Sermons From My Heart

The passage from Luke 1:26-38 is the story of the greatest miracle of all. It is a hint of the awesome power of God and how he can use it in our lives if we let him. The virgin birth is a picture of how close Christ will come within us. Mary wondered how she could bear God’s son when she was a virgin, but the angel Gabriel reminded her that it would be possible because of the Holy Spirit.

Was Mary frightened by this change in the plans she had for her life? The Bible doesn’t say, but it is possible that she was frightened. After all, in the Jewish culture of that time, women were seen as being no better than property. To make matters worse, unmarried women who became pregnant were dealt with severely by the religious authorities. Mary is a good example of the kind of response to God’s surprises that we should have in our own lives. Even though God completely turned Mary’s life around, and even though He called her to something that was both wonderful and scary, and even though Mary knew that her life would not be what she expected it to be, she still offered herself to God in faithful, free submission.

The favour of God is worth any discomfort it might involve. God chose Mary to give birth to his son, but she also had to bear the public shame of people not understanding what He was doing through her. We can trust God even in the most difficult of circumstances because no problem is too tough for Him to handle and no challenge is beyond his power to overcome. He has the ability to do what he says he will do.

We have ordinary moments in our lives that do not seem significant by themselves but when weaved together by a heart of obedience they become something wonderful. One day God will ask us to trust Him for something extraordinary. Where will our heart be? Will we be ready to say “yes” to God, even when what He is asking seems impossible? If God can do such a miraculous thing in the life of Mary, just think of the miraculous things he can do in our own lives! All we have to do is take God at his word and expect the miraculous.  God speaks within our hearts, and his word is backed up with his power. If we hear something that we think may be coming from God, there are three ways we can find out if it really is God speaking to us:

1. His Word
2. The responsibilities he gives us to care for the less fortunate in society.
3. Any burden or pain his request causes us.

When we place our faith in Jesus and let him come and live within us-just like Mary let the Holy Spirit work within her-the Holy Spirit comes upon us, and the life of Jesus is born within us.

Like Mary, we may be going through the most difficult time in our lives and still be in the centre of God’s plan. It is possible to live a godly life in an ungodly world. Nazareth was an obscure, wicked city that was known for its sin, and the same can be said of our world today. We, like Mary, are part of God’s plan to carry His light and love to a needy world. Each of us has been given different roles in His plan, but none are unimportant. It might be difficult to see ourselves as being active players in what God is doing in the world. It’s not always easy to say yes to God. Saying yes can mean facing difficulties and persecution, but God always provides the means of sustaining us when we choose obedience to His desires for our lives.

When we present ourselves as God’s servants and are open to hearing what it is God asks of us, we will take our places in a long line of faithful people who have done just that. Then we will find ourselves set free to perform both small acts of care and compassion and large ones. We will be made available for the adventures God has in store for us, for the work He needs us to do and the work He has designed us to do.

Each task fits into God’s scheme-of-things in ways that we cannot yet understand. It matters less that we complete our tasks with expertise than that we complete them with devotion. God desires not the skills of our hands but the love of our hearts. The person who has only the ability to love God and neighbour is all-important in God’s economy. We must remember that favour with God is a double-edged sword. God offers mercy but no life of ease. Our confidence in the Word of God will give us strength just like Mary’s confidence in God’s Word gave her strength. Because her whole identity was wrapped up in the promises of God, she was able to face her crisis with certainty. She gave all the glory to God. She praised God for His grace and mercy. She thanked Him for His favour. She never forgot His faithfulness. If our identity is wrapped up in the promises of God, if we give all glory to God, if we praise God for his faithfulness, and if we thank Him for his favour, we can also face life’s crises with certainty.

The marks of greatness in God’s sight are the same marks of greatness that Jesus showed us-humility, self-sacrifice, total dependence on God and total obedience even unto death. Mary showed these same marks of greatness and she was rewarded by God. The only place of honour in God’s kingdom is the place of service. If we can show the same marks of greatness, and if we show them in faith, God will reward us with the greatest gift anyone can receive, either at Christmas or at any other time of the year-and that gift is the gift of eternal life.

Bibliography

1. Stanley, Charles F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2010)
2. Steve Arterburn, “In Turbulent Times, Consider the Possibilities”. Retrieved from www.newlife.com
3. F.B. Meyer, “Our Daily Homily”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
4. Anne Graham Lotz, “Overshadowed by the Spirit”. Retrieved from www.angelministries.org
5. Dr. Charles Stanley, “Jesus is Lord of All”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
6. Jim Liebelt, “Being Part of God’s Plan”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
7. Kevin H. Grenier, “Crisis Pregnancy”. Retrieved from www.loi.org
8. Wendy Blight, “Let It Be with Me Just as You Say” Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com.
9. John Shearman’s Lectionary Resource, Advent 4, Year B. Retrieved from www.seemslikegod.org
10. Greg Laurie, “A Lesson from Mary”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
11. Lucado, Max: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2010)
12. Sarah Dylan Breuer, “Fourth Sunday of Advent, Year B”. Retrieved from www.sarahlaughed.net/lectionary/2005/12/fourth_sunday_o.html
13. Exegesis for Luke 1:26-38. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
14. Dr. Philip McLarty, “A Faithful Response”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
15. Matthew Henry Concise Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker Bible software package.
16. Wycliffe Bible Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker Bible software package.
17. ESV Study Bible. Part of Lessonmaker Bible software package.
18. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “God’s Unusual Selection”. Retrieved from www.leadingtheway.org.

How many of you like mystery stories? I certainly do. When I was younger, I loved watching mystery TV shows such as the “Perry Mason” movies, “Columbo”, “MacLeod, “CSI: NY” and all three versions of “NCIS”. I also like reading mystery stories and novels, so it’s not surprising that I really like the passage from Romans 16:25-27.

This reading is a prayer of praise to God. It ascribes glory and worth to God’s name. Paul wanted the Christians in Rome to be established, firm and unmoved in their commitment to the truth of the Gospel. There is a mystery surrounding the revelation of God. The part of God that was not revealed in the Old Testament was revealed in the New Testament.

Paul’s Letter to the Romans explains the salvation that has come by God’s grace for God’s glory. Romans 16:25-27 is appropriate for the Fourth Sunday in Advent. Christ was born so that God’s glory and grace could be brought into our sin-filled world. God’s grace is the only way we can be restored to him. Since we are separated from him, we are in exile just like the Israelites were in exile in Egypt. God comforts his exiled people by promising the world-changing display of his glory.  That display was the birth of Jesus.

Paul reminds the Christians in Rome that God commanded that his Scriptures be preached throughout the world so that all people can obey God’s command to believe. We must remember that while we are celebrating the Advent of our Saviour, that Saviour is also the reason for the season. The reason we celebrate Advent is to remind us that the mystery Paul spoke of in this passage is no longer a mystery or a secret.

Romans 16:25-27 is a doxology or song of praise that praises God for his work through Jesus. It summarizes the major themes of the Letter to the Romans. Paul has outlined the great themes of salvation in this letter. He urges the Romans and us to live as Christians and spread the Gospel to the whole world. In order to have the strength to do this work, we must always look to Jesus and the mystery of salvation that was revealed on that first Christmas 2,000 years ago.

The gospel was revealed by the Father through Jesus Christ.  God revealed what had been hidden for so long when Christ died and rose again. Christ conquered death for himself and for everyone who believes in him in faith. Our sinful nature estranged us from God, but Christ’s death and resurrection reconciled us to God. Adam’s sin led to our condemnation, and Christ’s righteousness made our justification possible. God is wise and deserves glory forever and ever. He sees all, and he can take our foolishness and give us wise hearts. He knows our beginning and our ending, and his wisdom holds us together, especially when times are tough.

We are to listen to God with a heart that is filled with faith. We are to honor God because he plans to bring all peoples and nations together in faith. Obedience to God and listening to God means that we have to listen to what he tells us and apply our hearts and minds to those words.

Jesus is the access route that we have to take for our salvation. That’s why he was born on that first Christmas. He places us securely and permanently in a position of faith, blessing and peace. God gets us to a spiritual place where our faith can’t be shaken and where life’s trials strengthen our faith.

Why should God receive glory? He gives us strength through his message. He revealed his will in a way that was hidden in the past. Our relationship with him is based on faith. Romans 16:25-27 places Christ’s birth in the broad arena of God’s desire for humanity to live in peace. The reconciliation that is offered in the gospel is the reconciliation to what humanity was created to be. The goal of reconciliation has always been at the heart of the mystery of the revelation of God.

