help the Corinthians grow in the faith. But they’re resisting. They’re questioning Paul’s power and authority. Paul’s letters may be bold, some say, but when you actually see him, he’s of no account (2 Corinthians 10:10). So, to get through to these people, Paul is forced to boast of his qualifications as an apostle, even though he realizes that when he does he sounds like a madman (verse 11:23). I’m a Hebrew, I’m an Israelite, I’ve been persecuted, Paul tells them (verses 11:21-26). He has a long list of credentials, but his greatest is this: in Paul’s own personal weakness he has the power of Jesus Christ.
Why does Paul spend so much time developing that idea? Why do the Corinthian Christians need to hear that message? Well, it seems the Corinthians fancied themselves as especially strong.
-The Corinthians thought themselves strong in worldly wisdom. (2 Cor. 8-9)
-we have indications that they’re strong in cash.
-As a large, cosmopolitan port city, we know the Corinthians were strong in Mediterranean culture.
-Unfortunately, they were also strong in the flesh (physical aspects) (2 Cor. 12:21).
-They seem to have spent too much time comparing themselves to other people rather than to God’s holiness (2 Cor. 10:17),
-and they were plagued by the presence of “super-apostles” teaching a different gospel (2 Cor. 11-12). Maybe these super-apostles were attracted to a church in a wealthy and metropolitan place.
How did Paul deal with these problems? He talks about the little flaw that makes a big difference, The little problem that causes him to question everything. He lets the Corinthians know that true Christian strength comes through weakness, because in our weakness we learn to depend on God.
WHAT ARE OUR WEAKNESSES?
Some of our weaknesses are physical, some are mental, and some are moral. Some of those weaknesses have to do with our work, some with our family life, and some with our relationship with Christ. Some of us, for example, have short tempers, others of us lack diplomacy. Some of us are too proud, others of us lack back-bone. Nobody’s perfect. Maybe that is just as well. It’s easier to be in a group of imperfect people. The perfect person has to keep up his reputation; I wouldn’t want it.
HOW DID THE APOSTLE PAUL HANDLE HIS WEAKNESS?
The Apostle Paul had his weaknesses. One in particular caused him much heartache. We don't know for certain what it was. He called it his "thorn in the flesh." Some have suggested that Paul suffered from epileptic seizures. If so, he was in good company. Two of the most powerful men who ever lived-- Julius Caesar and Napoleon--were epileptics, as have been many other great individuals. In Paul's day there was no Dilantin or Phenobarbital to control seizures. If that was his thorn, he was stuck with it.
Paul prayed that God would deliver him from his affliction. Three times he beseeched God about this matter, but God's answer to him was, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." In other words, God seemed to be saying to Paul, "Trust me, Paul. I will take care of you. But I can use your weakness to demonstrate my power."
IT’S OK TO HAVE A WEAKNESS
We can learn from Paul's experience. Paul not only learned to accept his thorn, he even began to boast about his weakness in order to show the power of Christ. Our weakness can become our strength as well. Some of us may even learn to rejoice that we are not perfect. And when we are not perfect – Jesus tells us – God’s GRACE is sufficient.
Jesus told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
WHAT IS GRACE?
I remember the song: Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, and it left him high and dry.
Grace is the free and undeserved favor of God; mercy, clemency, unmerited love,
Mark Twain said, “Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out, and your dog would go in.”
Sometimes a financial institution gives you a grace period. “You don’t have to pay”
As Christians we are saved by grace and we should live by grace. We are people of grace.
People don’t always live up to the name. People are always going to come up short of our expectations.
The church also communicates ungrace through its lack of unity.
“Mark Twain used to say that he put a cat and a dog in a cage together as an experiment, to see if they could get along. They did, so he put in a bird, pig and goat. They, too, got along fine after a few adjustments. Then he put a Baptist, Presbyterian, and Catholic; soon there was not a living thing.” (Yancy, What’s So Amazing About Grace, p. 33)
WEAKNESS CAN BE A HELPFUL SIGN
Sometimes what seems a weakness is only a signal that we are pursuing the wrong trail. One of the most revealing lines in literature appears in the opening paragraph of A. A. Milne's WINNIE-THE-POOH: "Here is Edward Bear coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only way of coming downstairs, but sometimes he feels that there really is another way...if only he could stop bumping for a moment and think of it!"
