The first seven chapters of the Book of Romans focused on the power of sin in our lives, and they have set the stage for chapter 8 by discussing Paul’s ideas about sin. Our reading today from Romans 8:1-11 is an entrance into friendly territory. It talks about the Holy Spirit, which was not mentioned in the previous seven chapters. In chapter 8 alone there are 21 specific references to the Holy Spirit because this chapter is practical in showing us how important the Holy Spirit is in our daily lives.

Paul contrasts life in the flesh with life in the Spirit, and Romans 8:1-11 focuses on setting our minds on the things of the Spirit. Paul works with the idea that God’s Spirit raised Jesus’ dead body and that same Spirit lives in each and every one of us. The Holy Spirit gives life to our bodies and personalities. We are like God because we are made out of the same stuff and substance as God. God’s Spirit sets off our spirits inside of us.

The power of evil is not dumb. It always attacks us when we are the most vulnerable and the weakest. Paul identifies our four weakest areas as sex, anger, drunkenness and orgies and pride. In other words, we are at our weakest when we are in our sin-filled nature. Romans 8:1-11 crucifies and kills our sinful nature and lets the Spirit gush out with great power.

Life in the flesh means a life of sin, selfishness and worldliness. In contrast, life in the Spirit is a life of holiness, giving and Christ-centeredness. Life in the flesh leads to a body that is dead in sin, but a life in the Spirit leads to a life in Christ. When the Spirit lives in us, we are brought to life and we are redeemed from the grave just like Jesus was brought back to life and redeemed from the grave after his crucifixion.

When Paul talks about the sins of the flesh, he talks about all the sinful behaviour that exists in our world, and that is in contrast to the peace, joy and love that exists in the Spirit. We have been created as embodied persons, claimed by the promise of baptism and focused on the Spirit who redeems us to all that is good and true. Concern for worldly pleasures is bad, concern for spiritual life is better. This is often difficult for us to do, especially if we have to work on Sundays or when we are tempted by the sinful world. If we have the Holy Spirit, God will give us the strength to resist temptation.

The Old Testament law was weak because humans could not keep it, so God sent Jesus. Jesus met the demands of the law that were rightly made against the people. The Holy Spirit living in us allows us to obey God’s laws. It helps us reject our old earthly ways. It is also the hope of every believer. It regenerates our human spirit when we accept Christ as our Saviour.

By sending Jesus, God fulfilled the law for us and condemned sin. We are freed by the Holy Spirit. The law of the Spirit is in contrast to the law of sin and death. The Spirit gives us a new focus and a new freedom. We do not need to fear death or God’s wrath. Death is not the end. It is the beginning of unending, complete redemption.

God is a powerful judge who punishes us when we need it just like a parent punishes a child when the child needs it. God punishes us because he loves us and he wants to keep us on the straight and narrow path. God convicts us of sin, but he sets the conviction aside when he says, “Go, and sin no more.” God will not judge us unless we have never been saved. Our good deeds are not enough to save us because even our greatest deeds are filthy rags in his sight because of his perfect standards. If we are in Christ, our punishment has been transferred to Jesus, so we are not condemned. Judgement Day for us took place at Calvary, so our judgment days is behind us. Non-believers still have to face their own Judgment Day. As pardoned sinners, we live our lives by following the Spirit. Only then can we be a true image of God.

Christ and the Spirit are fully God and work together. Since Christian bodies are not yet redeemed, they still die even though they are freed from the condemnation of sin. The presence of the Spirit within believers testifies to the new life they enjoy because of the righteousness of Christ that is now theirs.

The Holy Spirit is the cure for sin and death. The law of sin and death is more deadly than an electric shock. Life in the Spirit changes us. Sin has killed our bodies and we can’t help ourselves, but Christ helps us. To live in Christ requires a radical transformation that renews our minds. That does not mean that we will not have any more struggles. In fact, Paul mentions his own struggles with sin in Romans 7:15-25. Walking in the Spirit is a relationship issue. Specifically, it is an issue of our relationship with God.

A few years ago,  the Huffington Post ran an article about the brain-training secrets of the athletes. Gold medal champions know how to train their minds like they train their bodies. Using mental exercises, they’ve learned to tune out distractions, reduce stress and focus on staying on top of their game. Using mental imagery, they visualize their performance in exacting detail, for studies have found that mental practice is almost as effective as physical training. Olympians meditate to calm themselves down. When they get into a “flow mindset,” they say they’re “in the zone.”

Christians should be experts at cultivating the mind and soul. The Bible tells us to train our minds as we train our bodies—to reject anxiety, to focus on trusting the Lord, and to visualize the green pastures, still waters and abundant life God has promised. The Bible tells us to meditate on His Word and get “into the zone” of the spiritual mind. Peace comes from trusting our Saviour—to be spiritually minded is life and peace—and that’s why he keeps those in perfect peace whose minds are stayed on him.

When we set our minds on the things of God, we do not allow sin to gain a foothold in our lives. If we do not forgive ourselves we remain enslaved to sin because we still feel guilty. We still condemn ourselves, but Jesus will never condemn those who believe in him. If we do not believe in Christ, we can’t please God by being good.

God does not save people who do good deeds unless they believe in Jesus. We can‘t escape sin by our own efforts. We can only escape sin through faith in Christ as mentioned in Romans 7:26.

Good deeds by themselves do not fulfill God’s law because they are produced for selfish reasons by a heart that is opposed to God. Jesus even said in Matthew 9:13,”I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”  

To put it another way, a couple recently wrote a letter to Billy Graham. In that letter they stated that another couple in their apartment complex said they know they’re going to go to heaven when they die. The writers asked how the couple could say that. The writer added that the couple seem like good people, that it’s arrogant for anyone to claim they’re good enough to get into heaven. Here is Billy Graham’s reply:

“Many people, I’m afraid, hope that God will let them into heaven, since they’ve been honest and good and kind toward others. After all, they think, isn’t this what God expects of us?

But you may be surprised to learn that the Bible tells us otherwise. The Bible says God’s standard is nothing less than perfection — and who can claim to be perfect? In other words, if you had committed only one sin — just one — it would be enough to keep you out of heaven. God is absolutely pure and holy, and we’ll never be able to stand in His presence on our own. The Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

This is why we need Christ, for only He can forgive us and cleanse us — and He will, as we turn in faith to Him. And this, I suspect, is what your neighbors have discovered. They know they aren’t good enough to go to heaven on their own, and they have turned to Christ for the forgiveness and mercy they need.

And this can be true of you. God loves you, and He offers you the gift of eternal life right now — a gift paid for by His Son, Jesus Christ. Why not reach out and accept that gift today, by inviting Christ to come into your life? The Bible’s promise is true: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).”

Jesus said in effect that the things we offer to do and the promises we want to make in exchange for our forgiveness are just offerings to help us get over our guilt. He would rather give us forgiveness as a gift. The Holy Spirit is a gift for all believers. It does not have to be earned. When we are saved we can repeat the words of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: “Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty I’m free at last!”

The process of change from life in the flesh to a life in the Spirit is a gradual one. This can be very frustrating to us because we live in a society that promises instant results and instant gratification. We want to make real changes in our lives, but many of us are looking for a magic pill to solve all of our problems. We have to open ourselves to the wonderful and unpredictable Spirit that is flowing so freely and so full of life all around us. True change is a long, slow process. It is a daily practice that will eventually result in change and growth.