Luke’s Gospel relates the announcement of the angel Gabriel to Mary, and then together with Mary we sing the reversals of the gospel in the Magnificat. This announcement was the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret throughout history. This revelation brings together the hopes of the Old Testament prophets, the longing of the Old Testament law and the yearning of all humanity. The history of salvation begins to unfold before us in full splendor and will be fully and finally realized in a meal in which this mystery is given and distributed to the community.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)
2. Briscoe, D.S. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 29: Romans (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)
3. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson INc.; 2006)
4. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package
5. Anne Jervis, “Commentary on Romans 16:25-27.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?community_id=183
6. Dirk G. Lange, “Commentary on Romans 16:25-27.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?community_id=1152
7. Exegesis for Romans 16:25-27. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

John 1:6-8, 19-28 sets the stage for Christ’s ministry. John the Baptist was the witness to the light of Christ. He was the light that would lead people to Christ. Jesus would fulfill the expectations the Jews had regarding the long-expected Messiah, but not in the way many Jews expected. He would meet these expectations through love and not by force as a military ruler who would drive out the Romans.

John the Baptist’s baptism with water was a sign of repentance, but Christ’s baptism was with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the ultimate purifier. Christ does not just come once with the baptism with the Holy Spirit. He comes to us all the time. He is not in some far off “heaven”, but is right here among us. He is always working in the background of our lives and he is always there for us, especially when we need him.

If Christ is the light, and we’re just meant to witness to the light, what does it mean if Jesus says to us that we are the light of the world? Just like John the Baptist prepared people for the coming of the Messiah, we are to prepare ourselves for the coming of Christ in our lives. We are called to witness to Christ by word and deed, in good times and bad, when it suits us and when it doesn’t, when it is dangerous and when it isn’t. We are to point people to the one who taught us to care for the less fortunate in society.

We are called to risk everything that John the Baptist risked, and that includes the risk that the person we are waiting for to do God’s will may reveal that God’s will is not identical to ours, that God’s plans for the world may not be the same as ours. John the Baptist prepared the way not for God’s people to return to the Promised Land, but for God to come to us. When we have Christ in our lives, we no longer have to be afraid.

Belief is the purpose of the testimony of both John the Baptist and the Gospel of John. To walk in the Spirit and not get rid of His authority in our lives means we immediately obey His initial promptings. Every area of our lives has been brought into submission to His will. No matter what happens or what He requires of us, we do not complain or become upset. Instead we follow Him in faithful obedience and joy. 

John the Baptist made an astonishing statement when he said that he was not worthy to untie the straps of Jesus’ sandals. Such a task was usually done only by slaves, people whose lives were not their own. John the Baptist stated the he was not worthy to do even that. When we see that kind of utter selflessness shine forth, we know we are in the presence of something very precious. John the Baptist’s example is a powerful one for all Christians to follow. People such as health care workers are also powerful examples. They humble themselves to provide compassionate care to the sick-work that other people cannot or will not do.

We betray our Christian calling whenever we forget our servant role; whenever the institution becomes more important; whenever power is our preferred mode of operation; whenever we cling to our status and office; whenever we become just like everyone else in society; whenever we blend in. Instead, we must be like John the Baptist. Our voice must be heard in the desert called out modern society. We have to recognize our need for him and confess our need of his grace and love. Only then will we truly experience him as the Lord and Saviour of our lives.

Perhaps the voice we hear calling from the desert is telling us today that the way to prepare for the coming of the Messiah is to do the best we can. We can do that by not going off in seclusion. We are to do the best we can in our daily tasks, but at the same time we must stop and ask ourselves “What do you want me to do next Lord?”

God accepts us just the way we are, but he is not willing to leave us the way we are. He wants righteousness from us, but we do not have to earn his love. He calls us to justice and compassion, but first he offers his own justice and compassion to us.  Only by wading into the life that Christ offers and letting it wash away our sins, our false identity, our injustice and selfishness, our commitment to violence will we be recognized and worship the One who is coming in Bethlehem. As disturbing and inconvenient and disruptive as it may be amid the celebrations of the Christmas season, we have to drown our sins in the waters of repentance if necessary if we are to know the identity of the One whose birth we will soon be celebrating.

Bibliography

1. Frederikson, Roger L.; Ogilvie, Lloyd J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series Volume 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc., 1985)
2. Sarah Dylan Breuer, “Dylan’s Lectionary Blog; Third Sunday of Advent, Year B”. Retrieved from www.sarahlaughed.net/lectionary/2005/12/third_sunday_of.html
3. Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2009)
4. Matthew Henry Concise Commentary. Part of Wordsearch Bible Software packages
5. Wycliffe Bible Commentary. Part of Wordsearch Bible Software packages
6. Fr. John Boll, O.P., “First Impressions, Advent 3, Year B”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
7. John Shearman’s Lectionary Resource, Advent 3, Year B. Retrieved from www.seemslikegod.org
8. Exegesis for John 1:6-8, 19-28. Retrieved from www.saermonwriter.com
9. Notes from Peter Anthony’s Bible Study on the Gospel of John
10. The Rev. Beth Quick, UMC, “Sing We Now of Christmas: I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light”. Retrieved from www.bethquick.com/sermon12_14_08.htm
11. Bishop Kenneth L. Carder, UMC, “A Necessary Step on the Way”. Retrieved from www.day1.org
12. Dr. Mickey Anders, “A Negative Gospel”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
13. Pastor Steve Molin, “Straight Paths in a Crooked World”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
14. Dr. Philip W. McLarty, “Are You the Messiah”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com

Do you know what the key to a healthy life is? It is healthy emotions, and the healthiest emotion to have is gratitude. Gratitude actually helps our immune system. It makes us more resistant to stress and less susceptible to illness. People who are grateful are happy because they are satisfied with what they have. An attitude of gratitude reduces stress in our lives and leads to greater spiritual and physical health.

Having an attitude of gratitude is not easy. It involves lots of prayer. Paul revealed that he needed prayer just as much as other people. He wanted to be preserved blameless. Christians must remember to pray for their spiritual leaders, because their leaders, like all Christians, will face hardships. Every hardship is a gift from God that is to be used for our growth, sanctification and intimacy with God.

God wants us to be people of prayer. Regular prayer creates intimate fellowship with God. Through prayer we discover the goodness and faithfulness of God. While taking time to get alone with God is ideal, we don’t have to limit ourselves to such times. God hears our prayers no matter where we pray.

Will God’s plan fail if we don’t pray? God does not depend on our prayers. The time we invest in speaking with God affects the work that he is doing in our lives and in the world, but he will carry on without us. Does our prayer (or lack thereof) impact God’s work? The answer is both yes and no, depending on the situation.

Prayer will help us to abstain from anything that might lead us to sin or look like sin to others. Prayer will help us to have pure hearts and impeccable Christian witness. Prayer will help to warn us about the dangers of sin.

We are called on to pray for our Christian leaders. We are called on to respect and obey our Christian leaders as long as what they tell us to do is in line with God’s will for our lives and as long as these leaders are true followers of Christ and not false teachers. Being a disciplinarian is not an easy task, as those of you who have children know all too well. The health of a congregation depends on commitment to standards of conduct and doctrine. Leadership is hard work with a measure of authority from God to do that work. That authority is not personal power but moral responsibility to lead and guide.

The Thessalonians were not giving their church leaders proper respect. That’s why the apostle Paul was careful to defend his apostolic authority and the apostolic authority of elders and deacons in the church. Paul accused the Thessalonians of being unruly and out of line. Fellow believers must warn those who refuse to walk in unity with the Christian family. Believers must encourage those who are unruly, weak or new in the faith.

Part of the role of leadership involves discipline. All Christians share that responsibility. We are to tame the unruly and comfort those who are weak in body, mind and spirit. That includes praying for them. Discipline must be tempered with patience. There is no room for retaliation. Patience and discipline must have the ultimate goal of restoration and reconciliation. Jesus outlines the steps to take when imposing discipline in Matthew 18:15-17:

“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”

Discipline is in line with what the church is called to do in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18-rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in everything. We are called on to rejoice in our sufferings. When Paul tells us to give thanks in everything, he does not mean that we should thank God for the bad things that happen in our lives. It means realizing that God is working to produce something good even in bad circumstances.

On the surface this doesn’t make sense. Why should we rejoice when we are going through tough times? Why should we rejoice when the ravages of old age and age-related health problems have put us in nursing homes? Why should we rejoice when we are hurting? The answer is because we always have a basic joy called Jesus. In this season of Advent, we are celebrating both the joy of his birth over 2,000 years ago and his eventual return. The light of Christ that shone with his birth, ministry, death and resurrection shines through into the reality of our daily lives. This can only happen when we rejoice and pray constantly. When we do, God will work in and through us and in spite of our circumstances. Obedience to this requirement won’t be easy, but the rewards of obedience are rich and full.