If you keep bumping your head coming down the stairs, maybe it is time you stop for a moment and think if there is another way it might be done. Sometimes our so-called weaknesses are simply warning signs to us that we are on the wrong road.
I remember some of my weakest moments (there are many):
These were times when I felt completely helpless.
Food poisoning in Bolivia left me unconscious for 3 days.
Dengue fever almost killed me.
Typhoid wasn’t a pretty experience.
Once my Landcruiser broke down in middle of nowhere in Southern Bolivia.
I said, “God, you have to take over now.” I should have prayed that sooner.
God can act in the midst of these situations – we need to trust God.
OUR WEAKNESSES CAN HELP US LEAN ON GOD FOR HELP
I can just hear the Apostle Paul boasting, can't you? "Look at me," he would say, "I once persecuted the church. Look at me, a man who has to battle this humiliating affliction- -this thorn in the flesh. Yet Christ has used me to plant churches all over the known world." Paul was a man of tremendous intellect. He was also a man of unquestionable persuasive powers.
Perhaps if it had not been for his thorn in the flesh, he would have leaned upon his own ability rather than the power of God working through him. And you and I would never have heard the name of Paul.
His weakness became his strength.
His scar became a star.
His hurt became a halo.
And the same thing can happen to us …
… if our weakness helps us to grow,
… if our weakness makes us more determined to succeed,
… if our weakness causes us to try new things,
… and if our weakness causes us to rely on God.
Paul said, “For when I am weak, I am strong”Jesus said, “My power is made perfect in weakness”
AN EXAMPLE
Bani is a bus stop on the road from Santo Domingo to Haiti in the Dominican Republic.
Alexis is a young person in the church in Bani. He witnessed to Bingo (a.k.a. Elvis, a drug trafficker) who witnessed to his fellow (former) gang members.
On evening during a prayer meeting there was a shoot-out on church steps – one dead.
Bingo told us, “That should have been me.”
Bingo, with no gun, no guards, went alone, vulnerable – to speak to the killers about Jesus.
He told them that the guy that died didn’t deserve it, Bingo deserved it.
He told them about Jesus who died when he didn’t deserve it – so that we all might live.
He told them that Jesus died in his place – and for them – and they deserved to know it.
That’s Grace in Action.
Jesus said, “My power is made perfect in weakness”
A STORY
Maybe you’ve heard the story about the church visitors. (This would never happen at Maple Grove)
One day, a man went to visit a church. He got there early, parked his car, and got out. Another car pulled up, and the driver got out and said, “I always park there! You took my place!"
The visitor went inside for Sunday School, found an empty seat and sat down. A young lady from the church approached him and stated, "That's my seat! You took my place!" The visitor was somewhat distressed by this rude welcome, but said nothing.
After Sunday School, the visitor went into the sanctuary and sat down. Another member walked up to him and said, "That's where I always sit! You took my place!" The visitor was even more troubled by this treatment, but still He said nothing.
Later as the congregation was praying for Christ to dwell among them, the visitor stood up, and his appearance began to change. Horrible scars became visible on his hands and on his sandaled feet. Someone from the congregation noticed him and called out, "What happened to you?" The visitor replied, as his hat became a crown of thorns, and a tear fell from his eye, “I took your place.”
Grace is Jesus taking our place when we deserved to be there.
That’s all there is to it, it’s enough.
Jesus tells us, “My Grace is Sufficient for you.”
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Sermon synopsis for January 6, 2008
“Heavenly Lights” Isaiah 60:1-6; Matthew 2:1-23
Today is Kings Day (Epiphany). The three kings are known as the most famous trio to attend a baby shower. They brought expensive gifts too.
Do know what would have happened if they had been three wise WOMEN instead of men?
They would have asked for directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, and brought disposable diapers (practical items) as gifts!
I asked the children how the wise men know where to look for Jesus?
Of course, it was the star.
The star reminds us …
… that God is in control of the universe.
… that God wants everyone to know about Jesus
… that God uses lights to be bring people to Jesus.
I reminded them that God wants us to be lights to bring people to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14: “You are the light of the world.”
Ephesians 5:8: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.”
WHO WERE THE WISE MEN?
The wise men weren’t really kings.
Magi, or Wise Men, were more interested in science, astronomy & astrology than in politics. They were: foreigners, pagans (not believers in God), wealthy and most likely backed by their government.