Bibliography

1. Cecil Murphy, “My Powerful Judge.” Retrieved from www.cecilmurphy.com
2. Dick Inness, “The Law of Life.” Retrieved from www.actsweb.org
3. Dr. Tony Evans, ”Extreme Makeover.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
4. Exegesis for Romans 8:1-11. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
5. Dr. Neil Anderson, “Relationship, Not Regime.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
6. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing, 2013)
7. Dr. Ed Young, “Watch Your Mindset.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
8. Briscoe, D.S. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 29: Romans (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)
9. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2006)
10. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.
11. Dr. David Jeremiah, “Get in the Zone.” Retrieved from www.davidjeremiah.org
12. Jon Walker, “Jesus Offers Mercy, Not Condemnation.” Retrieved from www.purposedriven.com
13. Stephen Davey, “Hiding Our Sin.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
14. Pastor Edward Markquart, “Christ’s Spirit and My Spirit.” Retrieved from www.sermonsfromseattle.com
15. Pastor Edward Markquart, “Christ’s Spirit and Put to Death Our Human Nature.” Retrieved from www.sermonsfromseattle.com
16. Billy Graham, “How Can Someone Know They’re Going to Heaven?” Retrieved from www.arcamax.com

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is the story that won the amateur writing contest,” she said, and then she began reading. “There was excitement in the courtroom as one witness after another told of his relationship with the defendant. All agreed that he was fun to be with. He amused and entertained them, he told them of his travels, and he passed along a wide range of knowledge. But after he had established himself in their houses, many parents noticed he often used very bad language, he told dirty stories, he often displayed anger and violence, and he taught their children evil ways.

“‘Because of a story he told, I ran away from home,’ testified seventeen-year-old Sally when she was put on the witness stand.

“‘He taught me that it’s smart to drink,’ added Julian.

“Another boy was crying as he said, ‘He told me and my friend Josh that he had a foolproof plan for robbing a store. We tried it, but the store owner had a gun. Josh was killed.’

“‘He told me that whatever I want to do is okay-even if it goes against the Bible-and that others should accept me as I am,’ stated a girl.

“So it went. Finally the defendant himself was called to the stand and asked to state his name. ‘I am Mr. T. Vee,’ he said. ‘I was only exercising my rights to freedom of speech. Besides, I was invited into each home by parents and children. They could have asked me to leave, but they never did.’

“When all testimony had been heard, the judge spoke. ‘Although I believe Mr. T. Vee is guilty of the charges brought against him, I cannot convict him,’ stated Judge Smith. ‘He was an invited guest in each home, and the law does allow free exchange of ideas. It was the responsibility of those in the home to ask him to go. Since they did not, they are as guilty as he! Case dismissed!'”

Dad looked at the family. “I hope this helps you understand why Mom and I don’t allow you to watch certain programs,” he said. “Let’s all share the responsibility of turning off the TV when bad programs come on.”

We live in a dark world that is full of temptation and evil. We try to live our lives as Christians, and sometimes we go astray. Most temptations are not great, obvious ones. We may never have been tempted to murder, commit adultery, or worship idols. Can we say the same thing about common sins like gossip or backstabbing? Have we never repeated a juicy rumour, even though we knew it was hurting a friend’s reputation? Have we assumed that everything we read on social media is true?

What about quarreling and refusing to forgive other people? It only takes a moment for a difference of opinion to turn into a nasty argument. We stomp away and vow never to speak to that person again, and a friendship is lost, a marriage is ruined, or a church is divided. The darkness creeps in. Too many people, including Christians, are living carelessly, without an appreciation of the dangers they face. The devil is at work in our lives, and some of his favourite tools are his lies. If we believe them, our relationships can disintegrate before our eyes and we’ll wonder what has happened.

In Ephesians 5:8-14, the apostle Paul laid out a counter attack. He calls on us as Christians to pursue goodness, justice and truth. Pursuing truth involves exposing that which is false (also known as sin) or secretive to community discernment.

How can we determine what is good and what is evil? We can’t make that determination on the basis of outward appearance. What is good in the world’s eyes can actually be evil. The only way to determine what is evil is to study the Scriptures.

We should live like people who have seen the evil of sin. By doing so, we will do what is acceptable in God’s eyes. Evil hurts the body and the soul. By living Christ-like lives, we rebuke a sinful world. Evil is so bad that its deeds can’t be described or spoken unless we as Christians rebuke them. Believers must not only remove themselves from darkness, but they also have a responsibility to expose and stand against the darkness. This is hard to do. We want to be minor players who move in and out of God’s plan of redemption as we please. It can’t be so. When we shine the light of Christ, we must do so in love and with a lifestyle that honors God.

Sins are called “works of darkness” for two reasons:

1. They spring from darkness or the ignorance of God.
2. They are committed in darkness. They shun the light.

Christ’s light shines anywhere and everywhere. It cleanses and purifies. It shows the way to spiritual safety for those who are about to sink into the abyss of sin.

The church is called to let its light shine. It is to be a beacon of light in a sin-filled world. The light should attract people like a light attracts moths in warm weather. It should draw people away from the darkness of our sin-filled world and lead them to the light of Christ. It must make people dead to sin and alive to Christ.

Before we can be like Christ, and before we can shine His light in the world, we need to have the nature of Christ within us. Only after He does this will our identity be changed. Only then can we change our behaviour.

When we face life’s trials, we will always find a verse in God’s Word to sustain us. Becoming strong in faith and strong in the Bible happens as we apply the truth of His Word in our lives. Then we will grow spiritually and live lives that will please Him.

Paul declares that believers were once darkness, not that they were in darkness. In other words, they were not innocently surrounded by sin and evil but were wholly part of that environment. Now they have become light and should have no fellowship with darkness. We as Christians are called to walk as children of light. We are to determine what is acceptable to God, and the only way we can do that is to study the Scriptures.

Life without Christ is like a power outage-survival mode in pitch darkness. Without Christ, there are no absolutes. Hope, truth and even morality are relative. When Christ is not the foundation of our lives, we spend our lives stumbling around in spiritual darkness hoping that we don’t bump into anything.

Many years ago, a prominent minister had a very eccentric man in his congregation who was trying to be a zealous Christian. Unfortunately, he usually did the wrong thing. He was a barber, and one day he was lathering up a customer for a shave. He came at the man with the razor in his hand and said, “Sir, are you prepared to meet your God?” The customer was scared out of his senses, jumped up and fled the barbershop with lather on his face!

It’s easy to allow our zealousness to get in the way of our common sense. We are to be zealous for God, but we must do it with wisdom. We are to love others in a way that is guided by the Holy Spirit and truly communicates God’s love for people. We are to speak the truth in love as a means to grow and as a goal for growing. We are not to go along with abusive behaviours or turn a blind eye to any kind of sin.

 In the darkest places and the darkest times in our lives, we realize the true power of light. When we seek out the caves and darkness of truth, we see that the depth of darkness can’t put out even the smallest spark of light.

Exposure of negative behaviour and lifestyles by positive Christian conduct and speech can become a tool for evangelism. When those who commit sin see how we as people of light walk the walk of our Christian faith, they have the potential to be converted so that they also become light.

Darkness is not the problem to be solved by God’s light. Paul is speaking of the foolishness of hiding in the darkness of the world. It makes us prisoners of fear. It doesn’t let us be free to live in faith. We don’t need a great light to banish the darkness of this world. All we need is faith. p:non�:��U

How many of your either know or knew someone who people might say is “different?”

They end up in this category for many different reasons-race, colour, creed, beliefs, religion, the community they live in, or even a disability. I can tell you from personal experience that it is no fun to be labelled as “different.” I can sympathize with the blind man in John 9:1-41. I hope that all of us as Christians can sympathize with him as well.

When the disciples saw the blind man, they saw an object of theological curiosity. In contrast, Jesus saw a man in need. There was a common belief at that time that suffering was the result of sin. The New Testament argues that this is not necessarily true, although situations such as cirrhosis of the liver and lung cancer are caused by the sins of drinking and smoking respectively. Even today, there are some people who look for someone to blame when tragedy strikes. They would rather call it a curse of God or a fitting punishment for some previous fault or crime instead of admitting that such things just happen or might happen to them.

Jesus used the metaphors of night and day to highlight His identity as the light of the world. Then he brought light to the blind man by healing him. Jesus could have simply spoken and restored the man’s sight, but his instructions to go and wash in the pool of Siloam were perhaps intended to test the man’s faith.

Jesus saw the blind man who was in physical and spiritual darkness and responded to his need. Similarly, he responds to our need for spiritual light because we live with the handicaps of our sin, limitations and false ideas about God. Baptism gives us our initial sight, just like washing in the pool at Siloam helped to give the blind man his physical sight. As we continue our journey through Lent, we have a chance for a spiritual eye exam. Just as we need to have physical eye exams on a regular basis, we need to have our spiritual eyesight checked regularly.

