Sermons From My Heart

Boys and girls, can you tell me about occasions when you’ve had to help other people, especially when you didn’t want to or when you’ve been in a bad mood?Well, that’s what Jesus expects us to do. He expects us to help others even when we don’t want to help them. He expects us to love others just like he loves us.

I’m going to tell you a little story about one little boy who learned that lesson. This story is about a little boy named Eddie. He was mad at Jesus. He grabbed a crayon from his baby sister and she started crying. His mother went up to him, took the crayon away and said, “Eddie, Jesus wouldn’t treat his baby sister like that.”

Eddie went out into the backyard and kicked the dog. His father saw him do it and said, “Eddie, Jesus wouldn’t treat animals like that.”

Eddie went into his room and started playing with his toys. Pretty soon his mother came into his room and said, “It’s time to put the toys away. We’re leaving for church to learn about Jesus”. But Eddie said, “I’m not going. I’m mad at Jesus”.

That afternoon Eddie was in the backyard with his father, and his father said, “Eddie, I want to show you something,” and he pointed to a little, harmless ant. The ant was all by himself. He was going as fast as he could across a brick, but when he got to the end, he would turn around and go back. The lonely ant finally came to the edge of the brick and went up a blade of grass. Then he came back down the blade of grass. The ant ran as fast as he could, and then he came back to where he started. Eddie’s father asked him what he thought about the ant.

Eddie replied, “I think that ant is lost”. “And what do you think is going to happen to that ant?” said his father. “Well, I guess he’ll die, especially if I smash him”.

His father said, “I want to show you something else”, and he showed Eddie a little clearing in the garden where there was a tiny hole. Around the tiny hole were lines of busy ants going in the hole and coming out. The ants were running around, bumping heads, back and forth down the hole and out. “Eddie, what do you think?” said his father.

“Well, I think that when the sun goes down and it gets cold, all of these ants will go down in their home and they will be safe tonight”.

His father continued, “You know that looks a lot like church this morning with all of your friends and all of the people coming from different directions, coming into church where they could all be together and be safe.” His father stopped and walked back to the brick where the lone little ant had been and asked, “Now what do you think about this ant over here?”

Eddie went over and looked, but the ant was gone. While he was watching the ant came back up on the brick. Eddie bent down and let the ant walk up on his hand. Then he went over to where all the other ants were by the hole in the ground. He put the ant down on the ground and watched him get in line. Then he looked up at his father and smiled.

“Do you think Jesus would have done that?” Eddie asked? His father bent down and picked Eddie up. He gave him a big hug and said, “Yes, I think Jesus would have done just that”. And they said a prayer right there in the back yard.

Boys and girls, let’s bow our heads, close our eyes and have a moment of prayer.

Thank you Jesus for watching out for us and for teaching us to watch out for others. Give us the wisdom and the strength to help others as you help us. We ask this in Jesus’ name, AMEN

Bibliography

1. Children’s Sermon for Lent 5. Retrieved from www.mcgregorpage.org

A little girl once asked her grandmother, “Granny, do all fairytales begin with ‘Once Upon a Time’?”

“No darling,” said the grandmother, “There’s a whole series of them that begin ‘If elected, I promise’.”

All of us know what it is like to over promise and under deliver. Maybe that’s why it’s so hard for us to believe that God sent Jesus to give us eternal life. To look at Jesus-He promised so little, but He delivered so much.

In the passage we heard from John’s Gospel, Jesus states the reason why He came into the world. Jesus recalled God’s remedy during the plague of poisonous serpents in Moses’ day-healing those who looked on the bronze serpent-to foretell His death on the cross, where He would be lifted. Anyone who looks on Him in faith receives eternal life.  

We are sinners. There is no human cure for the ills of the soul. As the people who were bitten looked on the image of the serpent and were healed in Numbers 21:4-9, so may sinners look to the Saviour and be cured of the sickness of our nature. Our destiny is not determined by our actions, thoughts or intentions, but by our nature. We start out as sinners, opposed to God. Jesus didn’t come for the good, but for those hopelessly lost without Him. Our most desperate need-salvation from our sins-can only be obtained by faith in Jesus as our substitute and Saviour according to God’s plan.

The power of the Christian is in the truth; the power of Satan is in the lie. To the Satanist, power is everything, but power is only effective in the darkness. The Christian is to pursue the truth because power and authority are already inherent in him.

God loves humankind as shown by these circumstances:

1. The world was exposed to God’s wrath because of sin.
2. Men were in a hopeless condition.
3. God gave His Son as an undeserved gift.
4. God gave Jesus up to extreme suffering.
5. It was for the entire world.

Verse 16 tells more about God and His plan for this world than any other verse in the Bible. God gave the most extravagant thing He could to demonstrate His love for lost humankind, summoning and sending His Son to pay the debt for sin.

For Jesus to come that the world through Him might be saved is good news-except for those who do not believe. While God loves everyone, not everyone accepts that love. When a sinner believes in Jesus, he trusts Jesus as having died in his place. Since God accepted the offering which Christ made in our place, there is no further condemnation for the sinner.

The character of a sincere Christian loves truth. They love it, seek it and follow it. They come to the light. They don’t attempt to deceive themselves of this. They are willing to know themselves and the true state of their hearts before God.

In contrast, those who reject Jesus or who have not heard the Gospel are condemned. They love the darkness of sin and hate the light of Christ. They prefer sin, false doctrines and error to the truth. The light of the Gospel condemns their conduct, and their consciences would trouble them if they were enlightened.

Coming to Christ isn’t easy for us. We want to impress each other. Why would any of us want to open up and let other Christians see the dark secrets we keep hidden away? Like Nicodemus, there is a Pharisee deep inside every one of us. Jesus knows us inside and out. He knows our pride, our stubbornness and our judgmental heart. Jesus’ call to Nicodemus goes out to each of us.

When we are following God’s principles for living, when we seek purity and righteousness, when we act and speak with integrity, the world is going to resent us for it. We can’t expect a world in darkness to understand our desire to walk in the light. Regardless of the cynicism or ridicule we face, God calls us to His standard of obedience and righteousness. We don’t have to do this work alone. The Holy Spirit will guide us through the obstacles of worldly thinking. The Bible will show us the truth when we are confronted by lies.

Let’s not think that God only does the giving and that we do all the receiving. He now expects us to do the giving too. We have the wisdom to share what Jesus did for us. We have the wisdom to share our past mistakes, consequences, guilt, burdens and forgiveness in the hope that God is revealed to the people we talk to. We need to give mercy to others who are fallible and in need of forgiveness.

A light exposes what hides in the darkness. The most fundamental reason that people reject Jesus is not because they fail to understand the Gospel, but because they do not want to change. They love the darkness of sin instead of the Light of Christ. Jesus is the true Light that gives light to everyone. We can’t expect a world in darkness to understand our desire to walk in the light. Regardless of the persecution or ridicule we face, God calls us to His standard of obedience and righteousness.

When people put off deciding about Christ-or about moving forward to a deeper level or spiritual maturity-they have not remained neutral. The failure to say “Yes” to Christ is the same as saying “No.” Why? Because we are born into this world saying “No” to God because of our sinful human nature. We remain condemned by sin until the day we say “Yes” to Christ.