The Holy Spirit will help us to be obedient. Our Christian life must be focused on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We must not allow people to quench the fire of the Holy Spirit in us. We must not put out the fire of the Holy Spirit. We put out the fire when we deny or resist the working of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

One of these gifts is the gift of prophecy. Like all gifts, the gift of prophecy must be tested, especially since false teachers can disguise themselves as genuine prophets. We must pay attention to true prophecies that are tested against Scripture. Prophecies must be rejected if they contradict God’s Word. The standard for testing these gifts is the Bible. It provides the standards by which prophecies, doctrines, practices, and other gifts can be measured. These standards can be summarized as follows:

1. Is the person giving the prophetic utterance living a balanced and righteous lifestyle?
2. Is the person committed to building God’s kingdom or his own? Is Christ being lifted up or is the person giving the prophecy being lifted up?
3. Does the prophetic utterance establish confidence in the Word and is it consistent with a balanced presentation of it?
4. Does the use of the spiritual gift bring unity to the church and build up the body?

Anything that does not measure up to these standards must be made subject to discipline, as I mentioned earlier. True prophecies are not to be treated lightly. When God’s Word is preached or read, it is to be received with great seriousness.

When we are evaluating something and we are using Scripture as our guide, there will always be some people (including Christians) who will disagree with us. How should we respond to this criticism? Here are some options to use, depending on the situation:

1. Always leave room for opposing viewpoints.
2. Don’t engage in “character assassination.”
3. If you don’t get your way, get over it and get on with life.
4. If all else fails, separation might be necessary. In other words, it might be necessary to leave the church or group that you are having disagreements with.

Paul concludes 1 Thessalonians with a reminder that our being set apart from the world is the achievement of God himself. It involves every part of our being, our lives. Our lives are to be characterized by prayer. We are to be quick to pray in all circumstances, and not just in emergencies. We are to give thanks in everything through prayer. If we pray constantly, our faith will flow from the current of communication with God, and our faith will be bulletproof.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)
2. Demarest, G.W. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 32: 1&2 Thessalonians/1&2 Timothy/Titus (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1984)
3. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NKJV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2005)
4. Macarthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2006)
5. Pastor Rick Warren, “An Attitude of Gratitude.” Retrieved from connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com
6. Charles R. Swindoll, “Modelling Grace through Disagreeable Times.” Retrieved from eministries@insightforliving.ca
7. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Quenching the Spirit.” Retrieved from mydevotional@leadingtheway.org
8. Dr. Charles Stanley, “The Impact of Prayer.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
9. Dr. Neil Anderson, “Discerning the Truth.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

We are well into the season of Advent, a time to remember both Christ’s birth in the stable in Bethlehem on that first Christmas over 2,000 years ago and his Second Coming. This time of remembrance includes a time of preparation. We have to prepare our hearts and minds to receive him. This can be hard to do at this time of the year because we are busy decorating our homes, buying gifts, attending Christmas parties, concerts and pageants and the many other events that are held at this time of year.

We can prepare ourselves by studying God’s Word, especially the story of Christ’s birth. A good place to start is with Mark’s Gospel, especially Mark 1:1-8. Mark gets right to the heart of the matter. His Gospel does not include Jesus’ family tree like the Gospels of Matthew and Luke do. Mark’s Gospel does not even include the stories of Jesus’ birth, the angel Gabriel’s visit to the Virgin Mary, the visit of the Three Wise Men or any of the other stories that are associated with Christmas. Mark begins his Gospel by calling Jesus the Son of God. In fact, this is a frequent theme in Mark’s Gospel. Mark declares both the deity of Jesus and God as his heavenly Father.

In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus’ ministry is firmly rooted in the Old Testament. Mark shows that Jesus’ appearance as the long-promised Messiah was long expected   in Israel’s history. Isaiah 40:1-11 prophesied about a messenger who would prepare the way for the Messiah. That messenger was John the Baptist.

John the Baptist had a lot in common with Mark. John also got right to the heart of the matter. There was no extra “fluff” or padding. He saw Jesus as superior to and more worthy than him. John’s followers saw him as great, but John saw himself as not being worthy enough to attend to Jesus’ feet-a task that was dirty according to the culture of that time. John even claimed that Christ’s baptism with the Holy Spirit was superior to John’s baptism with water. Many Old Testament passages refer to the Holy Spirit being poured out like water. Jesus’ baptism supplies us with the power of the Holy Spirit.

John the Baptist accepted his role as the forerunner to Jesus. He did not want the glamour or the self-interest that came with the role as Number One. If this story happened today, we would be shocked because it goes against society’s desire for people to be in the spotlight. John shunned the spotlight by his appearance and location. After all, who wears camel’s hair and a leather belt? Who eats locusts and wild honey? Who preaches in the desert?

John’s style was matched by the substance of his message. He preached social justice and repentance. For example, in Matthew 3:7 John called the Pharisees who came to criticize his preaching a “brood of vipers”. He urged tax collectors to be honest and soldiers to be merciful. 

Advent finds us in a different place this year, whether others can tell it or not.  Once again we hear the far off voice of John the Baptist reaching out to us, becoming present to us.  First, he calls us to repent: think things over; do an inventory of our lives; make the necessary changes that we have been putting off.   Like what?  Repent from our sins, of course!  But also repent from letting God slide to the periphery of our lives; for having made God a second-class citizen in our personal world.  Repent from having treated our faith like a routine, an old habit – same old, same old.  Repent from habits that hurt others and rob us of full life.  Repent from being preoccupied with ourselves and having only a marginal interest in the well-being of others.  Repent from a form of despair that says, “I’m too old to change.” “That’s just the way I am.” 

As John set his life on a path of making straight the way for others, we are called to do the same.  Jesus tells us time and time again, that the greatest of all commandments…of all laws, is the law of love – the law of concern for those around us.  We have an obligation to all those around us to take the skills and resources we have and make straight the path for others to reach the Kingdom, by pointing the way to Jesus.

John calls on us to repent today. He calls on us to submit to Christ’s authority just like he (that is, John) submitted to Christ’s authority, even though he baptized Christ. The main point of John’s ministry is the supremacy of Christ’s ministry. Only Christ’s ministry, including the grace of God, can give us spiritual life.

John preached in the wilderness, and in some ways our modern society is a wilderness. The wilderness was where the Israelites were tested by God and where they rebelled against God. Our society and all of its temptations tests our faith at times. Our society and its wicked ways has rebelled against God. God saved the Israelites time and time again when they were in the wilderness, and he saves us today when we are in this modern-day wilderness. Our wilderness draws us together as people of faith just like the wilderness drew the Israelites together as a nation.

Advent is a time to prepare for the coming of Christ, and that preparation involves preparing our hearts. Preparing our hearts means reaching out to those who have been hurt, including those who have been hurt accidentally or on purpose by our actions in life. By reaching out to those who are hurting, we prepare ourselves to receive Christ’s love, and that is one of the best Christmas gifts that we can receive.

Reaching out to those who are hurting sometimes means repentance and asking for forgiveness. All of us need repentance and forgiveness, even if we have already accepted Christ as our Saviour. John the Baptist preached and practiced a baptism of repentance. He baptized people to prepare them for the day when God will reign in judgment. John’s baptism was the first step toward a new life. Our own baptism in repentance also prepares us for the day when God will judge us, and the same baptism prepares us for a new life in Christ.

Repentance is more than feeling guilty about sin. It means changing direction, or abandoning our sinful ways and returning to God. It is a new way of thinking. When we learn a new way of thinking, we naturally change our behaviour. If our earlier actions have hurt other people, either accidentally or on purpose, we will feel truly sorry for the way we acted and the harm we have caused. Guilt is part of that repentance, but it is true repentance only when it causes us to change our minds and directions.

An old Hebrew legend tells of a disobedient angel atoning for his sin.  God told him to go to earth and to bring back the most precious thing he could find as a gift for God. The angel visited earth and returned with a drop of blood from a soldier who had died for his country.  God said, “That is precious, but it is not the most precious thing.” The angel went again to earth and returned with a drop of perspiration from a nurse who was caring for a sick child.  God said, “That is precious, but it is not the most precious thing.”

The angel went again, and saw a rancher stalking a man who had stolen his cattle.  The rancher followed the thief to his home, and peered through the scope of his rifle to see him move from room to room.  He was about to pull the trigger, when the thief picked up a small child.  The rancher watched as the thief kissed the child and put him to bed. 

