Fasting: A Neglected Discipline

Last night in Bible study we covered the passage Luke 5:33-35.

Then they said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?”

³⁴ And He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? ³⁵ But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”

We discussed the various types of fasts.

Total Fast: Nothing to eat or drink.  This is the most severe form of fasting, and should not be done for any great length of time.  Humans can live quite a while without food, but only about three days without liquid.  ( I wouldn’t suggest testing that theory out!)  Muslims routinely do a total fast from sunrise to sunset.   I think that is about as long a total fast as I would ever recommend.

Water Fast: Nothing to eat, only water to drink.  This is slightly less severe, and can be followed for many days.  Our bodies do have a fat reserve which can fuel the bodies needs for a period of time.  People may fast a meal, or a day, three days, seven days, or whatever amount you feel led to fast, up to forty days.  I do not recommend long water fasts unless you specifically feel led by the Spirit to do so.

Juice Fast:  Nothing to eat,  but you can drink juice, or milk.  This fast is slightly easier than the water fast because the juice will provide a supply of sugar to the bloodstream.  The metabolism will function to process the juice and so it is less uncomfortable than the water fast.  The juice fast is the form most commonly used by people doing fasts longer than three days.

Selected Fasts:  The selective fast means giving up something for a period of time.  There are many different forms of selective fasting.

    The Daniel Fast:  There are two forms of the Daniel Fast, the vegetable only, and the “no pleasant food”.   The vegetable only fast is basically a vegetarian, or vegan diet.  Either no meat, or no animal products.  It comes from Daniel 1:12.    The “no pleasant food” comes from Daniel 10:3.  It is not clear what Daniel was referring to specifically, so individuals are left to their own interpretation and application; such as no desserts, no soda, no coffee, or whatever is considered “pleasant” by the individual.

The Ezekiel Fast:  Ezekiel was commanded by God to eat a bread made from a certain mixture of grains.  It comes from Ezekiel 4:9 and there are recipes available for people who want to follow this form of fast. I have occasionally heard of it available in retail stores as well.

These are two common forms of selective fasts, but there are innumerable variations.  When people give something up for Lent, that is a form of selective fasting.  The thing that is given up may be a certain food, or drink; or it may be an activity or favorite pastime, such as giving up television, or facebook and so forth.

The selective fast can be followed for an indefinite period of time, although most people will determine a start, and end date for their fast.

As you can see by these various forms of fasting, there is something available for people of all levels of discipline.  It can be as simple as fasting a meal, to more lengthy durations.  A person should start off slow and learn how they respond to the practice of fasting.

The important thing to remember with fasting is that we are seeking to deny the flesh, and emphasize the spirit.  During a fast, we should spend an increased amount of time in prayer, Bible study, and reflection.

Why do I call fasting a neglected discipline?  I suspect that only a small percentage of Christians practice fasting with any regularity, and many may have never fasted ever.

It is not necessary to fast in order to be saved, but fasting is a Christian discipline that can promote both spiritual growth in the individual, and have an impact on the spiritual realm.

 

 

Mary: An Ordinary Mom?

This is the 23rd Mothers’ Day message that I have preached.  I am a little surprised to recognize that I have never used the most famous mother of all to preach a message on Mothers’ Day.  That is, until today.

I.   The News:  Luke 1:30-31

Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.

Now, obviously Mary received this news from an angel, not from a doctor or pregnancy test.  Even more important, she was a virgin and so there was certainly no reason for her to suspect that she might be pregnant.  Nonetheless, I suspect that her reaction to the news, would be similar to women everywhere.  She was undoubtedly both frightened and excited.  She was likely feeling both joy, and concern.  These are ordinary responses to the very human news that one is with child.  Mary’s world, like any other mother, was about to change forever.  Mary’s circumstances were extraordinary, but her feelings were probably normal human feelings.

II.  Common Bonds:  Luke 1:39-45

Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, ⁴⁰ and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! ⁴³ But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

Obviously, I am a man and so have never experienced being pregnant, or being a mother, so all of my observations are subject to being corrupted by the male perspective, but I have consulted with experts (ordinary moms) and I have been told my thoughts are reasonably accurate.