From this we learn:

1. Jesus is the only way to salvation
2. Salvation is full and free for everyone
3. Salvation is easy.

Eternal life refers not only to eternal quantity but divine quality of life. This life for believers is experienced before believers reach heaven. It is nothing less than participation in the eternal life of the Living Word, Jesus Christ.

Love is central to the very nature of God. It reaches out to everyone who is ugly and sick. God comes to everyone in love. God’s invitation is as wide as God’s heart. It is open to everyone who believes. He won’t cheapen the terms, or He would not be true to Himself. We can only accept the invitation by trust, faith and submission. The issue was sharpened by His coming. Now we have a choice to make: accept Him and spend eternity in heaven or reject Him and spend eternity in hell.

The kind of love that God has for us is the kind of love that can change the world. It’s based on communications more than feelings. If love were based on feelings, it would not have the power that it does. Love has the power to change everything. That’s the kind of love that God wants us to show to the world around us.

God offers salvation on one simple and single condition-a wholehearted faith in Jesus Christ, trusting Him alone as Lord and Saviour, resting upon Him for complete salvation, renouncing all self-trust, admitting our sinfulness, confessing our need, and crying out to Jesus to save us from our sins.

The more time we spend in God’s Word, the more our hearts and minds align with His will. Choosing to do the right thing becomes easier when we begin to understand God’s ways. Standing for the truth becomes easier when we find encouragement and strength in Scripture. But apart from God, we will quickly become involved in the world’s ways of thinking.

To walk in the truth is to walk in the light, unashamed of how we live before both God and man. When we are walking in the truth, living out God’s Word in our everyday lives, there is no need to deceive. The truth needs to make no apologies or excuses for its deeds.

When we agree with God’s accurate view of our sinfulness, that is the repentance part of trusting Him. Believing in Him means we put our full weight down on His love for us. It’s choosing to believe with our whole hearts not just that God loves, but that He truly loves us as we are, with full knowledge of our shortcomings. Beyond an intellectual agreement, we have to embrace God’s love for us as our ultimate source of forgiveness, hope, direction for living and eternal life.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 1445-1446)
2. Barnes, Notes on the New Testament. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
3. Fredrikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985; pp. 78-86)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2006)
5. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
6. Dr. Ray Pritchard, “Share the Gospel? What Gospel?” Retrieved from www.keepbelieving.org
7. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “The Obstacles of Worldly Thinking.” Retrieved from my devotional@leadingtheway.org
8. Paul Chappell, “According to the Plan.” Retrieved from daily@dailyintheword.org
9. Pastor Ed Young, “Commit Your Feelings to Your Commitment.” Retrieved from www.edyoung.com
10. Dr. Charles Stanley, “Victory Over Guilt.” Retrieved from www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/in-touch
11. Dr. David Jeremiah, “Ship ahoy.” Retrieved from turningpoint@davidjeremiah.org
12. Berni Dymet, “Once Upon a Time.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
13. Anne Graham Lotz, “The Light of the World.” Retrieved from www.angelministries.org
14. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Let Truth be the Light.” Retrieved from mydevotional@leadingtheway.org
15. “The Heart (and Mind) of the Matter.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
16. Richard Niell Donovan, “Exegesis for John 3:14-21.” Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
17. Rev. Wayne Palmer, “Darkness or Light?” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org
18. Dr. David Jeremiah, “The Same as Saying, ‘No’”. Retrieved from turningpoint@davidjeremiah.org
19. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “The Obstacles of Worldly Thinking.” Retrieved from mydevotional@leadingtheway.org

What is the one thing many of you do at least once a year, especially in the spring? I bet most of you did some spring cleaning. Spring is a good time to give your house a good going over and clean everything up and get rid of a lot of junk that you don’t need.

Today I want to tell you about a time when Jesus did some spring cleaning. It was time for the annual Passover celebration, so Jesus traveled to Jerusalem. When He arrived, He went to the temple. He couldn’t believe his eyes. There in the temple area he saw people who were selling cattle, sheep, and doves for the people to use as sacrifices in the temple. There were tables set up for money changers so that people could change their money to pay their temple taxes. It looked more like a carnival than a house of worship.

Jesus did not like what he saw. He was so angry that he made a whip from some rope and he drove the cattle and sheep and those who were selling them from the temple. He went to the tables of the money changers and turned them over, scattering coins all over the temple floor. To the ones who were selling the doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market.” Yes, I would say that Jesus did some spring cleaning in the temple that day!

Jesus had a high regard for pure worship of His Father. He wanted to rid the temple of the abuses that had crept into that worship. The moneychangers and sellers obeyed Jesus for several reasons:

1. They were punished by their consciences
2. They thought Jesus was a prophet, and the Jews had respect for prophets.
3. Jesus had a wide reputation among the people, and many of them thought He was the long-promised Messiah.
4. He made people tremble in His presence.

God approves of anger at sin and wants His servants to take appropriate action against it. Jesus revealed the righteous anger God feels when what is good and intended to help people is infiltrated by human greed. Mercy is always available to those who seek it, but we can’t forget that Jesus gets angry when He meets injustice and any restrictions on those seeking God. Jesus acted as He did because of the moneychangers’ dishonesty and their disregard for the purpose of the temple-worship. Jesus would clean out the temple again near the end of His public ministry. Why? There are several possible reasons:

1. The moneychangers and sellers forgot Jesus’ rebuke.
2. Nothing that was sacred could guard them from their sin.
3. Their love of money was stronger than their sin.

Jesus believed that the temple was a place that should be set aside for people to draw closer to God. It was not meant to be a place where a person’s sincere desire to worship God should be exploited for profit. He ended a way of life and thought. The normal practice of sacrificing animals for the sins of the people would not be needed now that He had come. He would be the new house in which God’s glory will break forth.

We are now in the season of Lent. It is the time in the church year when we focus on setting priorities in our spiritual lives, gaining some clarity and perspective on what really matters in our Christian faith. Just as driving while distracted can lead us into trouble, distracted discipleship can lead us into dangerous territory. We can be so busy and preoccupied with the church that what our faith and worship are about can become impossible for people to distinguish.

Today, Jesus is still challenged by the darkness in our lives. When we gather to worship, pray and listen to His Word, our minds are filled with earthly concerns. The light of Christ shines in the darkness and draws our thoughts back to Jesus.

Christ enters our lives, forgives our sins and cleanses us so that we can worship properly. We become a cleansed temple. Through Jesus, we have been given forgiveness and freedom. We don’t receive them because we follow detailed and perfect rituals, but through Christ’s gift to us.

As we think about Jesus cleansing the temple, we should also think about some other cleaning that needs to be done. Lent is a time to look inside ourselves and see if there is anything in us that needs to be changed. Are there some areas of your life where Jesus needs to do some ‘spring cleaning’?

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 1444-1445)
2. “Spring Cleaning.” Retrieved from www.Sermons4Kids.com
3. Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
4. Fredrikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985; pp. 69-74)
5. MacArthur, J.F. Jr: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
6. Pastor Bob Coy, “Principle Power.” Retrieved from www.activeword.org
7. The Rev. Dr. J. Bennett Guess, “Driven from Distraction.” Retrieved from www.day1.org
8. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, 3^rd Sunday in Lent (B).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
9. Richard Niell Donovan, “Exegesis for John 2:13-22.” Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
10. Rev. Wayne Palmer, “The Light Blazes in Fury.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org

“Hi, Mom!” Jared said as he slid the door of the minivan shut.

“How was your day? Anything interesting happen today?” Mom asked as she pulled away from the school.