Suddenly the rancher was seized with remorse.  He realized that he had nearly killed the child’s father.  With a tear of repentance, he returned home.  The angel caught the tear of repentance and brought it to heaven.  God said, “You did well.  Nothing is more precious than a tear of repentance.”

The good news of the Gospel brings hope to all of us, especially to those who find themselves on the fringes of our world. It also belongs there. The good news of God’s grace announces God’s presence on the fringe. God’s love goes beyond the boundaries of where we thought God was supposed to be. God promises that there is no place on earth where he will not go or be for us.

God will lead us through the deserts and wilderness of life. He will reveal his glory to us during the journey. His power will be felt where we are most vulnerable. The desert and the wilderness are suitable places to hear God speak to us, just like God spoke to Moses through the burning bush in the wilderness. What God says to us won’t always be what we want to hear, but what he says will be what we need to hear. In this season of Advent, we must continue on our journey through the wilderness to the stable in Bethlehem, and we must listen to what God says to us on the journey, because what he says to us will be good for us.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing, 2013)
2. McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 25: Mark (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)
3. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NKJV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc., 2005)
4. Exegesis for Mark 1:1-8. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
5. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, Second Sunday of Advent (B)” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
6. The Rev. Dr. Russell Levenson Jr., “Making Straight the Way.” Retrieved from www.day1.org

At first glance, the passage from Mark is full of doom and gloom. The disciples asked for signs of the end times, and Jesus told them that the end times would be full of danger. Is this really the way for us to start the season of Advent? Isn’t Advent supposed to be a time of hope and preparation? The answer to both questions is yes. Advent isn’t about preparing for Christmas. It’s about preparing for the coming of Christ. Advent always begins with preparing and waiting for Christ to come again. Just as the first coming was an event of cosmic proportion, so will the second coming be.

The passage from Mark is not meant to frighten us. It is meant to comfort us, especially as we face life’s trials. When people are suffering, we must acknowledge their pain, grief and obstacles. When we see the problems that will accompany the end times, it isn’t a sign that the Kingdom is late or has been derailed. We don’t know when it will come, but nothing can stop it from coming.

Jesus said that only God knows when Christ will return. Although Jesus was fully God, when He became human He voluntarily restricted the use of certain divine attributes. He didn’t use them unless God told Him to. He showed his Godlike character on several occasions, but He restricted the use of His divine attributes to those things God wanted Him to know during His time on earth.

Power and glory belong to God and to those who know Him and share the fellowship of His sufferings. As proof, He will send His angels to gather His elect from every corner of the earth. Just as summer arrives in Israel soon after fig trees start to blossom, so Jesus will return at the very end of the Great Tribulation, in power and glory, to set up His millennial kingdom-His 1,000-year reign on a restored earth. This should not be confused with the Rapture, the catching up of the saints that will occur before the Tribulation begins.

The Lord did not say the things in verses 32-37 to prompt speculation on when He might return. The Christian’s responsibility is to remain watchful, pure and ready. Jesus assures the disciples and us that God is in control of the universe. He assures them and us that their faith (and ours) will be rewarded with salvation.

We are impatient people. That’s one reason why it’s so hard for us to obey Jesus when He tells us to watch for His return. It’s not part of our nature. We want what we want, and we want it now. If we can’t have it right now, we’re going to do something else. Yes, it’s hard for us to wait for Jesus, but we ought to do it. Why?

1. Because Jesus asked us to be prepared for that unknown hour.
2. Because we will be released from the testing and temptations of this sinful place called earth.
3. Because when Jesus returns, all those who believe and have been granted forgiveness are going to be given a life which makes the best offerings of this world seem second-rate.

The promise of the permanence of the phrase, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away,” has sustained Christians throughout history. Jesus came through times when His enemies tried to attack and trap Him. They failed, and so will everyone who tries to find flaws in anything He says. He proved that His words are true. He can now say they are eternally sure.

The passage portrays the application of vigilance. Being on guard, being alert and watching, means more than expectant waiting. It means standing ready and being prepared for the Messiah’s return. Christ’s return is a forceful incentive for faithful discipleship. Our faithfulness is determined by our faith in Christ. We are saved by grace through faith, not by works. We must rely on Christ all the time.

What will Jesus find when He returns? Jesus has charged us with the responsibility for the household of faith. If we fall asleep so that the household misses His coming, God will hold us responsible. Christ warned us to always be alert. We as believers don’t have in ourselves sufficient resources to be alert to spiritual dangers that can so easily surprise us.

God gives each of us our own work to do. He expects us to faithfully carry out the duties He has given us in Jesus’ absence. Things will get worse before they get better. Properly understood, waiting for Christ’s return should help us live vigorously as we do God’s work in our world. Our lives will be very different if we live in the continual awareness of His coming. Being awake to Jesus gives meaning to our lives.

The Bible is still relevant today. It tells us about God, and God never changes. Because God doesn’t change, we can depend on His Word and turn to it for the guidance and help we need. Also, human nature has not changed. Just as God’s Word spoke to generations past, it still speaks to us-rebuking us, guiding us and turning us toward God.

If we don’t prepare ourselves ahead of time for Judgment Day, we won’t have time to prepare on that day. Either we will be ready, or we won’t. On that day we will acknowledge Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, or we won’t. On that day we will have been forgiven of our sins, or we won’t. Jesus is coming, and we have to make sure that as many people as possible are prepared for that day.

Whether Jesus comes again in our lifetime or not, we would do well to be prepared. Whether or not we will be alive to see the end of the world as we know it, we will see the end of our own lives. We need to be spiritually prepared for the Second Coming, but we also need to be spiritually prepared for our own death. We can be prepared by reading our Bibles daily.

God’s Word doesn’t merely show us our sins; it also cleanses us. It shows us the problem and then gives us the solution. By reading God’s Word daily, we will reap its benefits. We can’t simply skim through our favourite passages when we need a pick-me-up. We must devour every page and glean every truth.

We need to keep our eyes fixed on the cross and the Saviour’s empty tomb. It was there, as well as throughout His life, that Jesus paid the price that won our salvation. If we look at Jesus’ sacrifice and if we continue to pray for deliverance and assistance, the Holy Spirit will help shut our souls to that which is sinful.

During the season of Advent, the church calls the world to look again at stories that have somehow become comfortably innocuous, to rediscover the disruptive signs that someone has been here moving about these places we call home, to stay awake to the startling possibility of his nearness in this place even now. Considering all the problems in the world today, Advent presents a unique opportunity for the church to stand in the gap and proclaim the Good News of Christ Jesus through word and deed. Now is the time to be diligent in proclaiming the Good News in word and deed.

God has prepared something wonderful beyond our world and time. Is that more difficult to believe than the resurrection? Shouldn’t we believe that God will redeem the world?

The passage from Mark should make us eager for what is to come. Christ’s death and resurrection have assured us of our future. That future has been made present in and through us. We yearn to see the promised future now. The self-centered, careless values of the world will be replaced by new values. The reality of Jesus’ return is greater than the reality of shadows cast by our world. When we travel over life’s troubled seas, we have hope because Jesus will bring peace and calmness. When we feel captive by life’s problems, we have hope because Jesus will set us free.

The theme of the First Sunday of Advent is always this: be alert, be always ready to meet God because suddenly the end of history is going to be here. How can we be ready?

1. Live with the assurance that as children of God, we will be with Jesus when we die.
2. Show God’s love to everyone we meet.
3. Do the tasks God has given us to do. Our watching implies that we are faithful to our task and calling, even during opposition and life’s trials. Watching takes on the shape of expectancy.
4. Be loyal to Jesus Christ.