Sometimes our spiritual blindness is the result of the influence other people have on us. As someone once told me, “You are who you associate with.” We live in a world where sin is waiting to pounce on us just like a lion or a tiger pounces on its prey.

Spiritual vision allows us to see who we are before God, where we are going and what we have to do along the way. Jesus’ gift of spiritual sight gives us the direction we need in our lives today.  Sin is the rejection of the light that was brought into this world by the Light of the World. Our response to that light is important.  The Light of the World has the purifying power that cleanses the worst of sins just like many cleaners can clean the worst types of physical dirt.

The way the formerly blind man reported his encounter with Jesus provides a pattern for sharing faith: “Here is my story. This is who I was—blind, helpless and hopeless in my sin. Then I met Jesus, and this is how my life changed.” It is difficult for people to argue with a person’s story.

The Sabbath was established as a day of rest, but the Pharisees had added numerous regulations to make sure everyone “rested.” In their thinking, this healing—if in fact the man had actually been healed—was “work” and thus violated the Sabbath. The law about not healing people on the Sabbath was not God’s law. It was their interpretation of God’s law. To make matters worse, the Pharisees were important, educated, prosperous, respected—and it went to their heads. As we might say locally, they were “too big for their britches.” They assumed that they had the answers, so they closed their minds to new ideas. Instead of celebrating the man’s good fortune, they saw only a violation of their rules and a threat to their power.

Their power was also threatening. The man’s parents acknowledged that he was their son. They acknowledged that he was born blind and could now see, but they either did not know or were afraid to acknowledge the source of his healing. Perhaps they were afraid that if they said that he was healed by Jesus, they would also be expelled from the temple.

Unfortunately, a similar situation exists today, especially for our Christian brothers and sisters in the Third World. Many of them face opposition and persecution because of their faith. The difference between them and the blind man’s parents is that these Christians are proud of their faith and are not ashamed to speak about Jesus.

God’s healing presence was felt through the healing of the blind man’s sight. If people believed that his blindness was the result of sin, then Jesus’ healing should have proved to them that God works through Jesus to forgive sin. The blind man saw what the Pharisees refused to see. Jesus was more than a mere man. The blind man could see God and His truth. The Pharisees could not see this.

The Pharisees rejected the blind man’s healing as a miracle. They held on to their understanding of the man born blind as a product of sin and nothing else. They rejected the evidence of the miracle for the sake of the comfortable worldview that they had been trained to hold.

The worst thing the Pharisees could have done was to assert that they were not sinners. The best thing they did was cast the man out of the synagogue, where he saw Jesus with his own eyes and worshipped Him. Jesus did not rob the Pharisees of their sight, but they were blinded by their refusal to see. They assumed that they could see clearly and rejected anything that was different from their beliefs. Jesus did not condemn them, because they are condemned already because they did not believe in the Son of God.

As is often the case with those who reject Christ, the Pharisees were blinded by their pride, not by ignorance. They chose not to understand. They preferred the darkness of their own self-interests to the Light of Christ. The Pharisees are on trial, not the blind man. His newly found freedom judges their darkness. The Pharisees used their so-called superior spiritual position as teachers of the Law as a weak, pathetic defense. Those of us who are Christian leaders can be tempted to fall back on our credentials such as a seminary degree or certificate of ordination when we are confronted by the witness of a newly born disciple of Jesus.  

The Old Testament phrase, “Give God the glory” is a Hebrew phrase that often meant “Confess your sins and repent.” Many religions will say we know, just as the Pharisees did, but traditions and prejudices blind their followers. The newly sighted man challenged Jesus’ opponents with his “I know” declaration. His experience was not second-hand faith but the result of a direct encounter with Jesus. In anger, the Pharisees threw the man out of the synagogue. When Jesus heard about this, He sought out the man, just like he seeks us out, offers us His help and encourages us in our walk with God.

There have always been people who reject the truth in order to maintain the status quo, but there have also been those who are willing to stand up and speak up about this bad habit. When someone who tries to live up to the truth is rejected by society, he or she will be sought out by Jesus and called to a new life in Christ.

Through His healing of the blind man, Jesus confronts our spiritual blindness and reminds us that we must look beyond our own perceptions, rules and biases. If we allow our self-righteousness to blind us, we will never see the face of Christ. We will never meet him if we close our eyes to His presence in the world. We can learn to see clearly by doing these three things:

1. Changing how we see God.
2. Changing how we see and what we see in our lives.
3. Changing how we live.

Like Jesus, we must work the works of him who sent us while it is day. That work is the work of shining light into the darkness and leading those who seek the light of God’s truth into Christ’s presence. It is there where we will find life eternal and light perpetual-and that, ladies and gentlemen, is the best light to see.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, pp. 1456-1458)
2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
3. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, Fourth Sunday of Lent (A).” retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
4. Frederikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985; pp. 162-173)
5. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Version. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
6. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
7. Pastor Dick Woodward, “A Definition of Sin.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
8. Bayless Conley, “Not Ashamed.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
9. Ryan Duncan, “Born Blind.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
10. Exegesis for John 9:1-41. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com

John 4:5-42 marks a shift in Jesus ministry. It marks a shift from ministry to the Jews only to ministry to both Jews and Gentiles. Jesus had to go through Samaria. God is willing to go anywhere to meet us as sinners. No one is outside the reach of God’s love. God’s gifts are for outsiders. Those who consider themselves worthy of those gifts will be in for a nasty surprise!

It was ironic that he, as a Jew, went through Samaria. The Assyrians defeated Samaria and took many Samaritans into captivity. Those remaining in Samaria intermarried with non-Jewish people, which compromised their ethnic identity and went against many Jewish customs regarding cleanliness.  Later, the Babylonians defeated Judea and took many Judeans into captivity.  The Judeans managed to maintain their identity while in captivity.  When they were finally allowed to return to Judea, they rebuilt the temple.  The Samaritans offered to help, but were rebuffed because of their mixed heritage.  They later built their own temple on Mount Gerizim, which started a continuing controversy regarding the proper place of worship. John Hyrcanus destroyed the Gerizim temple in 128 B.C.

Because he was human, Jesus was tired. To make matters worse, he was travelling during the hottest part of the day, so he was thirsty. Jesus took the initiative by speaking to the woman. In Jewish society, that was a taboo. It was against the culture and traditions for a man to speak to a woman in public unless she was his wife. The woman also broke with tradition by going to the well during the hottest part of the day. Normally women came to the well in the morning or in the evening. While they were getting water, they would catch up on all the news or gossip (much like people do when they go to the barber, the beauty salon or a local coffee shop). If the immoral woman showed up at the same time, she would have been the target of their gossip.

Jesus often used physical things to teach spiritual lessons. When he mentioned living water, he was referring to the spiritual water that he can offer to all believers, but the woman thought he was referring to physical water. Jesus knew that the woman was searching for something that would give her life meaning. That is why he offered her living water. That is also why he made the comment about her five husbands. The woman did have a spiritual hunger, and so did the Samaritans. They thirsted for the truth, and their thirst made it possible for them to see that Jesus was the living water gushing up to eternal life.

We are also restless and unsatisfied even though we have access to all sorts of earthly treasures. Just look at all of the rich celebrities who have died because of drug overdoses. The world searches for relevance and significance without success. People go from one relationship to another, from one activity to the next, and from one fashion or “in thing to do” to the next. They are literally dying of thirst and hope that the “new drink” will satisfy them. It never does. Earthly “drink” can never satisfy our desires like the living water Jesus offers can.

Once we have tasted Jesus’ living water, nothing else will satisfy our thirst. The living water provides cleansing and a spiritual life. It flows through true worshippers who worship God and Jesus with all of their heart. In order to drink the living water, we have to repent. That is why Jesus brought up the woman’s past. She needed to see and admit that she messed up and needed God’s help. We also need to admit that we are messed up and that we need God’s help. When God looks into our souls and sees our dark side, our secrets, our guilt and our motivations, he loves us anyway. That love is the living water that renews us and restores us. When God sees how we are dying inside, and when he tells us everything we have ever done, he still gives us living water. The Holy Spirit helps us to see our mistakes and failures.