“There’s a new kid in our class. His name is Tamim. He doesn’t speak English very well, and he had some weird food in his lunch. I kind of wanted to talk to him, but I thought Marcus and Tony would make fun of me.”

“Hmm . . . Tamim. Is his last name Youssef?” Mom asked.

“Yeah, it is,” Jared said. “How’d you know?”

“Well, I met his family today when I volunteered for the refugee outreach program at church. His parents are very nice, and he has a cute little baby sister. His dad told me their son was starting school today.”

“Oh. What’s a refugee again?” Jared asked.

“The Youssef family had to leave their country because their lives were in danger. Refugees come to other countries for many reasons–sometimes because of war, or famine, or natural disasters–but in their case, it was because they are Christians and most of their country is not.”

Jared looked at his mom in surprise. “Their lives are in danger just because they believe in Jesus?”

“Yes,” Mom answered. “Tamim and his family have chosen to follow Christ, just as you and I have. But for them, it has meant giving up their home and jobs and friends and even their country to keep their family safe. Tamim and his family have endured serious hardships. He’s a pretty brave kid!”

“Wow,” Jared said. “I didn’t know his family went through all that.”

Mom nodded. “Having the same faith makes us brothers and sisters in Christ. In fact, the Bible tells us that one day, when Jesus returns, we will worship God for all eternity along with people from every tribe and language and nation in the world! It’s possible we’ll be standing right next to the Youssef family in front of God’s throne. Isn’t that exciting?”

“It sure is!” Jared agreed. “I think Tamim is someone I’d like to get to know better. Could we invite his family over for dinner sometime?”

Mom smiled. “I think that’s an excellent idea.”

In Psalm 22, God has saved the sufferer who in return tells others about it. The sufferer foresaw more than his own good fortune. He foresaw deliverance spilling over into the whole world. He predicted that the story of God’s help would be told to future generations. The entire world will worship God.

Jesus had this psalm on His lips when He was dying on the cross. When the disciples wanted to explain Jesus’ life and sufferings, they turned to this psalm and others like it. The disciples saw a pattern and a foreshadowing. The pattern is one of redemptive suffering. This suffering led to victory and power and the salvation of the world. This pattern helps Christians appreciate why Jesus and His followers had to suffer.

The basis for the psalmist’s worship is that God answers prayer. God’s silence was over. God does not turn away from the psalmist. The psalmist’s enemies were silenced by God’s actions. God hears the cries of the poor, the oppressed and the forgotten. He gives us hope in responding to the evils of our day. How do we think about all our relations (past, present and future) when making daily decisions to ensure that we are answering the pleas of the afflicted? How do we fashion our lives to reflect God’s plan to satisfy the poor? As we proclaim God’s deliverance to the people, we are also delivered. As we bless people with God’s abundance, we are also blessed.

The theme of the resurrection is present even though the doctrine of the resurrection is not revealed. God heals, restores and answers. In His resurrection,  Jesus declared God’s mighty works to His people. As the word of God’s deeds spreads, everyone will bow down and worship Him.

The application of the psalm to the world can only be fulfilled in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. It points to Jesus and His heart as He hung on the cross. He endured God’s silence knowing that His cry would be answered and that His suffering would bless the world.

Jesus was forsaken on the cross so we would never be forsaken. He was alone on the cross so we would never have to be alone. He was judged guilty on the cross so we could be declared innocent in heaven. He stood in the gap for us. It was all about His love for us.

We tend to be swept away by problems we should have avoided. We have no defense against the devil. We get lost. We need a shepherd to care for us and to guide us. We have one who knows us by name. His name is Jesus. One of the tools He gives us to fight Satan is praise. Praise drives the enemy away. It ushers God’s authority into any situation. If we want to maintain our praise, we must begin our prayers with praise. First, we must praise Him for who He is. Then we must praise Him for something He has done for us.

As we praise God, we should consider His names and how each one applies to our lives. Understanding His names will have a major impact on our worship and devotion. Some of His names are:

• Majestic Lord
• Our banner
• Our healer
• Our shepherd
• Our provider
• Our master

God’s names reflect His attributes and nature.

The psalm gives us permission and the words to cry when we experience persecution. It also becomes our words of thanksgiving and praise when God saves us from anything that could destroy us. Our lives are filled with both dangerous moments and times when life is good and God is holding our hands. God is yearning for us to seek Him out. We may have called out with the psalmist for God’s help and thought that God was away, but He is always at hand. Where are we?

When we feast on the goodness of Jesus, we find our happiness in Him. We find that happiness in God’s Word. When we feed on His Word, it will become so precious to us that we will pity people who seek satisfaction in evil. We will have something so wonderful in Jesus.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New Kings James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 721)
2. Karen McMillan, “Every Nation.” Retrieved from info@keysforkids.org
3. “The Song of the Cross.” Retrieved from BibleGateway@e.BibleGateway.com
4. Jamieson-Fawcett-Brown Commentary. Part of Wordsearch 12 Bible software package.
5. Williams, D. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 13; Psalms 1-72 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1986; pp. 187-190)
6. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
7. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
8. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010)
9. Anne Graham Lotz, “Praise Defeats the Enemy.” Retrieved from info@angelministries.org
10. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “In the Name of God.” Retrieved from web@ltw.org
11. Pastor David McGee, “Ps. 22:30-31.” Retrieved from theword@aboutthebridge.com
12. Franklin Lee, “Psalm 22:25-31.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu.
13. Kristen D. Anderson, “Psalm 22:19-28.” Retrieved from communic@lutehrsem.edu
14. Arian Rogers, “Are You Hanging Out with the Devil’s Billy Goat?” Retrieved from devotions@lwf.org
15. Bruce Epperly, “The Adventurous Lectionary, 2^nd Sunday of Lent.” Retrieved from www.patheos.com
16. David Scherer, “Psalm 22:22-30.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu.

The scene in Mark 8:27-38 is the climax of the first half of Mark’s Gospel. This first half focuses on miracles and gradually reveals Jesus as the Messiah. The second half explains the nature of that Messiahship and has far more teaching and far fewer miracles.

Caesarea Philippi was located well into the heart of Gentile territory. Why would Jesus choose this location instead of Jerusalem to reveal himself as Israel’s Messiah? The most likely reason was to state that his followers were not to remain in Jerusalem but were to go to the ends of the earth and proclaim the Good News of the Gospel.

Jesus did not want the disciples to reveal his identity right away because they did not completely understand what that meant, as Peter demonstrated when he rebuked Jesus. Peter’s reasoning was demonic. He was influenced by Satan, hence Jesus’ demand to “Get behind me, Satan.”

Three times Jesus mentioned that his death and resurrection were part of God’s plan, and each time the disciples misunderstood his meaning. They thought that the kingdom meant Israel’s return to power and the end of Roman rule. Christ’s way meant suffering and sacrifice, not political maneuvering. Jesus knew that the freedom people need the most is spiritual freedom from sin and God’s wrath, not freedom from political oppression.

Christ’s death represents atonement for sin, and the beginning of God’s eternal, messianic rule. Nothing can make up for the loss of our soul, but there are many times when we exchange our souls and our lives for worldly things instead of spiritual things. Worldly things do not lead to eternal life. Those who give up their lives for the sake of Christ and the Gospel will find eternal life. This concept was very evident to the readers of Mark’s Gospel because they faced persecution and conflict. They saw this as a challenge to be faithful. We have the same challenge today. The world is still hateful to both Christians and the Good News of the Gospel.  