During this season of Advent, we are waiting for Christmas, but we are also waiting for something else. We are waiting for Jesus’ return. He told us that He would come again, and He told us to watch and be ready for Him. What should we do while we are waiting? We should worship and praise Him, love and serve Him, and share His love with others. When we do these things, we will be ready for His return, and we will find joy in the waiting place.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, pp. 1368-1369)
2. McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 25: Mark (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983; pp. 263-266)
3. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Nelson Publishers; 2006)
4. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
5. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010)
6. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Not Even Ten Minutes.” Retrieved from www.lhn.org
7. Rev. David Mainse, “Watch!” Retrieved from www.100words.com
8. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Waiting for Jesus.” Retrieved from www.lhm.org.
9. Jill Carattini, “Like a Thief.” Retrieved from slice@slilceofinfinity.org
10. The Rev. Timothy G. Warren, “Reading the Signs on Our Journey.” Retrieved from www.epipscopaldigitalneetwork.com
11. Richard Niell Donovan, “Exegesis for Mark 13:24-37.” Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
12. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “The Power of the Word.” Retrieved from www.ltw.org
13. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Looking Good.” Retrieved from www.lhm.org
14. The Rev. Dr. Edward S. Gleason, “In the Time of This Mortal Life.” Retrieved from wwww.day1.org
15. Rick Morley, “Star Gazing-A Reflection on Mark 13:24-37.” Retrieved from www.rickmorley.com
16. Pastor Edward Markquart, “Suddenly.” Retrieved from www.sermonsfromseattle.com
17. The Rev. Dr. Russell Levenson Jr., “Two Minute Warning.” Retrieved from www.day1.org
18. “The Waiting Place.” Retrieved from www.Sermons4Kids.com

Nate closed his eyes and sighed in frustration. For the first time, Wyatt had accepted an invitation to go to Bible club. The teacher explained that people are lost in sin, and Jesus came to find and save them. But Wyatt didn’t understand. “I don’t get it,” he said as he and Nate walked home. “It doesn’t make sense! A perfect God wouldn’t search for people, because He wouldn’t need them for anything–especially not people who keep messing up all the time.” Nate didn’t know how to explain it any better than their teacher had.

“I’ve had enough God talk,” added Wyatt. “Wanna stop at my house for a while?” Nate nodded.

When the boys arrived at Wyatt’s house, his little sister, Rosalie, ran up to them. “Wyatt!” she called. “Ranger’s missing!”

“What?” Wyatt began to panic.

“I looked all around the neighborhood for him, but I can’t find him,” said Rosalie. “Can you go look for him, Wyatt?”

“I’ll help,” said Nate, and the boys took off in different directions, calling the dog’s name and whistling for him.

Nate circled the block, and when he got back to Wyatt’s house, he found Wyatt throwing sticks for the dog. “Ranger heard me call and came to me,” said Wyatt with a grin. “I think he wanted to be found!”

That gave Nate an idea. “Why did you have to go look for Ranger?” he asked.

“Because he was lost,” said Wyatt, looking puzzled. “Besides, I didn’t have to look for him–I wanted to! He’s my dog–he belongs with me.”

Nate grinned. “Right,” he said, “and you know what? God didn’t have to look for us, either. He wanted to because He made us, and we belong to Him. God loves you, Wyatt, even more than you love Ranger. God wants to find you, and He can–but you have to want to be found.” Wyatt looked a bit startled. “Come over tomorrow night and we can talk about it some more,” said Nate. “Okay?”

Wyatt watched Ranger chew the end of a stick. “Maybe,” he said thoughtfully. “I’ll think about it.”

The reading from Ezekiel describes God’s search and rescue operation. God takes the initiative in restoring the lost and broken. National and personal recovery is possible because of God’s infinite mercy, but mercy takes sides. It may embrace everyone, but those who have profited at others’ expense must face the consequences of their injustice as a prelude to reconciliation.

The good King’s focus is always on the people’s welfare. That King, that Good Shepherd, always protects the flock from their curious roaming. That Good Shepherd, that King, made God’s loving kindness present among the people, brought healing to the infirm in the flock, bound up wounds, and led to good pastures and flowing water.

The passage from Ezekiel is a prophecy about the Israelites’ rejection of God and His plan to bring them back to Him. It envisions three things:

1. Israel’s increasing degeneracy and failure to obey God’s laws.
2. God’s punishment of His people by conquest and exile and the many miseries involved in those events.
3. Eventual restoration of the people to a better relationship of true faithfulness to God.

Ezekiel 24 follows this plan. It demonstrates four things:

1. Israel’s past failures under irresponsible leaders. Of the 43 kings from 1051 BC to 586 BC, only David, Hezekiah and Josiah were solidly, consistently loyal to God in their leadership of the nation. Eight or nine of the other 40 did some good. The majority were evil and selfish.
2. God the Good Shepherd taking over.
3. God judging His flock and putting Jesus in charge.
4. The resulting blessed new age of the covenant of peace.

Through Ezekiel, the Lord gives another promise that He will one day “search for…seek out” and gather the people of Israel from all the places He has scattered them and bring them back to the Promised Land, where He will care for them and make them prosper. He will do for them what their failed shepherds refused to do. This prophecy began to be fulfilled when the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, was born in Bethlehem and shepherds celebrated His arrival. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus ministered to the crowds, who were like wandering sheep with no shepherd.

Faithful shepherds of God’s flock pay special attention to the weak sheep among them and so take appropriate action to tend to their unique needs. The New Testament instructs us to “comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.” A leader with a servant’s heart looks out for others and shepherds their flock well.

Verses 23 and 24 promise that God would send the Messiah to shepherd His people, Israel, and that this Good Shepherd would care for them and provide for their needs. The phrase “my servant David” refers here to the Messiah, the Promised One who would come from the lineage of David and restore Israel’s security. Contrary to the failed shepherds of Israel, Jesus not only cared for the sheep but put them first by laying His life down for them.

God will eventually take over the nation of Israel. He will bring the Israelites back to their homeland. He will take care of them and make them prosper. He will revive His people and destroy their enemies.

Ezekiel’s message was a message of hope for the Israelites, and it is still a message of hope today. God is still following this plan. He does what He does for our benefit. He feeds us what He knows will give us spiritual health and physical health. He makes us lie down and rest when we would rather keep moving. He is the Good and Great Shepherd.

The passage from Ezekiel is a metaphor of the Parable of the Lost Sheep. It encourages those who have been pushed and shoved by events beyond their control. If we feel secure we will be less likely to abuse other people.

God will also judge abusive members of the flock as to their true spiritual state. It anticipates the judgment of the people given by Jesus in Matthew 25:31-46. The ungodly are known because they trample the poor. God can sort out the true from the false and will do so when He establishes His kingdom on earth. Wherever life and people threaten to pull us under, we as believers know that we have a divine rescuer-Jesus. This is God’s assurance, and it is also Ezekiel’s assurance to the Israelites. All we have to do is hold fast to God and His promises.

Once we have been rescued, it is natural for us to go back to business as usual. We want to forget the hopeless, horrifying moment when we were lost in darkness. Going back there to warn others is hard work. It sounds risky. Why do we fear the lost? Is it because they are needy and desperate? Are we afraid that they will latch on to us and beg for things? Are we scared because they are so different from us-different in lifestyles, language, clothing styles, food and music preferences or sense of humour? For the desperate, the hungry, the oppressed, for those in pain, no rescue can come soon enough. When they call to us for rescue, God demands that we be willing to help them.

We need to follow God out of the throne room, and we need to confess our reluctance to go. Many churches are really comfortable staying where they are. It is a place where everyone looks like us, where we aren’t threatened, where it’s clean and beautiful and safe. We like the safety of the throne room, but if we want to live in God’s kingdom and obey His will for our lives, we must join God in the search and in the great shepherding work. As someone once told me, “Do what you fear, and the fear will go away. “

God is in charge. Despite appearances, confusion and the miserable condition the sheep are in, the prophet speaks for God. He assures them they will return from exile. God will shepherd them back to their own land and restore them to God’s ways. Jesus fulfilled the promise God made to the Israelites. Jesus did this humbly, as he said in Matthew 20:20, “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve.” He taught his disciples to do the same, and He urges us to do the same.

On this the Reign of Christ Sunday, it is unusual to have the reading from Ezekiel about God not as King, but as a Shepherd. In reality, it is not unusual because for Israel God was seen as a ruler who was a shepherd and who would protect, lead and defend the people with gentleness and compassion. God assures us that He is in charge. He will do what He promises to do. He will shepherd us. He is still faithful.