The woman was open to the truth that Christ taught. As a result, she came to faith in Jesus. She reminds us who doubt or struggle with faith to stay in a conversation with Christ. God’s grace drew her to Christ, and she became an evangelist. Likewise, God’s grace draws us to Christ, and now we can be evangelists. We, like the woman, are to listen to the Word of God and look for opportunities to share it with others. We will never be alone, because Jesus’ living water will stay with us and will be there when we need it. 

Jesus also offered something meaningful to her, and it is the same thing he offers us. He offered her the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit would live in her like it lives in us. God is not made of physical matter, so he can be everywhere and with everyone all at the same time. Spiritual food is important to our eternal life, just like physical food is important to our physical life. Spiritual food was more important to Jesus than physical food. That is why he dismissed the disciples’ concern that his behaviour with the woman was caused by physical hunger.

The other aspect of food and water that this reading talks about is the process of growing food. Those of you who have grown vegetables or flowers know that it takes time for a plant to grow from a seed. The same thing happens in the spiritual realm. It takes time for a spiritual seed to mature once it is planted in our souls. In addition, one person can plant the seed while another person waters it and still another person reaps it. There are times when sowing and reaping take place at the same time, as was the case with the woman at the well and the people of her village.

The spiritual harvest is now, and we are missing it. We can stay by Jesus’ side and be part of powerful encounters by doing the following things:

1. Ask God every day where he is at work around us.
2. Be open to the Spirit if he asks us to go into an unlikely area.
3. Understand the harvest is now.
4. Press in a bit. We need to get people alone, ask some questions and find out what God is doing below the surface of their lives.

Jesus made himself known to the Samaritans as the Messiah. How ironic it was that he made himself known as the Messiah to people who were seen as outsiders. By doing so, he made them insiders in his kingdom. The insiders of society often became outsiders in his kingdom. Sometimes God uses the most unlikely people to do his work, while those who should have been at the forefront of God’s work fail him. The heart of a worshipper is the most important thing to Jesus. He hates pompous attention-getters and loves true believers. He seeks out authentic worshippers, and when he asks them to do something, he gives them greater things to do. Legitimate testimony glorifies Jesus rather than the person making the testimony.

So how should we share the Good News with people, especially people from different backgrounds? Jesus shows us how.  We must put aside our own agendas and ask questions. We must not condemn them or condone their sin. We must offer them the bright hope of a future that is God’s gift. We must look beyond their sins, their outside appearance and their cultural differences. We, like Jesus, must see everyone as someone God loves and not as a person of a certain race, background or reputation. When we approach God in spirit and truth, we touch his heart and move him in a special way. In return, we are to reach out to others and spread our faith by reaching out to one person at a time.

It might seem as if the task is hopeless, but it’s not.  It might seem as if our neighbors are hopeless, but they aren’t.  We don’t have the responsibility to bring them into the church.  We have only the responsibility to be godly people in their midst.  We have only the responsibility to invite.  We have only the responsibility to plant the seed.  God will send other people to water it, and others still to harvest. God doesn’t need us to succeed.  God just needs us to be faithful––to do our part. The Samaritan woman was faithful. She did her part.  She ran into town to tell her neighbors about a Jew who might just be the Messiah

Sometimes we are reluctant to do this. Why? It is because we are comfortable with our existing lives. Sometimes we don’t want to take the simple actions we need to change our lives or the lives of other people. Making small changes in our lives or the lives of others can have big impacts, especially since we live in an area that is spiritually dry and thirsty.

In his article entitled “The Last Crusade”, Major V. Gilbert told of the early 20^th century battle for Palestine against the Turks. At one point Allied forces outpaced the camel caravan that was carrying their water. There were wells in the territory occupied by the enemy. Gilbert rote, “We fought that day as men fight for their lives. If such were our thirst for God and for righteousness, for his will in our life, a consuming, all-embracing, preoccupying desire, how rich the fruit of the spirit would we be.” This is a good lesson for all of us to learn.

Bibliography

1. Exegesis for John 4:5-42. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.
3. Frederickson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985)
4. White, J.E.: Holman Concise Bible Commentary: John (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998)
5. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2009)
6. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2006)
7. Radmacher, G.D.; Allen, R.B. & House, H.W.: Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1999)
8. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Conveying Eternal Love.” Retrieved from www.leadingtheway.org
9. Joni Eareckson Tada, “Heartfelt, Honest Prayers.” Retrieved from www.joniandfriends.org
10. Don Johnson, “From Facebook to Faithbook.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
11. Don Johnson, “What Are You Doing With Your Life?” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
12. Pastor David McGee, “Give Me Some Water.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
13. Jennifer Hereen, “How to be a Witness for Christ.” Retrieved from www.christianity.com
14. Stephen Davey, “Thirsty People…Living Water.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
15. Beau Crosetto, “The Disciples Missed It!” Retrieved from http://blog.exponential.org
16. Rev Dr. David Sapp, “He Gets Me!” Retrieved from www.day1.org
17. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, Third Sunday of Lent (A), March 23, 2014.” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
18. John van der Laar, “Out of the Shadows.” Retrieved from http://sacredise.com/blog/?p=889
19. Peter Woods, “High Noon at Jacob’s Well.” Retrieved from http://thelisteninghermit.com

Good morning boys and girls!

Who likes getting gifts? I certainly do.

Let me ask you this. Is something a gift if you have to pay for it? If you have to pay for it or do something for it, it isn’t a gift. When someone gives you a gift, it doesn’t cost you anything. All you have to do is accept it. What is the one thing you should not do when someone gives you a gift? The one thing you should never do is ask “How much did it cost?”

What do you think is the greatest gift anyone can receive? It is the gift of eternal life. Jesus talks about this gift in John 3:1-17.

Now let me tell you a story that will explain why Jesus gives us the gift of salvation. It’s a story about Mia, Rafael and a dog. As Mia and Rafael walked down Main Street with their father, Rafael noticed an unusual display in a shop window. “Hey, Dad!” he exclaimed. “There’s a real dog in that cage!” Rafael stooped and looked at the small, brown dog. A large hand-lettered sign was attached to the cage.

Mia read it aloud. “Death row! Without your help, this animal will have one more day to live. Call the local animal shelter and make arrangements to adopt this puppy.” She looked at her father. “What does that sign mean, Dad?” she asked.

“It’s a new program the animal shelter is trying,” said Dad. “They can’t take care of all the stray animals they find, so by letting people know about the problem, they give the animals a better chance to be adopted out. If no one takes this dog, they’ll have to put it to sleep.” The kids stared in dismay at the little animal. “I’ve heard that the program is very successful,” Dad assured them. “I’m sure someone will claim this cute little puppy.”

“But, Dad! What if nobody does?” wailed Mia. “Can’t we take him home with us? Look-he likes us already. He’s wagging his tail!”

“Yeah, and he needs us, Dad!” Rafael pleaded.

“Well . . .” Dad hesitated. “Let’s wait till this evening, and I’ll call and check on him. If nobody rescues this little guy by then-and if Mom agrees and you kids promise to take care of him-we’ll come back and get him tomorrow. Okay?” Mia and Rafael nodded eagerly.

When Dad called the animal shelter, he learned that the dog was still waiting to be rescued. Since Mom had agreed, they went the next day to get the puppy. As they drove home, Mia looked up at Dad. “It’s kind of like what Jesus did, isn’t it, Dad?” she murmured.

“What do you mean?” Dad asked.

“When we had devotions yesterday, the verses you read from the Bible said that before Jesus saved us, we were condemned,” explained Mia. “In a way, that’s like being on death row, isn’t it? But Jesus died on the cross to take our punishment. When we trusted in Him, He rescued us-kind of like we rescued this puppy.”

Dad smiled. “Good thinking,” he approved.

“The puppy will be a reminder that we’ve been rescued by Jesus,” Rafael added.

Boys and girls, God loved us so much that he sent Jesus to earth to die on the cross so that we could have the gift of eternal life. Can you imagine how much Jesus loved us to be willing to die on the cross so that we can have eternal life in heaven? Jesus paid the price so we could receive the greatest gift of all.