They appeared on the scene about 2 years after Jesus was born. Most likely they brought with them a large caravan of camels and equipment for a long journey. Most notably they brought troubling news to the Jewish government, specifically to Herod, King of the Jews.
THE PROPHET SAID THEY WOULD COME
About 700 years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah had a message from God to God’s people.
It was a difficult time. Syria (King Rezin) and Israel (King Pekah) attacked Jerusalem, Capital of Judah. Judah entered into a pact with Assyria (King Tiglath-Pileser III), Israel was conquered, destroyed and the people deported to be assimilated into other lands. Judah was betrayed and became a vassal state of Assyria. Isaiah told king Hezekiah of Judah that trusting in Assyria rather than God wasn’t a good idea and that when Assyria was conquered (all powerful nations are eventually conquered by others), by Babylonia, Jerusalem would be conquered as well. A dismal message … because people trusted in political alliances and earthly kings rather than trusting in God.
Isaiah was a prophet of hope. When things looked their darkest, God gave him a message that God was going to do great things, and that the people shouldn’t give up hope.
In Isaiah’s time, foreigners were coming to conquer and destroy.
Isaiah sees a time when God will bring foreigners to bless and build.
Isaiah was speaking of the wise men, and more generally of all the gentiles (non Jews) who would come to Jesus.
THE STORY
Today’s story is found in Matthew chapter 2.
Members of the congregation helped bring the scripture passage alive. They acted out the different parts and interacted with each other.
There was the Holy Family (Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus) who had lived in Bethlehem for about 2 years. Joseph probably found odd jobs. Maybe they even thought about settling down there. They had presented Jesus at the Temple, which was only about 5 miles away.
There was the angel who spoke to Mary and Joseph on various occasions. In this story he told them to go to Egypt and then, a few years later, to go to Nazareth.
There were the Magi. They came bearing gifts. The looked for the recently born King of the Jews in the logical place – Jerusalem, in the palace of the king.
King Herod was getting along in years, probably worried about his legacy. And who would carry-on his policies. He’d built one of the largest and most impressive temples in the Roman Empire – the temple in Jerusalem, many times larger and much more impressive than the temple built when the Jews returned from Babylon. He used slave labor and high taxes to make Israel into one of the places to be in the Roman Empire. He moved a mountain just 2 miles south of Bethlehem to build it into a fortress that a place to retreat when he was under attach and also as his burial place. You could see Herodian, his fortress, from Bethlehem.
There were the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law. These were people firmly based in the Bible, who advised Herod correctly about the prophecy. They were also fiercely loyal to Herod; he had built them a wonderful temple and put an emphasis on religious things.
There were the citizens of Jerusalem. For the most part, they liked Herod and appreciated all the public works and improvements he brought to the city. Herod put their city on the map!
Of course, there is the Star of the story, … the star. It was some sort of natural phenomenon that pushed the wise men to seek for Jesus and eventually led them to Bethlehem.
WHAT DID WE LEARN
Even when it appears that things are going wrong …
God is in Control
Herod (King of God’s people – irony noted) wanted to manipulate history. When God wants to do something – nobody can stop it. Herod, who made a major remodeling of the Temple in Jerusalem, is the same one who ordered the slaughter of all the boy babies in the Bethlehem area.
The story calls us to be in tune with God …
In the story we find people who were …
In tune with God:
Mary / Joseph
Wise men
Herod’s Advisors
In the story we find people who were ...
Not in tune with God:
Herod (the one with the apparent power)
A QUESTION FOR US
How can we be people who are in tune with God?
1. By watching for God – God’s signs (natural and supernatural)
Isaiah 55:6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found.”
Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”
2. By listening for God – God’s message (angel = messenger / Herod’s advisors – the scripture)
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
3. By acting on what you have seen and heard.
James 1:22 “Be doers of the word, not hearers only.”
We transform from those who look for the lights and we become lights ourselves.
We become heavenly lights to those who need to find Jesus.
Today is Kings Day (Epiphany). The three kings are known as the most famous trio to attend a baby shower. They brought expensive gifts too.
Do know what would have happened if they had been three wise WOMEN instead of men?
They would have asked for directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, and brought disposable diapers (practical items) as gifts!
I asked the children how the wise men know where to look for Jesus?
Of course, it was the star.
The star reminds us …
… that God is in control of the universe.
… that God wants everyone to know about Jesus
… that God uses lights to be bring people to Jesus.