The Lord God is critical of what seems to come naturally to sheep – pushing with flank and shoulder, butting each other with horns. Maybe the same is true for us. When push comes to shove we would prefer to not be on the receiving end. But God as shepherd prefers lean sheep to fat ones and promises to bring back the strayed, bind up the injured and strengthen the weak. The image of God as our shepherd is for the encouragement of all who have been pushed and shoved by events beyond their control so that rescued from the clouds and thick darkness of despair, well-watered and fed on the good pasture of hope; we would no longer be ravaged by doubt and fear. And if we feel secure we might be less likely to push and shove and scatter others to preserve a place for ourselves, which would be pleasing to the shepherd and sheep alike.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New Kings James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1094-1095)
2. “Ranger.” Retrieved from info@keysforkids.org
3. Stuart, D. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 20: Ezekiel (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1989; pp. 307-315
4. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New Kings James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
5. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
6. Patricia Rayburn, “God Our Rescuer.” Retrieved from donotreply@email.rbc.ogr
7. Rick Boxx, “A Shepherd’s Heart.” Retrieved form Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
8. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, Christ the King (A).” Retrieved from firstimpressions@lists.opsouth.org
9. Justin Lynd-Ayres, “Ezekiel 34:11-16,20-24.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu.
10. Christine Caine, “Seeking the Lost.” Retrieved from Biblegateway@s.biblegateway.com
11. Ben. H. Colvert, “Ezekiel 34:11-16,20-24.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu.
12. The Rev. Sue Haupert-Johnson, “God Has Left the Building.” Retrieved from www.day1.org
13. Margaret Odell, “Commentary on Ezekiel 34:11-16,20-24.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2188
14. Walter Brueggeman, “Ezekiel 34:11-16,20-24: Failed Kings and the Good Shepherd.” Retrieved from www.huffpost.com/ezekiel-34-christ-the-king-sunday-on-sctipture­_b_1097125.
15. Bruce Epperly, “The Adventurous Lectionary-Reign of Christ Sunday-November 22, 2020.” Retrieved from www.patheos.com/blogs/livingaholyadventure
16. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, Christ the King (A), November 22, 2020.” Retrieved from firstimpressions@lists.opsouth.org

She wore her characteristic Indian sari with the blue border that represented the Missionaries of Charity, the order she founded in 1949. Her years on earth had bent her already small frame, but there was nothing small about Mother Teresa’s presence.

Who would have ever thought that this small Albanian woman would be an agent for change? She was shy and introverted as a child, and she was in fragile health. She was one of three children of a generous but unremarkable businessman. Yet somewhere along her life’s journey, she became convinced that Jesus walked in the “distressing disguise of the poor,” and she set out to love him by loving them. In 1989, she told a reporter that her Missionaries had picked up around 54,000 people from the streets of Calcutta, India and that 24,000 or so had died in her care.

None of us can help everyone, but all of us can help someone, and when we help them, we serve Jesus. When we do, we will hear the words of Matthew 25:40, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me”.

This coming Sunday marks the end of the church year. Next week, we will celebrate the beginning of the Advent season. It is a season of preparation for the coming of Christ, and not just his first coming as an infant in that stable in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago. We will also remember that he will come again at the end of the age to set up his kingdom here on earth. No one knows when it will happen, and Jesus warned us not to try to predict when it will happen, but we must always be ready because it can happen at any time.

When he comes to earth to judge the people, he will judge them by what they have done for others and by what they have shared with others and not by what they know or who they know or by their church membership. We see Jesus through the eyes of compassion, and we can see that compassion in the work done by health care workers or emergency personnel such as police officers, paramedics or fire fighters.

The story of the last judgment in Matthew 25:31-46 is the minimum standard of behaviour that applies to all of us. Christ sees what we do because he is the recipient of our acts of kindness and mercy, no matter how big or small they are. It is about the acts of compassion, justice and gentleness which we do without having to think about them. What we do for others, we do for Jesus. Then we will receive God’s mercy and love.

The acts of compassion we do for others are within the reach of all of us. When we do these things, we tell others about Christ through our actions. The judgment identifies Christ with the underprivileged, so that anything we do for them is a deed of love for Christ.  We must live like we take Jesus’ statement in Matthew 25:31-46 seriously. What we do with the Good News of Jesus has enormous consequences because the punishment of those who reject Jesus is just as eternal as the reward of those who serve him. Failing to show compassion for others condemns us to eternal damnation. Every person who receives Jesus Christ as their Saviour and shows compassion will receive rewards individually. Our service to others reflects the condition of our hearts. When we respond to God’s call to serve, we know that we are ministering to Jesus himself.

Do we sometimes look at those who are in need and refuse to help them because we think they deserved what happened to them? While it is true that some are in their particular situation because of their own actions, we are not to judge them or condemn them. Only God can do that, because his standards are perfect and higher than ours. Our job is to show Christ’s love by showing compassion for them, because when we do, we become Christ-like.

The story does simplify the basis on which God’s judgment is made. It has to do with how each person responds to everyday opportunities to help others in need. Jesus judges injustice instead of perpetuating it. Life in God’s kingdom is not about what we have or who we are, it’s about what we do. Random acts of kindness and serving the less fortunate in the community are powerful ways of authenticating the gospel. Jesus calls us to witness through our generosity. In the words of the Golden Rule, we are to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”

We must be prepared to minister to the poor wherever God calls us to minister to them, whether it is in a nursing home or the local food bank, around the corner or around the world. Parceling out this kind of compassion will not result in loud whistles or applause. In fact, the best acts of compassion will never be known to most people, nor will large sums of money be dumped into our laps because we are committed to being helpful. Normally, acts of mercy are done in obscurity on behalf of unknown people. Those who would be greatest in God’s Kingdom are those who make themselves the least.

The good deeds commended in verses 25 and 26 are the result of our salvation. They are the criteria that God will use for judgment, because they are the evidence of our saving faith. We are to use our uniqueness and our unique gifts to do God’s work in the world. The good news is that Christians throughout the centuries, in response to the challenge of this passage from Matthew’s Gospel, have tried to help people in need, and in the process have made a better world. We, and they, will reap the reward of our earthly actions on the Day of Judgment, when Christ will look at us and say, “Well done, my good and faithful servants”.

Bibliography

1. Max Lucado, “Outlive Your Life”. Retrieved from www.ChristianityToday.com
2. Kelly McFadden, “Fill the Need”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
3. Dr. Robert Heerspink, “Before the Bench”. Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net
4. Diane Singer, “The Human Touch”. Retrieved from www.colsoncenter.org
5. Dr. Robert H. Schuller, “The Good Samaritan”. Retrieved from www.hourofpower.cc
6. Charles Swindoll, “Restoring Compassion”. Retrieved from www.insight.org
7. Lucado, Max: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc., 2010)
8. Augsburg, Myron S.; Ogilvie, Lloyd J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 24: Matthew (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publisher, Inc., 1982)
9. MacArthur, John: MacArthur Study Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc., 2006;2008)
10. Stanley, Charles F., Life Applications Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc., 2006;2008)
11. The Rev. Dr. Wiley Stephens, UYMC, “Heaven’s Audit of One’s Soul”. Retrieved from www.day1.org
12. The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Carter, UMC, “Our Spiritual Bottom Line”. Retrieved from www.day1.org
13. The Rev. Deborah Fortel, PCUSA, “If Only We Had Known”. Retrieved from www.day1.org
14. The Rev. Dr. Thomas Lane Butts, UMC, “Dear God, Where Are You?” Retrieved from www.day1.org
15. Exegesis for Matthew 25:31-46. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
16. Selwyn Hughes, “The Great Peril of the Saints”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
17. The Rev. Ken Klaus, “No Surprise Here”. Retrieved from www.lhm.org
18. Dr. Michael Youssef, “While We Wait”. Retrieved from www.leadingtheway.org
19. Dr. Charles Stanley, “The Final Exam”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
20. Matthew Henry Concise Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker 9 Bible software package.
21. ESV Study Bible. Part of Lessonmaker 9 Bible software package.
22. John Shearman’s Lectionary Resource, the Reign of Christ-November 20, 2011. Retrieved from http://lectionary.seemslikegod.org/archives/the-reign-of-christ-november-20-2011
23. Dr. Greg Garrett, TEC, “If Christ is King, What Does That Mean?” Retrieved from www.day1.org
24. Daniel Clendenin, PhD., “The Judgment of Injustice: The Feast of Christ the King”. Retrieved from www.journeywithjesus,net/index.shtml?view=print
25. The Rev. Dr. Billy Graham, “Will We Have Any Idea When the End is Coming?” Retrieved from www.arcamax.com/religionandspirituality/billygraham/s-970982?print
26. MacArthur, John: MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006, 2008)
27. Stanley, Charles F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2006, 2008)
28. Augsburger, Myron S.; Ogilvie, Lloyd J. : The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 24: Matthew (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc., 1982)
29. Fr. Anthony Axe. O.P., “Not of This World”. Retrieved from www.torch.op.org

“I was shivering, and you gave me clothes…”

Martin of Tours was a Roman soldier and a Christian. One cold winter day, as he was entering a city, a beggar stopped him and asked for money. Martin had no money, but the beggar was blue and shivering with cold and Martin gave him what he had. He took off his soldier’s cloak, worn and frayed as it was; he cut it in two and gave half of it to the beggar.