Let’s bow our heads for a moment of prayer. Dear God, thank you for the greatest gift of all. Thank you for Jesus, who loved us so much that he paid the price for our sin to give us the gift of eternal life. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.

Bibliography

1. “The Greatest Gift of All.” Retrieved from www.Sermons4Kids.com
2. “Rescued.” Retrieved from newsletter@cbhministries.org.
3. Real Life Devotional Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zonderkidz; 2008)

Good morning boys and girls!

One of the most famous Bible verses is John 3:16:  “For God so loved the world.” Just how great is God’s love and how could we measure it?

Sometimes we use a measuring cup to measure things. If we make some cookies, we would use a measuring cup to make sure that we put in exactly the right amount of flour, sugar, and milk. Is there any way we can use a measuring cup to measure God’s love? In Psalm 23, the Bible says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want….my cup runneth over.” Well, if our cup runs over with God’s love, I don’t think we could use a measuring cup to measure it.

If we were building something, we might use a tape measure to measure the length, width, and height of different things. Can we use a tape measure to measure God’s love? In Psalm 108, the Bible tells us that God’s love is higher than the heavens.  If God’s love is higher than the heavens, I don’t think we could use a tape measure to measure it, could we?

We use a watch to measure time. I wonder if we could use a watch to measure how long God’s love will last. In Psalm 103, the Bible tells us that God’s love is from everlasting to everlasting. Wow! If God’s love is from everlasting to everlasting, I don’t think we could measure it with a watch.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” How do you measure a love like that? We can’t measure it — we don’t need to — but we do need to experience it.

My hope for you today is found in Ephesians 3:18-19:  “That you may understand how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience it, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.”

Let’s bow our heads for a moment of prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank you for your love — a love so great that you gave your one and only Son so that we could have eternal life. Amen.

Bibliography

1. “Measuring God’s Love.” Retrieved from www.Sermons4Kids.com

The minister gave his Sunday morning sermon, as usual, but this particular Sunday, it was considerably longer than normal. Later, at the door, shaking hands with parishioners as they moved out, one man said, “Your sermon, Pastor, was simply wonderful – so invigorating and inspiring and refreshing.” The minister of course, broke out in a big smile, only to hear the man say, “Why I felt like a new man when I woke up!”

Actually, I can understand if you do happen to fall asleep during this message (and hopefully you won’t!!!!!!!) because the topic is very “dry” and hard to understand. We’re doing something a little different today. Instead of talking about Jesus and his parables or teachings, we’re talking about one of the key doctrines or teachings of the Christian church. Why talk about doctrine? Simply put, the doctrine of the Christian church is the substance of our faith. If we do not show any interest in biblical doctrine, then we do not show any interest in our roots.

The Trinity is a difficult concept to understand let alone preach about, and part of the reason is because the Trinity is not specifically mentioned anywhere in the Scriptures, even though the concept of the Trinity is mentioned throughout the Bible. There is always a danger when a man-made concept is introduced into something God has created. The early church introduced the concept of the Trinity to explain how God works in our lives to restore our relationship with him.

In essence, the Trinity is the belief that God is one in essence, but distinct in person. In other words, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are somehow distinct from one another, yet at the same time they are completely united in essence, will and tasks. God has a life in which all three members of the Trinity relate to each other, give to each other, and love each other.

This is the concept behind the Nicene Creed and the Apostle’s Creed. The intention of the creeds was to affirm these three core beliefs:

1. The essential unity of God
2. The complete humanity and essential divinity of Jesus
3. The essential divinity of the Spirit.

Christians affirm the unity of all three members of the Godhead. We worship and glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

The three members of the Trinity-God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit-are three unique “individuals” (for lack of a better word), but they are one in that they are part of God’s master plan to restore our relationship with him. God is dynamic and unpredictable, just like the wind, and just like the wind comes from all directions, sometimes God convicts us of our sin, sometimes God denounces us and our sinful nature, and other times God opens Christ to us, yet at all times God still loves us.

God created the plan of salvation, Jesus put the plan in place, and the Holy Spirit implements it in our daily lives. The Holy Spirit is the invisible force that allows us to accept Christ and what he did for us. The Holy Spirit allows us to walk with God along the straight and narrow path in our new relationship with God.

The Holy Spirit reminds us of what Jesus did on earth. It tells us what God is thinking. The Holy Spirit is infinite and indefinite. It can be everywhere and with everyone all of the time. In contrast, Jesus could only be with a few people in one place and at only one time because of his finite, human form. Only through his death on the cross does he disclose what it means for him to have been the mind and will of God in human form.

Like Christ, we have to suffer a form of death and resurrection when we allow God to enter our lives. When we do, we die to our own sinful nature and rise again into a new life that is energized by the Holy Spirit. To be born again means that we see things in a new and different light and in a way that is broader and deeper than we can understand now, and to be energized by God’s power-a power that is greater than ours. The only way we can gain this new insight into God’s kingdom is to be born again with the Holy Spirit through God’s grace and truth. We receive the Holy Spirit through baptism and acceptance of Christ in our lives. The water of baptism washes away our sinful nature and allows the Holy Spirit to enter and teach us all about what Jesus said about himself and God the Father.

The transition to our new relationship with God can be painful and full of conflict. It involves letting go of our sinful earthly life, which can be difficult. After all, change can be uncomfortable. The status quo is like our favourite pair of shoes-it just feels so darn good! Change is sometimes necessary. We need to be shaken up if we want to walk with God. Just like we trade cars when they wear out, we have to trade in our old, sinful life for a new one modeled on the life of Christ. Faith heals our sinful nature when the Holy Spirit is born in us. It also heals the conflict that results from our change to our new life. It also heals our relationship with God, and relationships are the foundation of our lives.

God is so vast and so infinite that we can’t even begin to understand him on our own-the gap is simply too great. God bridged this gap by sending his son Jesus. In other words, God became human so that he could understand our human nature. Only by becoming human and by understanding our human nature could God bridge the gap between him and us and begin the process of restoring our relationship with him.

A good analogy is the trips our Canadian Prime Minister takes to visit foreign leaders who can’t speak English. When you see pictures of the two leaders sitting down and having a conversation, you often see more people with them, and one or more of these people are translators. They translate what our Prime Minister says in English into a language that the other leader understands and vice versa. When God became man, not only did he bridge the gap between him and us, he was able to translate the mind and will of God into terms that we can understand. That is also why Jesus often spoke in parables. He used ordinary experiences that his audience could understand to teach them about God.

We are never too old to accept the Trinity and what it offers. The Holy Spirit gives us a spiritual awakening. In John 3:1-17, Nicodemus thought that because he spent many years climbing to the top of the Jewish faith he could not change, but the encounter with Jesus changed him. How do we know this? It is because Nicodemus helped Joseph of Arimathea prepare Jesus’ body for burial after his crucifixion.

None of us can enter God’s Kingdom on our own, because we cannot measure up to God’s spiritual standards by ourselves. Why it that? It is because God’s spiritual standard is perfection. We need the help of all three members of the Trinity. We are and always will be sinners, but with the Trinity we become sinners saved by grace. Even though the Holy Spirit restores our relationship with God, and even though our sinful nature has been removed, we still have to accept the consequences of our past sins. God can’t overlook sin. Sin demands punishment. God took our punishment on himself as our substitute when he as Jesus died on the cross. When we accept him as our substitute, the Holy Spirit lives within us and reestablishes our relationship with God.

When we look upon the crucified Christ, like the Israelites who were bitten by serpents in Numbers 21 looked at the bronze serpent on the pole and lived, we are given a new life. In other words, we are born again. When we are born again, we receive the Holy Spirit. It encourages us to meet our needs in a way that honours God. It leads us to salvation, regenerates us, convicts us of our sinfulness, teaches us to live for Christ, and seals us for redemption. It also leads us in truth. The Spirit will guide us to remember the truth, reproduce the truth, receive the truth, act upon it and speak it.

God works at the highest levels of power and the greatest distance from us. He enters history uniquely identified with Jesus, who was fully human and fully God. God also personally encounters us in our ongoing history.