Mary and Elizabeth were both pregnant under extraordinary circumstances.  Elizabeth was older, and had been barren.  Mary was to be the mother of Jesus, and Elizabeth was to be the mother of John the Baptist.  Still, there is a common experience here of pregnant women everywhere.  Pregnant women like to get together and compare notes.  They like to talk about the changes that are taking place in their bodies, their experiences, feelings, their hopes and dreams and so forth.  If they don’t have a friend that is pregnant, then a friend who has been there already works just as well, maybe even better.  Frankly, women like to talk with other women.  That is pretty ordinary.

The Birth:  Luke 2:6&7, 19

So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

I rather doubt that as Mary was envisioning the day of birth that she had thought that she would be in a strange town, giving birth in a barn.  For most women, the birth day does not go quite like they had expected.

But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

Mary’s experiences were unique and she remembered every detail.  Ordinary women also remember all the details of the birth of their children.  It is an ordinary event that is extraordinary in the sense that it is always remembered.  The day of birth is an ordinary thing, and yet very special day.

IV.  They Grow Up Fast:  Luke 2:40

And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

Jesus grew up just like other children grow up.  Parents everywhere recognize that it seems that their children are infants one day, and young adults the next.  This is an ordinary experience.

V. Children Sometimes Give Us Fits:  Luke 2:41-46

His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. ⁴² And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. ⁴³ When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His motherdid not know it; ⁴⁴ but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. ⁴⁵ So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. ⁴⁶ Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.

At age twelve, Jesus may have already been accepted as a young adult in the Jewish community.  While His family was in Jerusalem, He went to the temple.  He probably didn’t think anything about it.  His parents, trusting Him as a young adult, assumed that He would be with the group.  Can you imagine their concern when they realized that He was not with them.  One day out, one day back, and the third day they find Him in the temple.  Can you imagine how worried Mary was about her twelve-year-old son?  It is a very ordinary thing for our children to give us a few fits as they grow up.  Even Jesus was apparently not except from the typical behavior.

VI.  Still Involved:  John 2:1-5

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ² Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. ³ And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

⁴ Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”

⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

I just have to smile as I read this passage.  Mary believed in her child and knew what He was capable of doing.  She encouraged Him to act in a way that only mothers seem to know how to do.  It wasn’t yet His time, but He ended up helping out anyway.  Ordinary mothers believe in their children, and continue to offer guidance, even after they are grown.  Mary was no different.

VII.  A Broken Heart:  John 19:25

 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

Mary was with Jesus during His ministry and she was there at His death.  How awful that had to be.  Sometimes a mother’s heart is broken by the things that her child has to suffer.  This too, is a common experience in the history of mankind.

VIII.  New Hope:  Acts 1:14

These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

After Jesus death, resurrection, and ascension, Mary is with the disciples.  She has experienced the heights and depths of Jesus’ ministry on earth.  At this time she is expectant for what comes next.  For mothers who have suffered heartbreak, after heartbreak, there can be new hope.

Conclusion:  Obviously, Mary was a very special mother, but many of her experiences are ordinary experiences, common to mothers everywhere.  God can use ordinary mothers to do extraordinary things.  Actually, you don’t have to be a mother, God can use ordinary people, both men and women, to do extraordinary things.

 

 

 

An Active Role

These are the sermon notes from April 28.  Yes, I know, I am a week behind.

The message today is from a famous parable, the parable of the sower and the seed.

Mark 4:1-9

And again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. ² Then He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:

³ “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. ⁴ And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. ⁵ Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. ⁶ But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. ⁷ And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. ⁸ But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

⁹ And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

 

We are blessed that Jesus himself gives the basic interpretation of this parable.

I.  The Sower: v14

The sower sows the word.

The sower can be anyone.  We are all called to be witnesses of the gospel, to share the message of salvation.  We should look for whatever opportunity comes our way to share the good news of Jesus Christ.  The word is the message of salvation offered to all.  The message is scattered liberally, without regard to the soil type.

II.  The Wayside: v15

And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.