That night Martin had a dream. In it he saw the heavenly places and all the angels and Jesus in the midst of them; and Jesus was wearing half a Roman soldier’s cloak. One of the angels said to him, “Master, why are you wearing that battered old cloak? Who gave it to you?” Jesus answered softly, “My servant Martin gave it to me.”

We do not have to do big things to help the poor. There is a saying- “big things come in small packages”. Even the smallest things we do can make a big difference in the lives of the poor. For example, any time my mother and I had extra clothes that we wanted to get rid of, we donated them to the Canadian Diabetes Association. In return, the Association sold these clothes to Value Village stores. These stores, which are similar to Salvation Army Thrift Stores, sell clothing and other household items to people at affordable prices.

There are other things we can do as Christians. For example, our Mother’s Union group gathers items for needy families. A few years ago, the group sponsored a local family by providing them with clothing, useful personal items and household items at Christmas time. My church’s women’s group sponsors a foster child. My parish supplied boxes of Christmas gifts for the Mission to Seafarers in the Port of Halifax. In our wider community, the Salvation Army’s Thrift Store provided clothing and other assistance to the needy until it closed earlier this year. Every fall there is a Warm Winter Clothing Exchange where people can donate winter clothing that they no longer need and the poor can get winter clothing at no charge.

Speaking of the Mission to Seafarers, this worldwide organization, which started as a mission of the Church of England in the 1850s, also serves the poor by providing support, emergency assistance and a friendly welcome to ships crews in over 250 ports worldwide. This support ranges from caring for the victims of piracy to caring for seafarers who are stranded in foreign ports to providing warm clothing, personal care and sundry items to the crews of ships to providing Internet access so seafarers can keep in touch with loved ones at home.

There are things government can do to ease poverty, especially since government decisions sometimes cause poverty. A few years ago, a report came out that criticized the Nova Scotia government for not dealing with high taxes and its inability to control energy prices. Double-digit hikes in electricity rates and high heating oil prices took a bite out of household budgets, and that led to an increase in the number of people seeking social assistance. That same year, the Salvation Army’s Good Neighbour Energy Fund was fully depleted for the first time ever, largely because the provincial government reduced its annual contribution, but because the fund was depleted, the government had to contribute extra money.

In January 2011 the Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada and the National Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada sent a letter to the Canadian government urging it to adopt the recommendations of a House of Commons committee for reducing poverty in Canada. It urged the federal government to support broad measures to improve living standards for impoverished Canadians. Across Canada, committed Anglicans are dealing with the poverty issue at many levels and in many ways. They are asking for sweeping forward-looking measures that will address the root causes of poverty in the years to come. Others are continuing with traditional charitable work—soup kitchens, shelters, drop-in centres, food banks and clothing giveaways—to help the needy now.

When we serve the poor, sometimes we serve angels in disguise, and sometimes we can be rewarded by them. For example, one time the Missions to Seafarers centre in Halifax received a donation from an ex-seafarer who had stopped at the centre in the 1960s. During that visit he lost his shoes. The chaplain at that time bought him a new pair of shoes. The ex-seafarer never forgot the chaplain’s kindness.

When we help the poor, we are answering God’s call as written in Isaiah 25:4 and Isaiah 58:6-11 to reach out to others in His name. When we do, we not only respond to God’s call, but we salt our communities with the preserving influence of the Gospel. Solving the causes of poverty requires large-scale government and non-profit action as well as the church’s compassion and social activism.

The Canadian Christian community has long been a leader in caring for the less fortunate in Canada. From church groups inspired to serve sandwiches on a local street corner to those offering a place of refuge in extreme cold or heat or the operation of multi-million dollar addictions rehabilitations centres, hostels and food service programs to conducting clothing drives for the needy or operating Salvation Army Thrift Stores, love is shared in practical expressions that meet human need. Faith-based charities such as local food banks, the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, or Chalice (which is the Roman Catholic Church’s equivalent of the Primate’s Fund) have the infrastructure and expertise to multiply the effect of government funds in the delivery of service. As a service provider to poor and homeless people, faith-based charities and their communities offer a significant experience-based resource to the government. In doing so, they also advance religion.

Why does God allow so many of his children to be poor? After all, he could make all of them rich if he wanted to, and that’s the key phrase….if he wanted to. But he does not choose to do so. He allows them to suffer and want. Why is this? One reason is because he wants to give those of us who have plenty an opportunity to show our love for Jesus. If we truly love Christ, we will care for those who are loved by him. Those who are dear to him will be dear to us as well.

What are the best ways to fight poverty? That depends on what we mean by poverty. If by poverty we mean the inability to access financial, social or political resources, then it is essential that we help the poor overcome their poverty. At the same time, we must be careful not to do for them what they can do for themselves.

If, on the other hand we mean spiritual poverty, and if restored relationships are essential to overcoming poverty, then Christ-centered, church-based community development is the foundation of sustained change. This is an example of what the church is called to do-walking with the lost and broken while embracing and restoring the whole person in Christ to reach their God-given potential. We are called to be compassionate, to love, and to carry each other’s burdens.

The criteria for judgment are deeds of mercy-food, drink, welcome, clothing, nursing care and visitation. Acts of kindness are simple and concrete. They are indiscriminate and uncalculating. They are also transforming in the lives of the recipients. Remembering acts of kindness we have received keeps us humble, makes us grateful and helps us to be more compassionate toward others in need. When we serve, our focus shifts from self to selfless.

When Jesus says that we serve him when we serve others, he is saying that when we see a hungry or thirsty person, someone in prison or without adequate clothing, someone who is sick and has no one to take care of him or her—in other words, someone not like us—when we see someone who needs what we have in us to give, we have to see that person as the presence and embodiment of Christ even if that person does not act like us. Jesus is in soup kitchen lines. Jesus is waiting at the Salvation Army to get a coat. Jesus is in the hospital, or more likely, suffering, because He cannot afford to go to the hospital (especially if the hospital is in the United States). Jesus wants us to be out in the world every day, looking to find Him in the heartache and pain that surrounds us. Church is the place where we come to feed and nourish our soul for this work, the work that calls us to minister to Him in very real and tangible ways. (Pause)

It is hard to see people as the presence and embodiment of Christ when we have to deal with people who have an attitude where they expect us to help and get angry when we don’t. It is hard to see Jesus in people like that, but then we must try to put ourselves in their place, and when we do it becomes easier to see Christ in them. We can’t do anything but help, and we do so not because we feel guilty, but because we know that God loves them just as much as God loves us, and God needs us to show that love to them.

There are people who hear stories on the news about suffering and go back to their normal everyday activities after they hear the stories. Others choose to act. In an article that appeared in the Halifax Chronicle-Herald newspaper a few years ago, someone wrote the following words:

None of them worked alone. As they went along, their circles of influence moved outward, inspiring more and more people to act in concert.

Interestingly, religion or faith is not often mentioned in connection with their acts of charity, a word used here in the old-fashioned sense, meaning love. These are people who do God’s work and, it appears, they humbly accept their roles. Helping others has become more than their volunteer activity; it’s an obsession and vocation.

The rest of us can watch, marvel, learn — and then follow suit. When we can’t initiate something ourselves, we can support the efforts of others. There is a lot of work that needs to be done — in Nova Scotia, in Canada and throughout the world. There may be no wages, but it pays off.

God does watch the way we live our lives, and the way we live our lives matters. There will be a day when each of us will stand in line as God points the way to eternity. Some will be directed to the right, and they will spend eternity in heaven. Others will be directed to the left, and they will spend eternity in hell. The only goal of lasting value and fulfillment in life is serving Christ. His call to serve is unique for each and every believer. He will give us the situation, the words and the ability to do what He wants us to do. He is the one who makes a difference. We are tools to be used by Him.