The most difficult truth for us to understand is that our sinful nature has made us spiritually dead to God. That is why we need to be reborn spiritually. Baptism is the sign of a new life in Christ. Baptism allows the Holy Spirit to enter us. Once the Spirit turns on the light in our souls, we can understand spiritual things. Our soul comes into union with God and gives us eternal life. God adopts us, makes us his own and promises to be with us forever. This is the heart of being born again.

When we re-establish our relationship with God, he becomes our Father by rebirth and adoption. God loves us because of his nature and he won’t stop loving us. The Spirit gives us rebirth and new life, and God gives us the Spirit because he loves us. God’s work in Jesus through the Holy Spirit is to save ourselves from our own foolishness and our destructive nature. In return, God uses the Holy Spirit through us as a voice of humanity in an inhumane world. We gain the confidence to speak out because the Holy Spirit has touched us like the fiery coal touched the lips of the servant in Isaiah 6:1-8. Life in the Spirit does not have the problems or temptations that exist in life in the world.

God is Father, Son and Spirit, co-equals united in mutual love and divine essence. When we remember this, we can understand what Jesus meant when he said that he and the Father and the Spirit are one. We can’t have one without the other. Jesus reveals God and reconciles us to God. He is the one through whom we are able to enter God’s kingdom, and the Spirit takes us there. The Holy Trinity is God (who is love) coming to us in whatever way we can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. As a result, we become new people who express God’s love in everything we do, say or think.

Bibliography

1. Lectionary Homiletics, Volume XXIII, No. 4 (St. Paul, MN: Luther Seminary; 2012; pp.1-9)
2. Craig Condon, “The Three Musketeers-Father, Son and Holy Spirit”. Sermon on John 16:12-15
3. Craig Condon, “No Greater Love”. Sermon on John 3:1-17
4. Alan Smith, “Both Born and Adopted”. Retrieved from thought-gor-the-day@hub.xc.org
5. Gerrit J. Bomhof, “Wind”. Retrieved from today@thisistoday.net
6. John Piper, “The Free Will of the Wind”. Retrieved from www.desiringgod.org
7. Richard Innes, “Do Good People Go Into Heaven, Part II”. Retrieved from www.actsweb.org
8. Dr. Charles Stanley, “Why Did Jesus Have to Die?” Retrieved from www.intouch.org
9. Steve Arterburn, “Never Too Late”. Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
10. Anne Graham Lotz, “A Spiritual Implant”. Retrieved from angelmin.info@angelministries.org
11. Pete Briscoe, “Is It About Your Behavior or Your Being?” retrieved from crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
12. The Rev. Dr. Fred R. Anderson, PCUSA, “The Threefold Nature of God”. Retrieved from www.day1.org
13. Exegesis for John 3:1-17. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
14. Dr. Charles Stanley, “Jesus Christ, the Seeking Savior”. Retrieved from In_Touch_With_Dr_Charles_Stanley@crosswalkmail.com
15. Jim Burns, “New Life”. Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
16. The Rev. Dr. David Lose, ELCA, “Like It or Not”. Retrieved from www.day1.org
17. Wycliffe Bible Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible software package.
18. ESV Study Bible. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible software package.
19. Albert Mohler, “Does Doctrine Matter?” Retrieved from Jesus.org@crosswalkmail.com
20. C.H. Spurgeon, “Spurgeon at the Metropolitan Tabernacle”. Retrieved from Biblegateway@lists.biblegateway.com
21. Daniel Clendenin, PhD, “The Infinite God as Truly Intimate”. Retrieved from www.journeywithjesus.net
22. Roland McGregor, “McGregorPage #820, Trinity Sunday, 6/3/12”. Retrieved from mcgregorpage-bounces@mcgregorpage.org
23. The Rev. Dr. Thomas G. Long, PCUSA, “The Start of the Trail”. Retrieved from www.day1.org/3832-the_start_of_the_trail.print
24. John Shearman’s Lectionary Resource, Year B, Season after Pentecost, Trinity Sunday. Retrieved from http://lectionary.seemslikegod,org

Have you ever faced temptation in your life? Each and every one of us has faced life’s temptations at some point in time, and we are always faced with the issue of how we are going to face them. Even Jesus was tempted, as we have heard in today’s Gospel reading. We can be tempted at any stage in life. Do we fight temptation or give in to it? Today’s reading from Matthew’s Gospel gives us instructions about how we as Christians are supposed to deal with temptation.

The Gospel reading takes place shortly after Jesus’ baptism-a baptism that included the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus from heaven. Now, the Holy Spirit has led Jesus to a barren place where the devil waited to tempt him. You might wonder why the Holy Spirit did this. The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to face temptation so that he would know what it is like to be tempted and so that he could emerge sinless and perfect-and thereby become the perfect, sinless lamb that would be slain for our sins. Our own wilderness experiences are an important aspect of our spiritual walk because they are designed to test us and teach us. We can look temptation in the face because Jesus has entered our desert experience and come out triumphant.

This happened at a spiritually significant time in Jesus’ life, and like Jesus, many of us are tempted at a spiritually significant time in our lives. Temptation is an active force today. If God calls us, we will be tempted. We are often tempted to see evil as the product of social problems such as poverty, racism or ignorance; however, the church teaches that evil exists because the Gospel writers taught that the devil existed and that Jesus had to deal with such an existence. Evil is a personal and sociological issue that lives in both our neighbourhoods and our hearts.

Jesus was tempted to turn stones into bread to satisfy his physical hunger just like we can be tempted by cookies or candy or other snack foods. They satisfy our physical hunger for a short period of time, but in the long run too much “junk” is not good for us. The same is true of our spiritual hunger. We need spiritual nourishment as well as physical nourishment. God will provide us with the spiritual nourishment that we need. As long as we stay close to him, we will overflow with blessings and joy.

God has much to give us to feed our spiritual hunger, but today we are distracted from receiving his word by things such as shopping malls, catalogs, faster computers, TV shopping channels, men’s and women’s’ magazines and much more.  Only God can fulfill our longings. He is the hope we have when we look into the world and see so much evil. He is the hope we have when we look at ourselves and see our evil side.

If Jesus had given in to temptation, he would not have satisfied his spiritual hunger. He would have turned his back on God. He would have started his ministry by following the devil’s lead. Instead, he chose as his first duty the feeding of others on God’s word-a duty that must also be our first duty as Christians. In order to do this, we do not have to preach hellfire and brimstone. We can do this by serving others as Christ and the disciples served others.

Jesus was also tempted by Satan to jump from the roof of the temple. Satan even uses Scripture as a weapon! The three temptations are not incentives to do bad things. They are invitations to be someone else, to live some life other than that of the beloved son of God. While the devil and his disciples quote Scripture and thereby appeal to our lower nature, their strongest appeal is to our sense of right and wrong. They try to persuade us to do not what we know is wrong, but what we think is right. The devil hides his temptations. He will tempt us to do good deeds by using some sort of underhanded method. He offers us shortcuts that sound so good at the time, but work out so poorly for eternity. He will be like “a wolf in sheep’s clothing”, so we must stay alert at all times and always pray for guidance. We must not be fooled by the beautiful package that the temptation comes in, because the contents are ugly. Temptations are everywhere-just like the devil and his fallen angels.

Sometimes even our worship is directed to man when it should be directed to God. A good example of this is the extravagant lifestyle some TV evangelists lead-a lifestyle that is financed by the offerings received from their followers. Of particular concern are evangelists who proclaim that Jesus will bring prosperity to our businesses, families, dreams and lives, especially if you send them money! They are the devil in disguise. Jesus will bless these things only if they are in line with his will for our lives and if we worship him in true faith. In contrast, evangelists such as Billy Graham and Franklin Graham live modest lifestyles while they do God’s work in our world.

Finally, Jesus is tempted with all the kingdoms of the world, but God has already promised them to him. In reality, the devil has a stake in all the kingdoms of the world. Many people willingly serve him today. Can we trust Satan to deliver anything, let alone the whole world? The answer is “NO!”. The offer is only the bait for a steel trap. The only thing that Satan can deliver is a one-way trip to hell for those who refuse to follow the narrow path God has laid out for their lives.