Some reject the word when they first hear it.  We should not be discouraged by this result.  Sometimes seed may lay dormant for a long time.  God is able to break up fallow ground.  He is able to soften hardened hearts.  Sometimes it takes a long time before a person will respond with faith, but it may still happen.

III.  The Stoney Ground: vv16-17

These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; ¹⁷ and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.

We all know of people who were saved and served God for a while.  However, for some it is like a passing fad that they embrace for a while before turning to something else.  This is where we should all use this parable as a warning to our own Christian walk.  We are able to take an active part in our faith development.  Let us put down roots through consistent Bible study, prayer, worship, and fellowship with other believers.

IV.  Among Thorns:  vv18-19

Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, ¹⁹ and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

We need to be careful!  The blessings that God gives to us in this world can become a hindrance to our faith.  It is acceptable to enjoy the things that God has given to us, but they should never replace our love for God.  God is to be first in our lives, not just a part of our lives.  Again, we should use the lesson of this parable to take an active part in our faith development, and be careful to “Seek first the kingdom of God”.

IV.  Good Ground:  v20

But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

What does it mean to bear fruit?  The first response is to think of the fruit of the Spirit found in Galations 5: 22-23.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

If we are believers in Christ, our lives should be changed.  If the Spirit of Christ is within us, then that Spirit should be having an impact on our lives.  The fruit of the Spirit should be present, and increasing in any true believer’s life.

There is another aspect of bearing fruit.  In the natural world, fruit contains the seeds of new life.  It is the means of reproduction.  In the spiritual realm, we also, should be reproducing.  We should be sharing the word, planting the seed, if you will, of new believers.

Conclusion:  We can use the parable of the sower, not to resign ourselves to our lot in life, but to break up fallow ground, to send down roots, to weed out the distractions in our lives, and to produce fruit for the kingdom of God.

The Fulfillment of a Dream

Life has been busy.  Here are the sermon notes from April 21, 2013.

I.  The Fulfillment of a Vision

A.  Genesis 37:5-11 The Dreams (age 17)

 Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. ⁶ So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: ⁷ There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”

⁸ And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

⁹ Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers, and said, “Look, I have dreamed another dream. And this time, the sun, the moon, and the eleven stars bowed down to me.”

¹⁰ So he told it to his father and his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall your mother and I and your brothers indeed come to bow down to the earth before you?” ¹¹ And his brothers envied him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

Joseph was the favorite son of Jacob.    His brothers were well aware of his position as the favorite, and it angered them.  These dreams of Joseph only gave them more reason to be angry.  They acted out their anger one day by selling Joseph into slavery and covered it up by showing their father his bloodied clothing.  Jacob assumed that Joseph had been killed by wild beasts.

As a slave in Egypt, Joseph rose in power to become the head slave in his master’s house.  He was falsely accused of sexually assaulting his master’s wife, and was thrown into jail.

In jail, he again rose to a place of power.  He was given authority over the other prisoners.  During his time in jail he interpreted the dreams of two fellow prisoners.  This led to him one day being called into the presence of pharaoh to interpret a dream.

B.  The Rise to Power:  (age 30) Genesis 41:39-43

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. ⁴⁰ You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” ⁴¹ And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.”

⁴² Then Pharaoh took his signet ring off his hand and put it on Joseph’s hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. ⁴³ And he had him ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried out before him, “Bow the knee!” So he set him over all the land of Egypt.

Joseph went from being the favorite son, to being a slave, to being a prisoner, to being ruler over Egypt.  It is an amazing story of how God can work in surprising ways to accomplish His purpose in our lives.  It is commonly referred to a the theme of the suffering servant.

C.  The Dreams Come True:  (age 38) Genesis 42:6

Now Joseph was governor over the land; and it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed down before him with their faces to the earth.

Of course his brothers do not recognize Joseph, but Joseph certainly recognized his brothers.  The dream had finally come true, almost twenty years later.

II.  Character Development

A.  Do What is Right:  Genesis 39:7-9

And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.”

⁸ But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand. ⁹ There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”

God was working in Joseph’s heart during his time of hardship.  Joseph was learning the important lesson of doing the right thing rather than the easy thing.  Doing what was right in the sight of God, not necessarily right in the sight of man.