Bibliography

1. Franklin Graham, “Focus on Solving the Poverty of the Soul”. Retrieved from www.christianitytoday.com/ct/article=print.html?id=95689
2. Richard Stearns, “Christians Really Do Reduce Poverty”. Retrieved from www.christianitytoday.com/ct/article=print.html?id=95688
3. Joni Eareckson Tada, “Answering Isaiah”. Retrieved from www.joniandfriends.org
4. Stephen Bauman, “What Do You Mean by Poverty?” Retrieved from www.christianitytoday.com/ct/article=print.html?id=95690
5. Grey Fourney, “Poverty Has Many Enemies”. Retrieved from www.christianitytoday.com/ct/article=print.html?id=95693
6. LeAnn Rice, “Caring for the Overlooked”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
7. The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, “2012 Federal Pre-Budget Submission”. (Ottawa, ON; The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada; 2012)
8. Dr. Randy L. Hyde, “The Scavenger Hunt”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
9. Pastor Steve Molin, “What the Saints Do”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
10. The Rev. Charles Hoffacker, “Wholesale or Retail”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
11. The Rev. John Bedingfield, “Seeing Christ in Everyday Faces”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
12. Dr. Philip W. McLarty, “The Gift of Chesed”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
13. Kelly Regan, MLA, “NDP’s Energy and Economic Policies Putting a Squeeze on Nova Scotians”. Retrieved from www.nsliberalcaucus.ca
14. Diana Swift, “The War on Poverty’. Retrieved from www.anglicanjournal,com
15. Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible Software package
16. Jamieson-Fawcett-Brown Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible Software package
17. Wycliffe Bible Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible Software package
18. ESV Study Bible. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible Software package
19. Jim Burns, “You Serve Jesus by Serving His Children”. Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
20. Dr. Robert H. Schuller, “The Good Samaritan”. Retrieved from www.hourofpower.cc
21. Luann Prater, “What Did You Do With What I Gave You?” Retrieved from www.crosswalkmail.com
22. Charles H. Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening Devotionals. Retrieved from http://www.bible gateway.com
23.  Monica Graham, “There’s Plenty of Good Work to be Done, Now Do It”. Retrieved from http://thechronicleherald.ca/religion/74657-there-s-plenty-good-work-be-done-now-do-it

“I was homeless and you took me in…”

As the worshipers arrived for church in a small town one Sunday morning, they were met by a rather disturbing sight. An apparently homeless beggar sat on the front steps of the church, wearing tattered clothing, a wool cap pulled down over his eyes, and clutching a bottle in fingerless gloves. They had never seen anything quite like this in their town.

Most worshipers simply walked around the man, or stepped over him, as he sat there. Some muttered words of disapproval, and others suggested that the man move to another doorway before the Sunday school children arrived. One member told the man, in no uncertain terms, that the Salvation Army was a more appropriate place to sleep it off. At one point, a kind woman brought the man a Styrofoam cup of hot coffee, but not one person asked the man to come in out of the cold, and certainly nobody invited him in to join them in worship.

Imagine, then, the people’s surprise during the entrance hymn, when their homeless friend made his way into the pulpit and took off his cap. The people recognized that it was their pastor! The pastor began his remarks that morning in this way: “I didn’t do this to embarrass you or to poke you in the eye. I did it to remind us that this is a person that Jesus loves, and he has called us to love him, too.”

There is much that we as Christians can do to ease the plight of the homeless. One of the main causes of homelessness is war and strife that forces people to flee for their lives. They often end up in refugee camps where the conditions are not always ideal. Throughout history, Christians have responded by welcoming refugees into their homes and countries. For example, several years ago a local church sponsored refugee families from Vietnam on a couple of different occasions. While these families did eventually leave the area to settle in larger centres to be closer to people from their own country and culture, the members of the church can take some pride in the fact that they did what they could to help.

Sometimes dealing with refugees and the victims of conflict involves personal sacrifice. A good example is the life of Raoul Wallenberg. He was a Swedish diplomat who is credited with saving the lives of at least 100,000 Jews in Budapest, Hungary during World War II. He did this by issuing fake Swedish protective passes. Because Sweden was a neutral country during the war, these passes were recognized and accepted by the Nazis even though they had no real value under international law.

Raoul Wallenberg paid the ultimate price for his actions. In January 1945, after the Soviet Army liberated Hungary, he requested and received permission to visit the Soviet military headquarters.  He never arrived, and he was never seen again. To this day his disappearance remains a mystery. The official Russian position was that he was arrested on suspicion of being a spy for the United States. The Russian government even claimed as late as 2001 that he died of a heart attack in 1947 in prison in Moscow. Other stories state that he was executed.

If you drive through the low income areas of any community, the lack of affordable housing becomes apparent. There are homes that are neat and well-kept, but there are also homes that are in a state of disrepair because the owners are either unable and/or unwilling to have the necessary repairs done. If they are unable to have the needed work done, it is often because they can’t afford to do so. While there are government programs available that are designed to assist with housing repairs, often times low income homeowners are either unaware of them or they can’t understand the paperwork involved or they can’t navigate the “red tape”.

Habitat for Humanity is a Christian ministry that puts God’s love in action by bringing people together to build low-cost, single family housing. Several years ago Habitat for Humanity International’s CEO Jonathan Reckford wrote:

The sum of our work is truly greater than any one part of our equation. In building homes and communities, Habitat welcomes all partners—churches, civic groups, corporations, governments, and individuals. From securing property rights for homeowners to encouraging the provision of the necessary infrastructure to build shelter, Habitat works with governments around the world. Habitat also strives to deepen existing relationships and initiate new partnerships with local churches, denominations, and faith organizations. We believe that adequate housing is foundational for improving the lives of families and that housing is as important to community health as it is to individual health. One of our strengths is the ability to bring together the public, private, and nonprofit sectors—including the church—to change lives and transform communities.

Programs like Habitat for Humanity do help, but they can only do so much. The various levels of government also have roles to play, but at the same time they can only do so much because their resources are not limitless.

God calls us to honour our fathers and mothers, and he is not referring just to our biological parents. He is referring to all of our elders, especially our senior citizens. Seniors deserve to live with dignity in their golden years, and one way they often choose to do so is by selling their existing homes, especially if it is costly for them to live in their existing homes because of fixed incomes. In addition, a larger home is no longer necessary once adult children have left home.

There were plans to create a retirement community in the area where I live, but so far these plans have not become a reality. In the meantime, the situation has to be addressed. Some seniors have solved the problem by having adult children living with them, and my mother was no exception. I lived at home for most of my adult life because of my mother’s age-related health issues. While having adult children living at home or having live-in caregivers is a solution, it is not without its own set of problems, such as the stress involved in caring for elderly parents. Thank goodness some nursing homes and retirement homes have recognized this and offer respite care and adult day care programs.

So what can we as Christians do to address these issues? Lobbying our elected officials for more retirement homes and affordable housing is a start. Such initiatives would also go a long way toward easing the employment situation in the area, both in the short term and the long term. We can also help in other ways. For example, we can help low income homeowners understand the paperwork involved in applying for government grants to make repairs to their homes. We can also offer to spend time with senior citizens who have adult children as live-in caregivers so that the children can have a much-needed break. We can also volunteer on a Habitat for Humanity home-building project or donate money or other resources.

These are just some suggestions-the possibilities are endless. Whatever we do, we serve God.  When we serve those who do not have adequate housing, we serve God, and when we serve others, the focus shifts from self to selfless. Jesus himself said, “Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me”.

Jesus’ command to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth has never been withdrawn — nor will it be withdrawn until He comes again. His final words to his disciples in Mark 16:15 were absolutely clear: “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation”. Missionaries today carry out Christ’s command in many ways, not only by preaching the Gospel but by demonstrating Christ’s love and compassion to those in need. Jesus said in Matthew 10:42 that we serve Him even when we give “a cup of cold water to one of these little ones”.

God asks us to give our lives to him and serve him by serving others. We say to them, “God loves you and so do I”. We can reduce poverty. On Judgment Day, we will be judged by how we lived our lives and whether or not we loved others like Christ loves us. If we are currently showing God’s love to others, we must continue what we are doing. If not, we must change our ways. There is an old saying- “shape up or ship out”. If we don’t shape up, God will ship us out-and we won’t like the place he will ship us out to!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bibliography

1. Sheila Schuller Coleman, “Got a Dime to Spare?” Retrieved from www.hourofpower.org
2. Pastor Steve Molin, “What the Saints Do”. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
3. Jim Coleman, “Eliminate Negative Thinking”. Retrieved from www.hourofpower.org
4. Dr. Robert Heerspink, “Finding Jesus”. Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net
5. Diana Swift, “The War on Poverty”. Retrieved from www.anglicanjournal.com
6. Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible software package.
7. Jamieson Fawcett Brown Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible software package
8. Wycliffe Bible Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible software package.
9. Jonathan Reckford, “We Can’t Do Everything”. Retrieved from www.christianitytoday.com/ct/article_print.html?id=95691
10. Jewish Virtual Library, “Raul Wallenberg: 1912-? “. Retrieved from http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/wallenberg.html#efforts
11. Rachel Oestreicher Bernheim, “Raoul Wallenberg: A Hero for Our Time”. Retrieved from www.raulwallenberg.org/raulwallenberg_aheroforourtime.htm.html
12. Billy Graham, “Why Do We Still Need Missionaries?” Retrieved from www.arcamax.com/religionandspirituality/billygraham/s-1097039?print