Jesus fights fire with fire by quoting Scripture back at the devil. Our greatest weapon in our fight against temptation is the word of God. It is the true armour of God that Paul refers to in Ephesians chapter 6. It will prove to others that God is more important than the world. God occupies the first-place space that we have reserved for him in our lives.

We should never doubt God’s leading us just because we run into temptation. Though God will never tempt us, he will test our faith to see if we will stay on the course that he has set for us to follow. If we are uncertain and need his assurance, all we have to do is ask him to confirm his will to us. He will answer whenever we pray and ask his guidance.

There will be times when we need his strength and guidance when we face temptations. Satan will never give up. He will stop at nothing to tempt us into doubting God’s word and his promises. Just as he did with Eve in the Garden of Eden, he will whisper words of doubt saying the Lord can’t be trusted or what he says is not the whole truth. We know Satan is a liar. When God speaks to us, we can believe whatever he says because he is the sovereign God of the universe.

How should we respond to temptation? Jesus gives us a good answer in his responses to Satan’s temptations. Jesus appealed to the unchanging word of God: “It is written!” If we want to successfully overcome temptation, we must also use God’s word as our offensive weapons against an inferior foe. This means we must take time to read and study his word. We can’t go into battle each day unarmed-and yet many people today do this very thing by ignoring the Bible and the principles it contains. In addition to the word of God, we have other ways to deal with temptation. First, we can face it for what It really is-an attempt to turn us away from God’s will. Second, we can flee from it-specifically, we must stay away from situations that always tempt us or cause us to stumble. We must follow the instructions Paul gave us in Ephesians chapter 6 and put on the armour of God when we do battle with evil. Only then can we follow the lines of the old hymn, “Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war…”

Lent provides us with the training we need to fulfill our spiritual mission. Jesus was strengthened by his wilderness experience, and so are we. Jesus left the wilderness, called his disciples and started doing God’s work. We can also leave the wilderness and do God’s work, all the time being confident that we can face temptation by relying on God’s strengths.

Bibliography

1. Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASV
2. Exegesis for Matthew 4:1-11. Retrieved from www.sermonwwriter.com
3. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “All about Angels”. Returned from www.leadingtheway.org.
4. John E. Werhan, “What We Worship”. Retrieved from www.forthright.net
5. Billy Graham, “Why Do I Still Have Temptations?” Retrieved from www.arcamax.com
6. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Don’t Try This At Home”. Retrieved from www.lhm.org.
7. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 1^st Sunday of Lent, Year A”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
8. The Rev. Michael J. Fish, “Victory over Temptation”. Retrieved from www.day1.org
9. The Rev. Dr. George Mason, “Training Days”. Retrieved from www.day1.org
10. Abingdon Commentary. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
11. King Duncan, “As the World Turns”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
12. King Duncan, “Beyond Temptation”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
13. Thomas Long, “Facing Up to Temptation”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
14. James McCormick, “Jesus’ Forty Days, and Ours”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
15. King Duncan, “Waiting for the Angels”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
16. James Merritt, “When I Am Tempted”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
17. Dr. J. Howard Olds, “Why Doesn’t God Do Away With Evil?” Retrieved from www.esermons.com
18. Matthew Henry Concise Commentary. Part of Wordsearch Bible software package
19. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch Bible software package.

Mountain top experiences are some of the happiest experiences in our lives. When we are on the top of the mountain, we can listen to and be refreshed by God. We are pulled out of the ordinary life and changed in faith. Only then can we have a Christian life. Unfortunately, we can’t live on the mountain top forever. We have to face the valleys in our lives, and these valleys are the lowest and most disappointing times in our lives.

Exodus 24:12-18 shows Moses’ special status among the Israelites, including its leadership. As the story progresses he becomes further removed from Israel’s leadership as he draws closer to God’s divine presence. This is emphasized by Moses’ privileged status as a mediator and stressed the importance of the words that will emerge from his encounter with God.

Even before arriving at Mount Sinai, Moses was integral to God’s unfolding plan of redemption. He was a witness to the first Passover, Israel’s flight from Pharaoh’s army and the destruction of Pharaoh’s army. It was on Mount Sinai where Moses must have felt that he experienced God’s greatest intervention-the giving of the Ten Commandments. They were written on stone and they were words to live by. They were words to guide God’s people on their way to the Promised Land. The Ten Commandments prompted the people’s response to the God who saved them, and they can prompt our response to Him. 

God wore down Moses so that when he was summoned to come up to the mountain and camp Moses obeyed and did not complain. A faith that follows without complaining or seeking a way out has less to do with spiritual discipline and more to do with God wearing us down so that like Moses the way out is really the only way in.

This spectacle sets the event apart as a holy occurrence. God’s descent upon the mountain sanctified the mountain’s summit and set it apart as a holy place. The words that proceed from this place will be of a particular, binding significance for God’s people. it represents the importance of God’s Ten Commandments and His instructions regarding the Tabernacle.

The glory of the Lord was first manifested in the form of a covering cloud and then a consuming, purifying fire that represents His holiness. Moses went into that cloud for forty days and forty nights, where he received the plans for the tabernacle and the priesthood. That same glory would soon fill the tabernacle.

Moses had to wait for six days before he met with God. Patience is required in seeking God, and that is opposite to our modern culture of wanting things now. When we seek God, we can’t set the terms of our encounters with God. We have to wait until we are summoned by God.

God asked Moses to climb the mountain not only to collect the tablets of stone on which God wrote the Ten Commandments, but to come up and be there-to exist there. He asked Moses to come up and be fully awake, fully alive and fully present with God in that moment. He asked Moses to live fully awakened to the fact that he is in the very presence of God, the creator and sustainer of all, in the here and now.

God knows that we live our lives at a breathless pace. He knows that we rush from one place to another. God told Moses what He tells us today: “Don’t miss it.” Don’t miss what is going on all around you, just like Peter, James and John did not miss the Transfiguration. Don’t be focused on somewhere else that you miss the very moment that you are in. Like Moses, our tendency would be to climb the mountain, thinking the whole time about what might be on the top, only to reach the top, thinking about what might happen when we get back down. All the time, we miss the mystery of the present moment.

As Christians, we serve a God who is never in a hurry. He is patient and steadfast. If we treat our prayers like a slot machine or a 9-1-1 call, we will be disappointed. God will wait. He waits for us to come to Him or come back to Him.  He does not respond according to the world’s pace. He wants us to follow Him, not the world. Waiting on the Lord brings strength to our character. 

When Moses was on Mount Sinai, he ate nothing and drank nothing. Elijah also fasted for forty days. When Moses & Elijah met Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration-one representing the law, the other representing the prophets-they foreshadowed Jesus’ own experience of fasting for forty days in the Judean wilderness.

When Moses was on the mountain, God spoke to him. Not only did God give Moses the Ten Commandments, He gave Moses instructions about what was to take place next in God’s relationship with His people.

God gave the Israelites His Word so they would know His mind and obey Him. He gave them the design of the tabernacle so He could live with them. He wanted to make Himself accessible and available, but He wanted to live in a sacred place in the temple. He wants to have a relationship with us today, but He wants to live in a sacred place in our hearts and our souls.

God’s glory and God’s nearness are held in tension. The former shakes us, the latter comforts us. Terror is coupled with God’s loving presence. We are encouraged to contemplate God’s sovereignty and greatness in light of His intimate care and nearness.

Moses got to see God’s glory. What does that mean? Some references make it seem that seeing His glory is not far from seeing His face-something that man can’t do and live. Other references are less dramatic. God’s glory is always a wonderful sight, but it appears at different times and for different reasons; therefore, it can have different effects.

Life also has different effects for different people. We don’t know what’s in store for us next. This can be exciting or scary. Nevertheless, we must always seek God’s direction like Moses did. This is a challenge for every Christian. The only way to meet this challenge is to seek God’s will.

When Moses came down from the mountain after his meeting with God, his face shone with the radiance of God’s glory. It was the same glory that Jesus radiated during the Transfiguration. When God’s glory shone in the faces of Moses, Elijah and Jesus, people saw them as they truly were and always have been. When we meet God for the first time, we are changed. Every time we meet God after that, we are changed. When we are changed by God, His glory shines through us.