B.  Knowledge of God:  Genesis 40:8

And they said to him, “We each have had a dream, and there is no interpreter of it.”

So Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell them to me, please.”

Joseph recognizes that God has the interpretation.  Joseph has developed enough of a relationship with God that he believed that he might be able to help.  That God, whom he served, would reveal the interpretation to him.

Joseph had come a long way from the spoiled brat that he had been, to the man of God that he had become.  God used the times of hardship to develop his character.

III.  The Blessing of God

A.  As a Slave:  Genesis 39:3

And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand.

B.  As a Prisoner:  Genesis 39:23

The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority,because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper.

God was with Joseph even during the difficult times.  Whatever the circumstances were, God blessed him.

We cannot all be Joseph.  We cannot all rise to become the ruler over a nation, or even over a company.  We can however all be blessed by God.  We can all develop our character to be the people God calls us to be.  We can all have visions that come true.  The most important thing is to develop our relationship with God so that we know God and do what is right.

God Himself, is our greatest blessing. Genesis 15: 1

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

If we have a good relationship with God, then truly our best dreams are fulfilled.

 

 

Faith of Our Fathers

Here are the sermon notes from 4/14/13.

Introduction:  One of my earliest memories of church is standing alongside my father as the congregation sang Holy, Holy, Holy, .  When we think of the faith of our fathers, it doesn’t mean literally, the faith of our biological fathers, but rather our predecessors in the faith.  Our lineage in the faith stretches back through the years, all the way to Abraham and beyond.

I. Rule Over Sin: Genesis 4:3-8

And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. ⁴ Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, ⁵ but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.

⁶ So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? ⁷ If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

⁸ Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.

I have heard it preached that Abel’s sacrifice was accepted because it was a blood sacrifice.  I do not believe that was the problem.  Elsewhere in scripture all different types of offerings were presented to, and accepted by, even commanded by, God.  It tells us in Hebrews that “by faith” Able offered a better sacrifice than Cain.  Obviously, Cain believed in the existence of God, so it wasn’t that type of faith.  I believe that it was an attitude of the heart.  God knows the thoughts and intents of our hearts and I believe that Cain was not right in his heart towards God.   Our first priority to should be to incline our hearts towards God.

Cain is warned that sin is “at the door”.  There is always the opportunity to sin.  Sin brings consequences.  We should seek to avoid sin like the plague that it is.

Cain is urged to “rule over sin”.  Some versions say to “master it” .  In order to do this we must first be able to recognize sin.  We need to know what is, and what is not, pleasing to God.  The second step is to resist sin.  This requires an active choice on our part.  It is one thing to know what is right, it is another thing to actually do it.  We are called to “rule over” sin, that is, to conquer it.  We do this by developing our relationship with God.  By the power of the Holy Spirit, we are able to recognize, resist and rule over sin.

II.  Children of Abraham:  Genesis 15:1

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.”

We may not be descendents of Abraham in a physical sense, but we are his children in the faith.  This event takes place before God has changed Abram’s name to Abraham.

God is our shield.  I really appreciate that God is able to protect us from the attacks of the enemy.  I do sometimes wonder why He allows some things to happen, while preventing other things.  I recognize first of all, that a shield does not protect us from our own careless, or flat-out wrong actions.  A shield protects us from attack from the outside, not our own mistakes.  Second, God allows a certain amount of tests and trials into our lives to develop our faith and our trust in Him.

God is our reward.  This is one of the most profound statements of scripture.  Our relationship with God is greater than anything that this world can possibly offer.  As believers we are able to be in the very presence of God.  There is no greater reward than our relationship with God.  I suspect that many of us have not come to truly appreciate what that means.

III.  God Will Provide:  Genesis 22:7-8

But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!”

And he said, “Here I am, my son.”

Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”

⁸ And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.

This quote comes from the episode in which God has told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac on the altar.  Abraham is going to obey God and is on his way to follow through with this command when this exchange takes place.   Every time that I read this I am struck with the saying that “God will provide for Himself the lamb”.  Of course, this is a type, or a forecast, of the sacrifice that God would make of His son Jesus.  Jesus is called ‘the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”.  God did indeed provide the lamb, His Son, for the sins of the world.