I reminded them that God wants us to be lights to bring people to Jesus.
Matthew 5:14: “You are the light of the world.”
Ephesians 5:8: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.”
WHO WERE THE WISE MEN?
The wise men weren’t really kings.
Magi, or Wise Men, were more interested in science, astronomy & astrology than in politics. They were: foreigners, pagans (not believers in God), wealthy and most likely backed by their government.
They appeared on the scene about 2 years after Jesus was born. Most likely they brought with them a large caravan of camels and equipment for a long journey. Most notably they brought troubling news to the Jewish government, specifically to Herod, King of the Jews.
THE PROPHET SAID THEY WOULD COME
About 700 years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah had a message from God to God’s people.
It was a difficult time. Syria (King Rezin) and Israel (King Pekah) attacked Jerusalem, Capital of Judah. Judah entered into a pact with Assyria (King Tiglath-Pileser III), Israel was conquered, destroyed and the people deported to be assimilated into other lands. Judah was betrayed and became a vassal state of Assyria. Isaiah told king Hezekiah of Judah that trusting in Assyria rather than God wasn’t a good idea and that when Assyria was conquered (all powerful nations are eventually conquered by others), by Babylonia, Jerusalem would be conquered as well. A dismal message … because people trusted in political alliances and earthly kings rather than trusting in God.
Isaiah was a prophet of hope. When things looked their darkest, God gave him a message that God was going to do great things, and that the people shouldn’t give up hope.
In Isaiah’s time, foreigners were coming to conquer and destroy.
Isaiah sees a time when God will bring foreigners to bless and build.
Isaiah was speaking of the wise men, and more generally of all the gentiles (non Jews) who would come to Jesus.
THE STORY
Today’s story is found in Matthew chapter 2.
Members of the congregation helped bring the scripture passage alive. They acted out the different parts and interacted with each other.
There was the Holy Family (Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus) who had lived in Bethlehem for about 2 years. Joseph probably found odd jobs. Maybe they even thought about settling down there. They had presented Jesus at the Temple, which was only about 5 miles away.
There was the angel who spoke to Mary and Joseph on various occasions. In this story he told them to go to Egypt and then, a few years later, to go to Nazareth.
There were the Magi. They came bearing gifts. The looked for the recently born King of the Jews in the logical place – Jerusalem, in the palace of the king.
King Herod was getting along in years, probably worried about his legacy. And who would carry-on his policies. He’d built one of the largest and most impressive temples in the Roman Empire – the temple in Jerusalem, many times larger and much more impressive than the temple built when the Jews returned from Babylon. He used slave labor and high taxes to make Israel into one of the places to be in the Roman Empire. He moved a mountain just 2 miles south of Bethlehem to build it into a fortress that a place to retreat when he was under attach and also as his burial place. You could see Herodian, his fortress, from Bethlehem.
There were the Chief Priests and the Teachers of the Law. These were people firmly based in the Bible, who advised Herod correctly about the prophecy. They were also fiercely loyal to Herod; he had built them a wonderful temple and put an emphasis on religious things.
There were the citizens of Jerusalem. For the most part, they liked Herod and appreciated all the public works and improvements he brought to the city. Herod put their city on the map!
Of course, there is the Star of the story, … the star. It was some sort of natural phenomenon that pushed the wise men to seek for Jesus and eventually led them to Bethlehem.
WHAT DID WE LEARN
Even when it appears that things are going wrong …
God is in Control
Herod (King of God’s people – irony noted) wanted to manipulate history. When God wants to do something – nobody can stop it. Herod, who made a major remodeling of the Temple in Jerusalem, is the same one who ordered the slaughter of all the boy babies in the Bethlehem area.
The story calls us to be in tune with God …
In the story we find people who were …
In tune with God:
Mary / Joseph
Wise men
Herod’s Advisors
In the story we find people who were ...
Not in tune with God:
Herod (the one with the apparent power)
A QUESTION FOR US
How can we be people who are in tune with God?
1. By watching for God – God’s signs (natural and supernatural)
Isaiah 55:6 “Seek the Lord while he may be found.”
Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”
2. By listening for God – God’s message (angel = messenger / Herod’s advisors – the scripture)
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
3. By acting on what you have seen and heard.
James 1:22 “Be doers of the word, not hearers only.”
We transform from those who look for the lights and we become lights ourselves.
We become heavenly lights to those who need to find Jesus.
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