I read a news story some time ago about a group of young people who were arrested for trespassing and attempted burglary. They drove to a car lot late at night and removed a set of tires from one of the cars on the lot. Unfortunately for them, the lot’s owner saw them on closed-circuit television. While they were busy trying to steal his tires, he picked up their vehicle with his forklift and hid it inside a building. When they finished their dirty work and were ready to leave, they had no transportation.

Many people today are the same. They spend all of their time trying to get material goods that they think will make them happy, when what they really need for happiness is a personal relationship with God. That relationship will provide us with the transportation we need to get to heaven when we die.

We must not let anything or anyone worldly take control of our lives. Self-control is the fruit of the Spirit that the apostle Paul refers to in Galatians 5:22-23. When we have self-control, we can stand up to people and things who try to tell us what we should be and what we should do.

Jesus taught that being great in God’s kingdom means self-denial and sacrificial service. These values are opposite to the world’s values. Self-denial means letting go of self-determination and becoming obedient to and depending on Jesus. Happiness comes from service, and we need to practice service and generosity today. These two things will bring more happiness to our lives than anything else, and they also define what it means to be a Christian. Jesus is calling us to carry the cross of sacrificial living. Words come easy and living the life is more of a challenge, but in today’s world people need to see that sacrificial living leads to fulfillment and real life.

Sacrifice does not necessarily mean martyrdom. It also means doing small tasks such as giving food to a hungry person or a cup of cold water to someone who is thirsty. It also means doing things in the church such as teaching a Sunday school class or singing in the choir. Our willingness to do the small tasks as they are needed is more important than our willingness to die for Christ when that is not needed.

We do not have to do this alone, and we can’t do this alone. We need strength, and Jesus will give us that strength. This strength will allow us to live a life that will bring us blessing and fulfillment beyond our wildest dreams.

If we become suffering servants like Christ was, there is a danger that we might assume that the saving work of Christ is automatic. Mark’s Gospel reminds us that this assumption is false. Christ’s suffering servanthood teaches us about the Incarnation, but the passion of his suffering teaches us about his redemption. Too much emphasis today is placed on the healing of human hurts, which reflects Christ loving care for us when we hurt. More emphasis needs to be placed on righting of human wrongs, also known as sin.

This might makes us uncomfortable in the short term. We like our worship to be comforting and uplifting, and while this is a necessary part of worship, it must not be the most important part. The main emphasis must be on redirecting our lives, our values and our priorities. This disruption in our lives is necessary if we truly believe that the heart of Jesus’s message is change or repentance. If we accept this, we have to let go of the lives we have now, no matter how painful the process will be.

Jesus’ message of self-sacrifice won’t always fit neatly into our earthly lives. Words like “Come die with us,” or “Follow Jesus no matter what the cost,” or “Called to sacrifice for the world” aren’t heard very often in churches today. These words are the heart of what Jesus taught. He wants us to follow him by giving of ourselves so that others may know his grace. Believers have resisted this call since it was first made over 2,000 years ago, so it isn’t surprising that the same call is resisted today. How do we as Christians see it?

Our attitude as children of God must centre on a life that is lived in him. In return for his sacrifice we need to make good use of the opportunities Christ sends our way. God wants to be an active presence in our lives, and it is because God has been an active part of the lives of men and women throughout history that the church has survived and thrived. If the church is to survive today, God needs to be active in our lives today. If more people made God an active part of their lives, the world would be a better place (and our churches and offering plates would be full to overflowing every Sunday!).

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)
2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.
3. McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 25: Mark (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)
4. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NKJV (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
5. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006
6. Paul Estabrooks, “The Cross-Choosing to Follow Jesus.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
7. Rick Warren, “You’re Happiest when You Give Your Life Away.” Retrieved from connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com
8. Exegesis for Mark 8:24-38. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
9. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Let Us Follow Jesus.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org
10. Steve Arterburn, “Will You Have a Ride?” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
11. Pastor Dave Risendal, “What does it mean to be a Christian?” Retrieved from donotreply@wordpress.com

In Romans chapters 2 and three, Paul argued that through the Gospel, it is faith that brings humans into harmony with God. In Romans 4, Paul considers Abraham as an example. Abraham was blessed because he believed, had faith, that he would be father of a nation and a source of blessing for everyone. Abraham received the promises of God through faith, and not through the law.

The basis of Abraham’s relationship with God was faith, and faith is the primary basis of our relationship with God. Abraham’s faith was confidence in a person-God. The object of faith matters more than anything else. Abraham’s faith was exemplary, because his faith was in God. Abraham’s faith was related to his knowledge of God, the object of his faith. He had faith in the God who could breathe life into deadness, especially since God breathed life into Abraham and Sarah so they could have a child.

Abraham’s faith was conversant with the problems he faced. His faith was consistent in its progress. When he was faced with delay and discouragement with God’s plan, his faith didn’t waver. It was strengthened. He was also convinced that God’s promises would be fulfilled. Abraham knew that God never promises anything He can’t deliver. Do we believe that? If we do, then it only makes sense to put our complete trust in Him, regardless of how dark our circumstances might appear. All believers become heirs with Abraham of the promise. Abraham’s faith is a good example of the faith we as Christians should have. It led to Abraham’s justification. He had faith in a God what could provide the divine answer to the human problem.

When God’s people look to the law for justification instead of to God, failure to keep the law makes them guilty and they face death instead of life. God’s promise of the law is uncertain. His promise of faith is certain. The promise given to Abraham has not expired nor become the private possession of any one race. It permeates the entire world.

Abraham’s faith conquered impossibility, improbability, inadequacy, inconsistency, insecurity and infidelity. Abraham believed in the God of creation, who “calls those things which do not exist as though they did.” This is the essence of faith. The same God of Genesis 1-2 who brought forth life and the earth and sky out of nothing also brought forth Isaac, the son of promise, from the deadness of Sarah’s womb. Later, at the altar, standing over that same son with a knife in obedience to the Lord, Abraham again believed that God could give life to the dead. Hope that is centered in God is contrary to the world’s hope.

Abraham did not waver in his faith at the time of testing. God’s ability to perform His promises was the foundation of Abraham’s faith’s stability. Faith looks past the gift to the Giver and past the promise to the One who promises. Abraham’s faith was linked to God’s power and faithfulness. Abraham didn’t have great cause to expect God to fulfill His promise because of the circumstances Abraham was in. In spite of this, he believed God’s Word and looked forward to the time when his offspring would be as numerous as the stars in the sky.

God can declare people who believe in Him to be righteous even though they aren’t. He can do this by giving His righteousness to them, just like He declared Jesus’ “Sin” and punished Him even though Jesus was not a sinner. If Abraham was justified by faith, then all of us are justified on the same basis. The proof is God’s acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice. God would be able to be just and yet justify the ungodly.

God considered Abraham a righteous man because Abraham looked beyond the limitations of his age. God considered Abraham to be someone who could accomplish His goals. Abraham accepted God by faith. Similarly, if we accept God by faith, God’s grace will be available to us. When we act in faith, we give God the glory for the outcome, like Abraham did. Abraham didn’t parade greatness or look for praise from others.