After God had stopped Abraham from killing his son, a ram is found in the thicket and offered to God as a sacrifice.  Abraham called the place “the Lord will provide”.  As believers we have continued to believe in a God who will provide what is needed in our lives.

Conclusion:  We can learn from those who have gone before us in the faith.  We should develop our relationship with God.  We should learn to rule over sin.  We should trust that God will provide.

 

The Great Commission

Here are the sermon notes from 4/7/13.

Today I am preaching from a passage of scripture well-known as the Great Commission.   Missionaries commonly use these verses in encouraging missions support.  This text is excellent for that purpose, and for much more.

Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

All Authority:  Jesus lived during the reign of the Roman Empire.  The Romans were polytheistic, believing in many gods.   The Jewish people were a part of a monotheistic religion; believing that only Jehovah; their God, was real.  It was common for nations to have their own god that they claimed as their own.  When Jesus proclaims that all authority has been given to Him it says that He is Lord over all; all kingdoms, nations and people.

Go:  This is an active pursuit, not passive.  It is like the difference between stalking deer or sitting in a deer stand waiting for them to come to you.  We are not to sit in our churches waiting for people to come to us, we are to go to them with the gospel message, to share the hope that is within us.

Make Disciples:  We are asked to record the number of new conversions that take place each year in our ministry.  Conversions are important, but they are only the beginning.  A new convert must become a disciple, and a disciple is a life-long servant and student.

All Nations:  We are sent into all the world with the hope of the gospel.  We should all share the message in our particular circumstances; watching for the ‘divine appointments’ that God may bring our way.  We should also be open to hear God’s call to further missions involvement.  We may be called to the mission field as full-time missionaries, or short-term assignments, or whenever the opportunity arises.  We also should support those who do go around the world with our prayers and our offerings.

Baptizing Them:  Christians throughout the centuries have argued over the form, timing and meaning of baptism.  We all recognize that if you are Christian, then you should be baptized.

Father, Son and Holy Spirit:  This statement of Christ continues the progressive revelation of the triune God.  The nature of the trinity is hinted at in the Old Testament, more fully revealed in the New Testament, and hammered out through time by the reflection of God’s people upon God’s Word.

Teaching Them:  As I have already said, a disciple is a life-long student.  If we think that we already know everything, then we really understand very little.  We should continue to both learn more, and teach others what we have learned.

To Observe:  We are not simply to know, we are to do.  For someone to say I know I should but… is wrong to accept.  If we know we should, then we should do.

Always With You:  The comfort of the knowledge that Christ is with us always is immeasurable.  It is one of my favorite portions of scripture.  He will never leave us or forsake us.  We do not face the challenges of life alone.  Christ is with us always.

The Great Commission

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

 

 

Out of Death Comes Life

Here are the sermon notes  from Easter Sunday March 31, 2013.

I.  Resurrection:  Matthew 28:1-10

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. ² And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. ³ His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. ⁴ And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

⁵ But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. ⁷ And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

⁸ So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

⁹ And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

Rejoice!  The first word of Jesus to the women in this gospel account is to  rejoice.  Christians ever since that first Easter morning truly have rejoiced that Christ has risen!  It has made all the difference in the world.  It confirms the message that Jesus preached, and gives us a hope that goes beyond the grave.

Our church does not have Holy Week services.  We do not have a Maunday Thursday, or a Good Friday service.  We celebrate the Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday, and the resurrection on Easter.  This gives the impression that the season is only that of celebration.

We must remember that you do not have a resurrection, without first having a death.  Hebrews 12:1-2 says:

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

We will never be able to fully comprehend the true suffering of Christ on the cross.  We cannot understand what it means to take the sins of the world.  Jesus knew what it was going to be like, and He asked three times that “this cup might pass from me”.  However, the Father, and Jesus also, knew there was no other way so “may thy will be done”.

II.  Out of Death Comes Life:  Matthew 16:21-27

From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.

²² Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”

²³ But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

²⁴ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. ²⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. ²⁶ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

I am concerned that we want to skip an important step.  We do not get to have the new life that Christ has for us unless we are willing to lay down the old one.  It seems as though many people want the promise of God’s help in this life and the promise of life to come, but they want to remain the masters of their own lives.  They  do not want to give their lives to Christ, they want to keep them for themselves.  Not everyone seems willing to say “not my will, but thine be done”.

Romans 6:1-4:

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? ² Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? ³ Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? ⁴ Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

I am concerned that many of us are so busy telling God what we want Him to do, that we forget to ask God what He wants us to do.

Years ago the Imperials recorded a song titled Water Grave.  It contains the words:

I’m going down to the river.

I’m going to be buried alive.

I’m going to show my heavenly Father

the man I used to be has finally died.

I have a 1983 Yamaha Venture motorcycle.  It runs good, but cosmetically it is in pretty rough shape.  If someday I get a different motorcycle I will have to choose which one I ride.  I can’t ride two bikes at the same time.

We cannot live our lives for ourselves, and live for God at the same time.

If we die to self, only then can we live for Christ.

Christ came that we might have life, and that more abundantly.  Let’s trust God enough to give up the lives that we had, so that we might live the life He has for us.

Obviously, I am not talking about a physical death.  I am talking about telling God “not my will, but Thine be done”.

ACA Loophole

I was reading in my local paper an article about changes that the County Conservation Board would be making in the future.  They regularly employ individuals for seasonal work.  These employees work forty hour weeks, some of them for more than four months.  Under the Affordable Care Act the county will be required to provide health coverage for these individuals.  Some of these people are actually retired, covered by Medicare.  The county will still be required to provide health coverage under the ACA.  Anyone working more than thirty hours a week for more than four months  must be provided health insurance or the employer will face penalties.

The solution is likely to be either limit the employee to four months, or more likely, reduce the weekly hours to less than thirty hours a week, and hire more people to make up the hours.  This will allow the county to still get the work done and not have to provide coverage.

I strongly suspect that there will be a lot of companies that will take advantage of this loophole.  Instead of providing health care, they will simply have more employees, working less than thirty hours.

This, of course, will mean that their employees will make less money, and be legally responsible for their own health care.  This health care will be made available at lower rates, subsidized by the government, adding to the financial burden placed on our country.

In addition, the workers will most likely need to find additional employment, working a second job to provide enough income to meet their needs.

I am concerned about the future for workers, employers, the medical field, and our government.

The Plumb Line

Here are the sermon notes from 3/17.

Introduction:  My father was very gifted at working with his hands.  He added on to, or remodeled, the houses that we lived in, and the stores that they owned.  The only time that I remember him hiring someone to work on the property was when he was adding on to the kitchen, which included a room in the basement.  He hired a man to lay the cinder blocks for the foundation.  When I asked him about it he replied that the foundation was too important, and that he had too little experience.  A foundation that was not square and plumb would create numerous problems.

I.  The Plumb Line:  Amos 7:7-9

Thus He showed me: Behold, the Lord stood on a wall made with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand. ⁸ And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?”

And I said, “A plumb line.”

Then the Lord said:

“Behold, I am setting a plumb line
In the midst of My people Israel;
I will not pass by them anymore.
⁹ The high places of Isaac shall be desolate,
And the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste.
I will rise with the sword against the house of Jeroboam.”

Israel was like a wall that was crooked.  God was going to tear down, and rebuild.

I wonder what our lives would look like if we took the plumb line of God’s Word and applied it to our lives.  Would we need to be straightened out, or completely rebuilt?

II.  Judging Ourselves:  I Corinthians 11:31

 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.

The question is ” How do we judge ourselves?”

A.  Do we believe in Jesus?  John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Jesus is the cornerstone, the starting point.  If we do not believe in Jesus then nothing else really matters.  Faith in Jesus is where we must begin.

B.  Do we love God?  Matthew 22:36-38

 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

³⁷ Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸ This is the first and great commandment.

God should be the most important thing in our lives.  If there is anything else that is more important to us, then we need to change our attitude.