When Moses stood in God’s presence, there was a very dramatic, outward, unconscious effect. Moses didn’t even know that God’s glory shone on his face. Similarly, through communion with God, our lives and attitudes will be changed in such a way that we will show an outward expression of inward progress. We may not shine like Moses and Jesus did, but the evidence of our time with Him will be no less impressive.

There is something reassuring about God’s promise to live with His people. While a covenant with God is not something to be entered into lightly, God invites and welcomes us into a relationship with Him. The passage from Exodus with its awe-inspiring view of God’s presence and Moses’ willingness to walk into that cloud suggests that a relationship with God will not always be comfortable, but it is exciting.

All of us need to see God’s glory before we see hard times. We need to remember God’s presence and purpose when we face life’s challenges. The Transfiguration links the seasons of Epiphany and Lent. It reminds us that just like God was with Jesus all the time (and especially in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before his death), God is with us all of the time.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New Kings James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 1354)
2. Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. Part of Wordsearch 12 Bible software package.
3. Dunnam, M.D. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 2: Exodus (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1987; pp. 276-277)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. Mike Slay, “The Glory of the Lord.” Retrieved form noreply@ailbe.org
6. Mike DeVries, “Come and Be.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
7. “Learning to Wait.” Retrieved from info@dailydisciples.org
8. Charles R. Swindoll, “Doing Time.” Retrieved from www.insightforliving.ca
9. Br. James Koester, “Conceived for Glory.” Retrieved from www.ssje.org/word
10. Laurie Neill, “Exodus 24:12-18.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu
11. Callie Plunket-Brewton, “Commentary on Exodus 24:12-18.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=891
12. Frank Yamada, “Commentary on Exodus 24:12-18.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=34
13. Howard Wallace, “Year A: Transfiguration of Jesus.” Retrieved from http://hwallace.unitingchurch.org.au/WebOTcomments/EpiphanyA/TransfigurationA.com
14. Vikki Burke, “Powerless Prayers.” Retrieved from dbm@dennisburkeministries.org
15. Paul Schreiber, “His Greatest Role Yet.” Retrieved from www.lhm.org/dailydevotionsprt.asp?date=20200218
16. Craig Condon, “Mountain Top Changes.” Retrieved from the author’s personal sermon library.

Have you ever had a moment when your life was changed? Perhaps it was similar to the Transfiguration. That moment changed the lives of Peter, James, John and Jesus, just like moments in our lives can change us. The disciples were changed from fearful, anxious, inactive cowards to brave, confident, active champions of the faith. We are also transformed when Jesus touches us, and we need that touch badly. We are also encouraged to offer this touch to a world that needs it badly.

I don’t know about you, but I would love to have been the proverbial “fly on the wall” at the Transfiguration. Just think of the history that was being made! Three of the most important figures in Christianity-Moses, Elijah and Jesus-together at the same time and in the same location! No wonder Peter wanted to build three shelters! It was a significant meeting at a significant time in a significant location among significant participants.

Moses and Elijah-the great lawgiver and the great prophet-were probably chosen to join Jesus and the disciples at the Transfiguration as representatives of the Old Covenant. Moses was the one through whom the covenant came, and Elijah was its prominent reformer.

So what were Moses, Elijah and Jesus talking about? Matthew doesn’t tell us, but Luke’s version tells us that they were talking about Jesus’ death. Both Moses and Elijah foretold of Christ’s death, which was Christ’s purpose. His sacrificial death and resurrection paid the penalty for our sins and allowed believers to be reunited with God.

Those present at the Transfiguration provide a picture of the coming kingdom of Christ: Moses represents those who died in Christ; Elijah represents those who will be raptured someday (he had been taken to heaven without dying); the three apostles represent redeemed Israel; and Christ is the King. Jesus’s transfiguration was part of the ongoing story of encountering the mystery of God. Jesus and his words had the same authority as those of Moses and Elijah.

Christ did not come to abolish the Law or the prophets. He did not say that the Law and the prophets had no meaning or value. What he did say was that He fulfilled the Law that we could not keep. The Law had to be kept perfectly. If people broke one law, they broke all of them. In addition, people were not perfect, and they aren’t perfect today.

Mountain top experiences are some of the happiest experiences in our lives, and that’s what the disciples experienced at the Transfiguration. When we are on the top of the mountain, we can listen to and be refreshed by God. We are pulled out of the ordinary life and changed in faith. Only then can we have a Christian life. Unfortunately, we can’t live on the mountain top forever. We have to face the valleys in our lives, and these valleys are the lowest and most disappointing times in our lives. It is at those times when we as believers can feel and see Jesus reaching out, taking us by the hand and saying, “Arise, and do not be afraid.”

God interrupted Peter’s brief, awkward speech with His own announcement. Out of the bright cloud-no doubt an appearance of the glory that in the Old Testament signaled the presence of God Almighty-God affirmed Jesus and commanded the disciples to hear him. Although Moses and Elijah stood with him in that moment, all attention was focused on Jesus, God’s only Son. Jesus was superior to both Moses and Elijah. Jesus as God in human form was the greatest in the kingdom. God told the disciples to listen to Jesus so that they could understand his purpose. The disciples recognized in this moment what every believer must acknowledge and what every tongue will someday confess; that Christ alone is Lord, the glory of God the Father.

Some people contradict Jesus, and when they do, they contradict the truth. At the Transfiguration, God made it clear that Jesus speaks the truth with authority, and we should listen to what he has to say. Our love for God is shown in how we listen to God. Our view of Jesus is shown in how we listen to him. Worship is more than Jesus listening to what we have to say about him. It involves listening to what Jesus has to say about us and himself.

The Transfiguration has been seen by some Biblical scholars as a glimpse of the kingdom or a preview of the Kingdom’s power. This glimpse was secured by Christ’s death and resurrection, and was clearly stated when Jesus told the disciples not to say anything about the vision until after His resurrection. The glory of the Transfiguration would then be seen by all of the disciples in the risen Christ.

All of us need to see God’s glory before we see hard times. We need to remember God’s presence and purpose when we face life’s challenges. The Transfiguration links the seasons of Epiphany and Lent. It reminds us that just like God was with Jesus all the time (and especially in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night before his death), God is with us all of the time.

The Transfiguration proved that Jesus was the Messiah and the Son of God. The response of the disciples is the same response we have. Just as they fell on their faces, we fall on our faces in worship. When we do, Jesus reaches out, touches us and says, “Arise, and do not be afraid.” The Transfiguration assures us that God has affirmed Jesus and our humanity. Jesus recalls our humanity and affirms our nature with His divinity. The Kingdom of God has entered the world in human form through Jesus, and we are called to witness to that Good News.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, pp. 1312-1313)
2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
3. Augsberger, M.S & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 24: Matthew (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982; p. 18)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson publishers; 2006)
5. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
6. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010; pp. 1325-1326)
7. Jill Carattini, “Transformed.” Retrieved from www.sliceofinity.org
8. “On the Mountain top with Jesus.” Retrieved from www.sermons4kids.com
9. Exegesis for Matthew 17:1-9. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
10. Brian P. Stoffregen. “Matthew 17:1-9 Transfiguration of Our Lord, Last Sunday after the Epiphany-Year A.” Retrieved from www.crossmarks.com
11. The Rt. Rev. Robert Johnson, “Transfiguration.” Retrieved from www.day1.org
12. Alan Wright, “From Distraction to Hope.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
13. Larry Patten, “What the Usual Suspects Saw.” Retrieved from www.larrypatten.com
14. The Rev. Laura Brekke, “Last Epiphany: Don’t Go Chasing Mountain Tops!” Retrieved from comment-reply@wordpress.com
15. Greg Hollifield, “A Meeting for the Ages.” Published in the Spring 2017 issue of Preaching Magazine (Nashville, TN: Salem Publishing; pp. 57-58)
16. Dr. Norman Beck, “Lectionary Scripture Notes, Transfiguration Sunday, Cycle A.” Retrieved from www.lectionaryscripturenotes.com
17. Ben Helmer, “Transformation, Last Sunday after Epiphany (A).” Retrieved from www.episcopaldigitalnetwork.com