When his hope died, Abraham went on hoping in faith. Similarly, when we are at a dead end in our lives, we need faith, and we need to read and study the Bible. It gives us encouragement because even if something is out of our control, it isn’t out of God’s control. As we spend time reading and studying the Bible, God will show us how to live by faith. We do this by preparing well, speaking in a Christlike manner, sharing God’s love and understanding that God wants to change our lives.

Faith is something that is strengthened over time. Abraham and Sarah waited for years for God to fulfill His promise. Abraham considered and thought about God’s strength and ability. He thought about God’s faithfulness and gave praise and glory to God. Abraham’s faith allowed God to do mighty things in and through him.

God gives us great promises-the same promises made to Abraham-and invites us to come by faith and receive the grace of those promises and the fullness of life with God. God invites us to join Him in a bond of peace that nothing that can overthrow and that is richer, fuller and more durable than anything the world can offer.

Paul understands Jesus’ death as representative of all humanity. Jesus entered the death into which all humanity condemned by its sinfulness and then rose from the dead. His resurrection is representative of what can be true for all who accept what God has declared in the story of Jesus. There can be no discrimination based on race and religious tradition. All human beings need to enter a relationship of faith with God, and all human beings can enter that relationship. Paul argues that we shouldn’t think of Abraham in terms of being the patriarch of Israel, but rather as the model and mentor of all who believe.

So how do we lay hold of these promises so that we may enjoy the full and abundant life He plans for us?

1. We need to make sure we understand the promises of God and that we see them as precious and great as they are.
2. We must give glory to God for His promises-praising and thanking Him daily, taking the promises back to Him and exalting Him for such grace and mercy, rehearsing our plans and visions before Him with gratitude and praise.
3. We must remember that we are called to be people of faith who are not misled by denominational traditions. The law has always been a means of pointing the way to God. It is an instrument that helps us know and do the divine will. As such the law is meant to free us, but when the law is mistaken for an end, the consequence can be a state of spiritual confusion in which all hope is obscured. The law can’t set us right with God and therefore give us access to God’s promised blessings. Any relationship with God that is grounded in and lives out of the law is not a right relationship.

When we praise God, we’re putting our faith in action. Just as putting our physical bodies into action so they will grow strong, putting our faith in action through prayer, worship and thanksgiving will make it grow strong too.

Faith is the determination to keep on walking with God no matter what happens, and that faith results in commitment. Faith demands dependence and we resist depending on God because of our stubborn independence. It’s hard for us to trust God more fully because of our willful pride and our sinful nature.

The world judges us by how much we can gather for ourselves, but there are no wages in heaven. In faith, God sets us free of needing to earn our way. We are freely showered with God’s mercy. When we see our lives from God’s viewpoint, we no longer have to worry about comparing ourselves to others. No one has to be worthy. God’s grace overturns all our economies. Abraham and Sarah trusted God, though His promise seemed to good to be true, and they received a son whom they nicknamed “Laughter.” We trust that the same God whose promise is good and true and receive abundant, eternal life in Jesus.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 1291-1292)
2. Briscoe, D.S. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 29: Romans (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982; pp. 101-107)
3. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. Os Hillman, “Being Fully Persuaded.” Retrieved from tgif@marketplaceleaders.org
6. connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com

• Pastor Rick Warren, “At Hope’s End? Rely on God’s Word.” Retrieved from connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com
• T.M. Moore, “Covenant Promises (6).” Retrieved from www.ailbe,org
• T.M. Moore, “Failing to Take the Next Step.” Retrieved from www.ailbe.org
• Bruce Pinter, “Bible Study: 2 Lent (A).” Retrieve from www.episcopaldigitalnetwork.com
• Joel Osteen, “Consider Your God.” Retrieved from www.joelosteen.com
• Joel Osteen, “Growing Strong through Praise.” Retrieved from www.joelosteen.com
• Joel Osteen, “Keep Faith Alive.” Retrieved from www.joelosteen.com
• Jessica Christy, “Romans 4:1-5,13-17.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu.
• Dr. Harold Sala, “The Testing of Faith.” Retrieved from info@guidelines.org
• Arland J. Hultgren, “Commentary on Romans 4:13-25.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
• Daniel G. Deffenbaugh, “Commentary on Romans 4:13-25.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
• Richard Carlson, “Commentary on Romans 4:13-25.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org
• Katherine Schifferdecker, “Romans 4:13-25.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu

Come and see.

Think for a moment about the effect those words might have on you if you were to hear them in an everyday context. Would they generate a sense of excitement about whatever it might be you were being invited to witness? Perhaps they might ignite your curiosity. Perhaps you might be thankful that someone thought to include you.

Come and see.

The words are both simple and warm, issuing an invitation not only to see something, but also to join a community. To come along and be part of something.

Come and see.

Have you ever used those words to invite friends to come to church with you? Have you ever talked to your friends about Jesus and what He has done in your life? If some laugh and say you’re foolish to believe as you do, don’t argue with them. Be friendly and accept them as Jesus does. After a while, your friends may be curious and willing to “come and see” what church is all about. Best of all, they may come to know Jesus.

We see a good example of this in the passage we heard from John’s Gospel. Philip invited Nathaniel to come and see the long-promised Messiah. The law and the prophets were the two most important parts of the Hebrew Scriptures. Philip told Nathaniel that he found the one that the Scriptures had been telling them to anticipate. The Messiah was now in their midst, but He went beyond the prophets of the Old Testament. He was the Word-the one who most perfectly revealed God and God’s will.

Nathaniel couldn’t believe that the Messiah came from Nazareth. Nathaniel was prejudiced. He came from Cana, which was another town in Galilee. Galileans were hated by the Judaeans, and Galileans hated people who came from Nazareth. The reason might be because Nazareth was an insignificant village that didn’t have prophetic importance. Today, many people allow their minds to be filled with prejudice against religion, and they pronounce their prejudice without examining the subject. The invitation to come and see is an invitation to join Jesus as He walks in the footsteps of the poor and stands in solidarity with those who suffer from systems of injustice and prejudice.

The darkness of the sin called prejudice allows us to sit and judge everyone and everything around us. It allows us to jump to conclusions about people without knowing their full story. It’s too bad for the people who don’t fit into our nice, neat categories. It doesn’t matter if it’s a nerdy kid at school who doesn’t dress like we do or that estranged family member, the strange neighbour or a congregation full of hypocrites. We even do the same with God. We judge His holiness and faithfulness by the circumstance of our lives. We don’t give God the right to be God.

The world is prejudiced against Christianity today. The world asks if any good can come from the One who calls us to stake our whole existence on Himself, and who calls us out of our individual worlds to follow Him to His cross. Our culture finds that offensive and labels it as a need to bring punishment on ourselves. The person of Jesus is the great cleaving sword of humanity. He divides those who come to faith in Him from those who reject Him. He separates the sheep from the goats as written in Matthew 25.

People do not need to be argued into the kingdom of God. Philip simply told Nathaniel, “Come and see.” The role of believers is to introduce people to Jesus, share His story and their stories of what He has done. Philip didn’t try to reason with Nathaniel. He asked Nathaniel to go and examine things for himself, to see Jesus, to hear Him speak, to lay aside his prejudices and to judge after he made a fair and candid personal inquiry.

Similarly, we should encourage people to lay aside their prejudices against religion and Christianity. If people want to know what God is like, they can look to Jesus. If they want to know what Jesus is like, they should be able to look at His followers. Can people see Christ in us? Seeing Jesus is the most compelling argument that exists for Christianity.