C.  Do we love our neighbor?  Matthew 39-40

And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

We are to love everyone, not just our family and friends, not just our fellow believers, not just the nice people, or people like ourselves; we are to love everyone, because God loves everyone.

D.  Have we forgiven others? Matthew 6:14-15

 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

If we do not forgive others we are poisoning our own lives.  Unforgiveness will create bitterness, which leads to anger and hatred.  It will affect our relationships with others and according to the verses that we have read, will nullify our own salvation.  It is very serious.

We may not feel like forgiving a person.  We can make a conscious choice, by an act of our will, to declare that we do forgive them.  Then we should pray for them.  We may need to do this daily for a while.  In time, our hearts will be healed, our emotions will change and we can move on.

E.  Are we keeping the commandments? I John 5:3

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

Which commandments?  The Bible contains direction for our lives.  We should be reading, and studying the scriptures, and applying them to our lives.  The Holy Spirit will give us understanding and strength to apply the Word to our lives.  It is an ongoing process.

F.  Have we taken up our cross?  Matthew 16:24-27

  Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. ²⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. ²⁶ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.

Have we given our lives to Christ?  Are we doing what He wants us to be doing?  Are we in the place that He wants us to be?  Are we open to change?  Have we asked God to guide our steps?

If we ask God to guide us then it is up to Him to direct us.  In the absence of clear communication, we can do what we think is best, God’s Word to guide us.  The important thing is that we have offered our lives to God, and asked for His direction.

III.  Discipline:  I Corinthians 9:27

But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Hold the plumb line of God’s word to your lives.  Ask God for the wisdom to know what needs to be changed.  Ask God for the strength to change what needs to change.  God loves us as we are, but loves us too much to leave us the way that He found us.

Conclusion:  Philippians 1:6

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

The Morality of “Bodies Revealed”

Bodies Revealed is an educational exhibit that is traveling around the United States.   It is a unique display of human bodies in various stages of, I suppose you could say, dissection.  The bodies of people who had donated their remains to science have been disassembled to various degrees, preserved so that they will not decompose or smell, and then posed in various positions.  Some body organs are available for people to handle, so that we can literally hold another person’s heart in our hands.  It is claimed that it demonstrates the workings of the human body in a powerful and unique way.  The hope is that it will inspire a new generation of doctors, scientists, etc.

They are obeying the letter of the law.  The bodies were donated for educational purposes.  The end result may be positive in that it may result in people pursuing careers in the medical field.  It is possible that the driving forces behind the exhibit really do have motives that are more honorable than simply making money.

Even so, it just seems wrong to me.  I recognize that I am primarily relying on an intuition that other people may not share, and so there may not be many who agree that it is wrong.  It is not possible to argue from intuition, all we can really do is see how many other people share our opinion.  We can also challenge some of the claims that provide moral support for the exhibit.

I do not have a problem with the use of human bodies for medical education and research.  However, the  vast majority of people who will be viewing this exhibit will not be  pursuing anything other than a morbid curiosity to see real human bodies.

Yes, people donated their bodies to science, without many restrictions.  I wonder if they would have donated their bodies if they were made aware previously that they would basically become preserved and publicly displayed?  In some regards, they are the subjects of human taxidermy.

Although some will be inspired to pursue medical careers, will some merely have their imaginations further excited?  In a time when we regularly see human bodies in all states of decomposition regularly displayed on our television sets, are there some people who want to see the real thing?  Will this lead some down the right path of medical research?  Will it lead some down a more sinister path?  What will be the true lasting consequences of this morbid display of human remains?

The exhibit has done very well at the places where is has been on display.  I suspect that revenue is up.  That is not a bad thing, our museums do need to meet their operational budgets.  It does make me wonder whether the motivation behind the exhibit is indeed, public education, or does it simply come down to profitability?

Were the scientists/artists who put the exhibit together motivated by a desire to share knowledge, or were they more excited about working with a medium that was taboo throughout most of human history?

As I said earlier, this might all be a perfectly moral enterprise.  I do not know any of the people involved.  They might all be wonderful people, working from pure motives.

It just seems wrong to me.

What do you think?