The heart of Christian evangelism is inviting people to come and see Jesus, God’s gracious Word and flesh for themselves. To come and see those who are inspired by Jesus enough to follow Him. To come and see how God continues to work in the world and in our lives. The invitation to “come and see” is the only appropriate response to having seen the grace and mercy of God taking shape among us.

Despite the setbacks of being from Nazareth, Jesus had insight and intuition that the best family, geography and education can’t give. He knew people, their nature, their motivation and their desires. That’s what drew him to Nathaniel as He saw him sitting under the fig tree.

Jesus sought out Philip and went after Him. Philip was an ordinary man, but Jesus invited Philip not just to stand out, but to keep on following Him. This encourages those of us who are shy and feel that we have so little to offer, just like the little boy in the Christmas Carol, “The Little Drummer Boy.” These are the type of people He looks for most eagerly. Similarly, Philip sought out Nathaniel and invited him to come and follow Jesus.

Jesus saw Nathaniel for who he really was. Nathaniel lived up to everything he saw and did. He was sincere and upright. Jesus knows who people really are. He sees their hearts. He sees their true motives. Jesus is divine, so He sees what we do when we think we’re doing it in secret. He sees us even when we don’t think He sees us. He sees us in our private devotions, hears our prayers and sees our meditations. He judges our character chiefly by our private devotions. If we have faith in Jesus, it will always be strengthened. If we believe His Word, we will see proof that it is true. Jesus was under God’s protection, and His friends will also be protected. God will defend us and save us if we put our trust in Him.

When he addressed Jesus as the Son of God, Nathaniel didn’t understand the full meaning of that title, but he knew that Jesus had an unusual relationship with God. Nathaniel called Jesus the King of Israel, but since Jesus referred to Nathaniel as an Israelite, Nathaniel surrendered to Jesus as his own king. This should encourage all of us to surrender to Jesus as our own king.

Nathaniel will be given far deeper grounds for belief than Jesus’ perception of who he is. As Jesus’ ministry unfolds, Nathaniel will see mighty works, great and wondrous surprises that will reveal God. We will see the same things when we surrender our lives to Jesus. It’s only as we get real and courageously honest with ourselves and God that He can help us become the people He wants us to be. If we live up to all we know, we will know more. If we are all we can be, we will become more.

Nathaniel went on to become a disciple and friend of Jesus. He traveled across India, Armenia, Ethiopia and Southern Arabia, sharing the gospel and drawing people to Jesus. When he encountered Jesus, he stood under a fig tree minding his own business. As he trusted that Jesus knew him inside and out, it changed the direction of his life.

What gifts are inside of you? They may seem ordinary to you, but not to Jesus, He sees our gifts of hospitality, deep compassion, music or writing. He is happy that you are good with kids or a good planner, or that you have a natural ability to lead others. Jesus sees those gifts because He gave them to us. Are we using them to their fullest potential? Are we using them to do God’s work in the world?

What does it take for us to believe? God doesn’t need to prove He is God as much as we need to prove we believe He is God. Despite how we feel, what we see or how we think, in the words of Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.” Faith goes beyond the senses to a deep understanding and knowing that He is God in the midst of a hassled day and the hurts from life’s circumstances. Faith is believing without seeing, as Jesus told the apostle Thomas.

The essence of discipleship is to follow Jesus. It’s what most of us want for ourselves, our family members and our friends. Life is much better for people when they follow Christ. To be a Christian is to realize that we have been called by God. Called to grace, called to life, called to move. Our proper response is to follow Jesus-slowly, perhaps not perfectly, but to try and follow nonetheless.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 1443)
2. “Come and See.” Retrieved from www.KeysforKids.org
3. Barnes, Notes on the New Testament. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package
4. Fredrikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985; pp. 56-60)
5. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
6. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010, pp. 1451-1453)
7. Suzie Eller, “He Sees the Gift in You.” Retrieved from devotions@proverbs31.org
8. Richard Innes, “Authenticity.” Retrieved from www.actsweb.org
9. Pastor Dick Woodward, “A Fig Tree Fellowship.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
10. “Just Believe.” Retrieved from www.dailydisciples.org
11. Rev. Wayne Palmer, “The Darkness of Rash Judgment.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org
12. Matthew A. Maus, “John 1:43-51.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu
13. Richard Niell Donovan, “Exegesis for John 1:43-51.” Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
14. David Lose, “Come and See.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org.
15. Pastor Edward Markquart, “Come and See Gospel Analysis.” Retrieved from www.sermonsfromseattle.com

If the passage from Mark’s Gospel sounds familiar, it’s because we heard part of the same reading a few weeks ago on the Second Sunday of Advent. On that Sunday, we heard John the Baptist talk about the coming of Jesus and the baptism that he would provide-the baptism of the Holy Spirit. John saw Jesus as both mightier than him and more worthy than him, and Jesus said that no one greater than John had ever lived. John saw himself as not being worthy enough to untie the sandals on Jesus’ feet, and that was a task that was dirty and not very appealing according to the culture of that time.

Today, we heard about Jesus’ baptism and the coming of the Holy Spirit on him.  John proclaimed Christ’s superiority by distinguishing between his own baptism with water and the baptism that Christ would provide with the Holy Spirit. Several Old Testament passages speak of the Holy Spirit being poured out like water. Jesus’ baptism with the Holy Spirit supplies us with supernatural power just like the Holy Spirit revealed its supernatural power at Jesus’ baptism.

All three members of the Trinity-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-were present at Jesus’ baptism. The parting of heaven was a foretaste of both Jesus’ statement in Mark 1:15 that the kingdom of heaven was near and the tearing of the veil of the temple when Jesus died on the cross. Jesus’ birth ended the separation of God and man that was created when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden.

The Holy Spirit changes things. It works through Jesus to bridge the gap between us and God. Reconciliation with God was possible because of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Not only was this gap first bridged at Jesus’ baptism when the Holy Spirit descended from heaven like a dove, it was also bridged at his death when the veil in the temple was torn in two. The Temple was divided into several sections, including the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies was separated from the rest of the temple by a curtain. The only person who could enter this particular part of the temple was the High Priest, and even then he could only enter on the Day of Atonement. No one else could enter, so a rope was tied to the high priest’s waist so that if anything happened to him he could be removed without anyone else having to enter. A bell was attached to the high priest so that people on the outside could hear him move. If the bell stopped ringing for any length of time, the people would know that something happened to the high priest and that they needed to pull him out of there immediately.

God claims us through baptism. In the waters of our baptism, God speaks our name, unites us to Christ and grants us the promise of new life. He says that he loves us, he claims us and he is proud of us. Nothing else is needed. No one can take our new identity in Christ away from us. No matter what other names we are called by others or even by ourselves, we are now beloved children of God. In the Baptism Service in the Anglican Church of Canada’s Book of Alternative Services, there is a line that is read when a person is baptized-“I sign you with the sign of the cross, and I mark you as Christ’s own forever.” We have been adopted into God’s family. God’s love for us can’t be changed. It guides our behaviour. Because of God’s love, there are certain things we won’t do and there are certain things we will do-things that we must do. Through Jesus, we have a love that will take risks and a family identity that can’t be broken.

Baptism tells us that we are deeply rooted in the possibility toward goodness. That is a revelation to us. It goes against the stain of original sin which I mentioned earlier. It encourages us to take a risk by going into this unknown territory. God offers harmony, intensity, peace, compassion and justice-things that are alien to our world.

Why did Jesus have to be baptized? After all, he was sinless. Jesus said in Mathew 3:15 that he needed to be baptized “to fulfill all righteousness.” It was God’s counsel in Luke 7:29-30 that people be baptized of John. In other words, God tells us to repent. Jesus asked John to baptize him as an act of obedience to God’s purposes. Jesus wanted to set a good example for us by doing the Father’s will. His baptism also served to introduce him to John and the people of Israel as the long-promised Messiah.

Jesus’ baptism was necessary in order to fulfill the requirements of the Old Testament law, which required repentance from sins and hence John the Baptist’s baptism of repentance. Jesus had to be baptized because he was born and died under the law to deliver us from the law (which was so strict that it could not be obeyed perfectly). The Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus at his baptism commissioned Jesus for a unique service. Jesus carried the Holy Spirit wherever he went and gave it to those who were receptive to his message. When the Holy Spirit comes upon us, we are empowered to do God’s work in our world.

Jesus was God’s answer to Isaiah’s prayer that God would come down to earth and be fully present with humanity. He was and is God’s son in a way that others created in God’s image are not. Jesus was the Son of God, but his baptism gave him the verbal assurance that he was indeed God’s son. He was born of the Holy Spirit, but his baptism gave him the visible assurance that the Spirit was certainly present with him. Jesus’ baptism gave him the positive assurances that he would need during his temptation, his time of ministry, his sufferings and death.

We long for someone to tell us the truth even if it will hurt us. God created this longing in our hearts. We long to have someone who can help us understand what is going on in the world and what we need to do. That person may or may not be a prophet as long as he or she speaks the truth of God’s word. Take me, for example. I don’t consider myself to be a prophet, but each and every message I preach is based on the truth of God’s word as written in the Bible.

Jesus and John the Baptist also spoke the truth. They spoke of the need for repentance, and repentance is the first step in a journey that leads us to baptism by the Holy Spirit. It requires us to change our direction. In other words, we have to “turn or burn.” Baptism is the second step in the journey. It means a burial with Jesus and resurrection to a new life in Christ. Baptism with water is a symbol of the washing away of the dirt of our old, sinful life. Forgiveness of sins is the third step. It is ushered in by our baptism and our repentance. When God forgives us, he wipes our record clean. He takes his big bottle of Liquid Paper or his big roll of correction tape and crosses out the mistakes of our lives, just like the father forgave his wayward son in the Parable of the Prodigal Son.

Jesus’ baptism ushered in a new way of dealing with sin. People did not have to go to the temple in Jerusalem because Jesus became the new temple. Repentance is not something we can do only once in our lives and then forget about it. Repentance must be done each and every day because each and every day Satan will try to get us to move in a different direction. When we come together in worship, God tells us that he loves us, and in return we tell him that we love him too.

Baptism with the Holy Spirit allows us to see ourselves as gospel peacemakers in our world. It allows us to be merciful to those who ask for forgiveness. It allows us to speak for those who can’t speak for themselves-the poor, the hungry, the oppressed, prisoners and so on. It allows us to spread God’s love to everyone.

A few years ago, I read a story about a mother who was at home with her two young daughters one lazy afternoon. Everything seemed to be just fine until the mother realized something strange. The house was quiet. And as every parent knows, a quiet house in the daytime can only mean one thing: the kids are up to no good.

Quietly walking into each of the girls’ rooms and not finding them there, she began to get worried. Then she heard it: the sound of whispering followed by the flushing of a toilet. Following the sound, she soon realized where it was coming from. It was coming from her bathroom. Whispers, flush. Whispers, flush. Whispers, flush. Poking her head into the room, she was able to see both of her daughters standing over the commode. Whispers, flush. One of them was holding a dripping Barbie doll by the ankles and the other one had her finger on the handle. Whispers, flush. Wanting to hear what her daughter was saying, she slipped quietly into the room. Whispers, flush. And this is what she heard: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and in the hole you go.” Flush.

We know what it feels like to have life grab us by the ankles and dangle us over the waters of chaos. And we know that this happens in spite of our faith. We even know that, at times, it happens precisely because of our faith. When this happens, we can take comfort in the knowledge that because we have been baptized with the Holy Spirit, we have the strength we need to face life’s challenges.

Baptism means that God has broken through the barrier between him and us. In return, we are to break through the challenges and problems of the world with everything we have been given by the Holy Spirit. Saying yes to our baptism means saying yes to facing the challenges of our world and yes to a life torn open by God’s love. Saying yes to our baptism means that our sins have been forgiven and we have been given a new start in life through Jesus Christ.

As soon as he was baptized, Jesus was on the move, and that fits in with the urgency of Mark’s Gospel. We have a similar calling. We are baptized for action. We are baptized to go out into the world and be the hands, voice and presence of Christ. We are baptized for the sake of others and for the sake of the world. For example, I publish all of my sermons on my blog-www.sermonsfrommyheart.com-and they have been viewed many times by people from all over the world.  Regardless of what we do, say or think, we must be bold in our actions and faithful to our calling. That way, when we get to the Pearly Gates, we can hear God say to us, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

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. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.
4. Exegesis for Mark 1:4-11. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
5. Kristopher J. Hewitt, “I Love You Too.” Retrieved from dailydevotional@ucc.org
6. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, Baptism of the Lord, (B)”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
7. The Rev. David Lewicki, “As It Was in the Beginning.” Retrieved from www.day1.org
8. The Rev. Timothy T. Boggess, “In the Hole He Goes.” Retrieved from www.day1.org
9. Rick Morley, “Handling Sin: A Reflection on Mark 1:4-11.” Retrieved from www.rickmorley.com/archives
10. Brian P. Stoffregen, “Mark 1:4-11, 1^st Sunday after the Epiphany/Baptism of Our Lord-Year B.” Retrieved from http://www.crossmarks.com/brian/mark1x4.htm
11. The Rev. Maxwell Grant, “Torn Open, By God.” Retrieved from www.day1.org
12. Pastor Dave Risendal, “Baptism: the Heart of our Faith.” Retrieved from http://onelittleword.org/?p=6765

Well, Christmas is almost over for another year. For most of us the holidays are over, and our lives get back to normal this coming week. Children will be going back to school, people will be going back to work, family and friends will be going home (if they haven’t gone home already), and we will be settling back into our normal routines.

There is one more part of Christmas to come, and that’s why I said that Christmas is almost over. There is one more gift for all of us, and on the Feast of the Epiphany we receive that gift. That gift is the fact that Jesus came for all of us-both Jews and Gentiles. This concept is represented in the visit of the Magi, which we read about in Matthew 2:1-12, but it is also represented in the legendary story of the fourth wise man-a man named Artaban.

As he journeyed with his friends, Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, he became separated from them. He never made it to Bethlehem. For many years he sought the Christ Child and in the process had many adventures and assisted many people, including dying beggars and frightened mothers, to whom he gave two of the three great jewels he had originally planned to give to Jesus. He even traveled to Egypt, hearing that Jesus and his parents had gone there, but was again frustrated in his quest. Now, after 33 years of searching he arrived in Jerusalem, hoping at last that he might find the child.

 At Passover time, Artaban, now an old man, noted an unusual commotion and inquired about its cause. People answered him, “We are going to the place called Golgotha, just outside the walls of the city, to see two robbers and a man named Jesus of Nazareth, who are being crucified on crosses. The man Jesus calls himself the Son of God, and Pontius Pilate has sent him to be crucified because he claims to be the king of the Jews.”

 Artaban knew instinctively that this is the king he had been searching for his whole life. Thus, he rushed to the scene. On the way he encountered a young girl being sold into slavery. She saw his royal robes and fell at his feet pleading with him to rescue her. His heart was moved and he gave away the last jewel for her ransom. Just then, darkness fell over the land and the earth shook, and great stones fell into the streets. One of them fell upon Artaban, crushing his head.

As he lay dying in the arms of the girl he had just ransomed, he cried out in a weak voice, “Three and thirty years I looked for thee, Lord, but I have never seen thy face nor ministered to thee!” Then a voice came from heaven, strong and kind, which said, “Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of my brothers or sisters, you did it to me.” Artaban’s face grew calm and peaceful. His long journey was ended. He had found his king!

This popular story powerfully presents the Epiphany message. The three magi of whom Saint Matthew speaks in his gospel brought their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, recognizing Jesus as priest, prophet, and king. Additionally, their presence in Bethlehem demonstrated how Christ was manifest to the nations. In a similar way, Artaban’s adventure showed that Christ calls us to manifest his glory to all nations. Artaban’s goodness and openness to all, even those he did not know, brought the face of Christ, namely the one he sought, to him. Additionally, those to whom he came, the poor and destitute, became Christ to him. Without realizing it, all his life he had been achieving his goal, to see the Christ Child. We, in turn, are challenged to be Christ to others; we must be ambassadors of the Lord.

God came to us in the form of Jesus so that we could come back to him. When we come to Christ, we are adopted into his family. We are also freed from the bondage of sin. That freedom has a purpose, which is being part of God’s plan for our lives. Our lives and the paths we take in life matter to God. We are to remember this when our lives seem aimless and without direction.

The church was unknown in the Old Testament and the Gospels. It wasn’t fully revealed until the events in Acts 2 occurred, especially the events that happened on the Day of Pentecost. It was not fully explained until Paul began his mission. The heart and soul of the mystery of the church is that Jews and Gentiles are joined into one body. The Gentiles are fellow heirs with the Jews, fellow members of God’s household, and fellow partakers of the promise of salvation for everyone. This process started with the visit of the Magi, but it was not fully realized until Peter preached to and baptized the Roman centurion Cornelius and his family.

Paul was the apostle, teacher and preacher to the Gentiles. The sufferings he experienced during his ministry were on their behalf, just like Jesus’ suffering and death were for everyone-both Jews and Gentiles. There are times when we as Christians will suffer for our faith like Paul, Christ and the disciples did. When we praise God, especially when we suffer, it forces us to keep our eyes on him and lifts us out of the pain of our suffering. It allows us to see clearly how God works in and through all believers to change something that is evil into something that is good. That does not mean that God causes pain and suffering. It means that God is with us and that he can use our suffering for his purposes.

Paul’s calling to preach to the Gentiles was the disposition of God’s grace. God not only appointed Paul a minister of the Gospel to the Gentiles through grace but anointed him with power. This verified Paul’s apostleship-an amazing thing considering that Paul so violently persecuted the church previously.

Christ came to unite Jews and Gentiles into one body of believers through the Gospel. Christ revealed the mystery to Paul on the road to Damascus and at other times during his ministry. The purpose of his ministry was of interest to angels, especially since they rejoice when a sinner repents.

The mystery is made known to us through both God’s direct intervention in our lives and through Scripture. This revelation is a gift for everyone, whereas until Christ was born it was seen only as a gift to the people of Israel. We are to share the promise with everyone.

If we enlarge our horizons, our theology will not be restricted to a denominational understanding but will affirm the ecumenical affirmations of the Christian faith centered in Jesus Christ. To be sure, we ought to preserve the best in our own theological tradition, but admittedly we do not possess the whole truth. We can learn from one another, and as we dialogue we sharpen our basic convictions. I’m speaking from experience. I have learned from preaching and leading worship at other non-Anglican churches, and in return I have been able to share parts of the Anglican Church traditions.

In order to share the gift, we have to use the gifts God has given us. Some of us have the gift of preaching and teaching. Some of us have the gift of singing. Others have the gift of leadership, and still others have the gift of just being able to talk to other people and share what God has done for them in their lives. We know what our gifts are, but we also know our limitations. We don’t have to worry, because God will make up for our limitations.

God created the church to be a public testimony to his grace-a place where anyone (both Jews and Gentiles) can go to receive a constant flow of mercy, and a place to hear the message of the Gospel. Yet the church not only declares the truth to humanity; God also designed the church to display the truth to angels.

The church is called to be a house of prayer. God’s people don’t need a priest to be a mediator to approach him, as was required in the Old Testament. Jews and Gentiles both have full access to God through Jesus.

Within the church there are to be no divisions due to race, spiritual or social reasons. Faith gives us free and unlimited access to God. When we place our trust in God, it opens the way for us to communicate with and have fellowship with him at any time and in any place. Anyone and everyone can come to him. We can do so because of God’s grace.

God wants everyone to see and share his wisdom. It’s up to us to make certain that this happens. Sometimes we can’t see that Christ came for everyone and can use everyone. We need to share our gifts and burdens just like Christ shared himself with everyone-both Jews and Gentiles. We are to spread the Good News to a world that desperately needs to hear it. When we spread the Good News, we are to share it with everyone, because Christ came for everyone-and that is the greatest gift that everyone can give and receive.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1642-1643)
2. Preaching Magazine, November/December 2015 (Nashville, TN: Salem Publishing Inc.; p. 65)
3. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
4. Dunnam, M.D. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 31: Galatians/Ephesians/Philippians/Colossians/Philemon (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982; pgs. 175-182)
5. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
6. Don Ruhl, “Our Job: Make People See the Manifold Wisdom of God.” Retrieved from comment-reply@wordpress.com
7. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Moments of Weakness.” Retrieved from mydevotional@leadingtheway.org
8. Joni Eareckson Tada, “Let Me Not Shrink.” Retrieved from communications@joniandfriends.org
9. Dr. R.C. Sproul, “Answering the Ultimate Question.” Retrieved from Corsswalk@crosswalkmail.com
10. Pastor Bob Coy, “Access-able.” Retrieved from www.activeword.org
11. Don Ruhl, “The Privilege of Sharing the Preaching of Christ.” Retrieved from comment-reply@wordpress.com
12. Richard Hasler, “Enlarge Your Horizons.” Retrieved from http://sermons.com/sermon/enlarge-your-horizons/14228
13. Richard Gribble, “Ambassadors of the Lord.” Retrieved from http://sermons.com/sermons/ambassadors-of-the-lord/1467337

Good morning boys and girls!

Did you have a good Christmas? Did you get lots of gifts?

Did any of you go on a trip over Christmas?  How did you get there? Did you have to get directions? How did you get them? Did you ask someone? Did you go online and get directions? Did your parents use a GPS system or a map?

A long time ago there were some people who went on a journey. Can anyone guess who they were? They were the Three Wise Men. Let me tell you the story.

The Wise Men didn’t have a map or the Internet or a GPS system. They had something even better to guide them. They had a star.

Bibliography

1. “Seeking the Saviour.” Retrieved from www.sermons4kids.com