Sermons From My Heart

What would you say to someone if you knew you were speaking to them for the last time? What advice would you give?

These same questions were likely on Paul’s mind when he wrote his second letter to Timothy. Paul wrote this letter from a prison cell in Rome, and he knew that he would soon be put to death by Emperor Nero. The letter to Timothy was a “passing of the torch.” In this letter Paul gave final instruction to his star pupil Timothy much like a schoolteacher gives final instructions to his or her students before they write a final exam.

It’s a good idea for us to reflect back on our spiritual lives once in awhile. It helps us live even better as we move forward. Our spiritual lives will face setbacks, hardships and difficulties. We can’t change something that happened in the past, but we can change how we do things from this moment forward.

The term, “At my first defense” speaks of Paul’s first imprisonment. This, his final imprisonment, was Paul’s Gethsemane. It was the end of his earthly journey and the beginning of his journey into eternal glory. He was delivered from danger.

Paul wanted to continue doing God’s work until the last possible moment, and he wanted to study God’s work until the last minute. In other words, he stayed focused on God until the last minute. He set a good example for us as Christians to follow. When we stay focused on Christ and study His word, we can withstand all of life’s challenges. Success eventually follows when we refuse to quit.

Paul has completed the work God assigned him to do. God has given the same assignment to both Timothy and us. It was up to Timothy to continue this work, and it’s up to us to continue it as well. Paul is now prepared to receive the crown of righteousness that God gives to all believers. This is possible because of God’s grace. All true believers who hope for Christ’s return and persevere in doing His work will receive this crown. When we devote our lives to doing God’s work, we might not receive earthly rewards. The results of our work will last for eternity as long as we keep getting up and going when we fall.

Paul’s life has been a sacrificial offering. The word “departure” suggests the untying of a boat from its moorings. Paul’s exit from this life will mean a new life ahead in eternity. Paul, like most people who know that their life is coming to an end, looked backward before passing into his eternal reward. Staring death in the face can bring out the best in people. The real prospect of death forces us to focus on what is significant in our lives.

Paul had every reason to be resentful. He had no money, clothes or food. He was in prison. His morale was dwindling. The only familiar person who was there to encourage him was the apostle Luke. All of his other friends deserted him because in Rome at that time supporting a Christian at his/her trial would have led to a death sentence. Paul’s last words had no hint of bitterness, resentment or regret. His unbreakable spirit emerged. He was more concerned about others than he was about himself. He extended forgiveness to those who abandoned him, thereby following the examples of Jesus when he was on the cross and Stephen when he was stoned to death.

God also stood by Paul, and God will also stand by us. When we are tired, he will give us strength. When failure is inevitable, he steps in and helps us find the strength to finish the work he gave us to do. We need his strength because we are in a spiritual war. We are fighting against evil in this world, flesh that is corrupt and a devil that is busy. Like soldiers on the front line of a battle we are in a battle that is demanding and risky, but the prize is worth fighting for. Jesus will not be ashamed of His soldiers. In fact, he will be in the trenches leading us and fighting alongside us. When we win the fight, we will get a foretaste of the reward we will receive in heaven.

Paul has no regrets about his past. All three images-fight the good fight, finished the race, kept the faith-have involved sacrifice, labour and danger. Now they represent the successful completion of Paul’s earthly ministry. Paul accepted the reality of his situation. God gave Paul the strength he needed to spread the Gospel, and God also gave Paul the strength to face his upcoming death. God rescued Paul from his fate not by preventing his death but by taking him to heaven. Christian life and ministry is a commitment to run all the way to the finish line.

Paul’s acceptance of his situation is a good example for us as Christians to follow. Things could be better, but they could also be worse. Our place in life can only be experienced by us. If we can change anything for the better, we must do so. If we are being blessed, we must share our blessings with gratitude with others. If we have any regrets, we need to address them now before they poison our spirit or ruin the rest of our lives. If we long for payback, we long for justice to show itself. When we fear payback, we become afraid that justice will show itself. We want our own efforts to matter. Complete justice rarely comes, and when it does come it rarely comes at the speed we want it to arrive at.

Those who are eager for Christ’s appearing are usually eager to fulfill His calling before He returns. They persevere because they know that their final salvation and righteousness are sure. Paul saw his upcoming death as a release from the toils of responsibility. He saw the hand of God moving to give him mercy and to spread the gospel among the people who were persecuting him. He saw his upcoming trial as another opportunity to spread the good news.

It’s important for us to look above what’s here on earth and to know where our treasures are. It’s also important for us to be true witnesses for God by showing others that we serve someone greater than us. When it comes to committing our resources in service to Jesus, we can only do what we can.  If we want to do well, we need to live well. If we want to live well, we need to figure out what our God-given purpose in life is and give it our best shot with God’s help.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1723-1724)
2. Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s Living Insights on 1&2 Timothy/Titus (Carol Stream, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers Inc., 2016, pp. 232-239,247-249)
3. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
4. Demarest, G. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 32: 1,2 Thessalonians/1,2 Timothy/Titus (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1984)
5. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 1986)
6. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
7. Richard Inness, “Keeping the Faith.” Retrieved from www.actsweb.org
8. Dr. David Jeremiah, “Famous Last Words.” Retrieved from turningpoint@davidjeremiah.org
9. Dr. Harold Sala, “Quitting.” Retrieved from www.guidelines.org
10. Ed Young, “Invest in Your Future.” Retrieved from www.edyoung.com
11. Richard Inness, “What’s Your Purpose in Life?” Retrieved from www.actsweb.org
12. Joni Eareckson Tada, “The Good Fight.” Retrieved from www.joniandfriends.org
13. Alistair Begg, “His Kingdom.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

Matt Skinner, “Commentary on 2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18.” Retrieved from

A man went to visit a psychiatrist. “Doc, I’ve got two problems.” The psychiatrist said, “Okay, tell me all about it.” The man began, “Well, first of all, I think I am a Coca-Cola machine”.

The psychiatrist sat the man down and started therapy. For weeks, he gave it his best shot, but nothing seemed to happen. Finally, out of exasperation, the psychiatrist jumped up one day, took two quarters out of his pocket, shoved them in the man’s mouth, grabbed him by the ears and shook him until he swallowed the quarters. Then he hollered, “Okay, now give me a Coke”.

That’s when the man said, “I can’t, Doc. That’s my second problem. I’m out of order.”

The only people God can help are those who admit that they have a problem. They have to admit that they are “out of order”. They have to admit that they have a problem, admit what the problem is, seek help to overcome it and persist until the problem is resolved.

Have you ever thought that you were better than other people? If you have, how can you call yourself a Christian? Christians prove by their words and deeds that they are the same as everyone else, the only difference being that they show Christ’s love and that they admit that they are sinners and ask for God’s mercy and forgiveness. That is the point of the Gospel reading from Luke 18:9-14.

My mother’s doctor told her when she had to start using a cane that “pride goeth before a fall”. Jesus warned the people that the idea that we are self-sufficient for our salvation is a prideful one. Pride is one obstacle to faith. It blinds us to our needs because it makes us think that we can handle our needs and if we can’t handle them, they weren’t important anyway. Pride has no room for mercy, no need for forgiveness. If we think that we can satisfy our own needs, or if we think we are better than anyone else, we are dead wrong. All of us “put our pants on one leg at a time”, as the old saying goes. All of us are the same. If you want proof, look at any cemetery. Rich and poor are buried side by side. Jesus exalted the man who knew his place in the game of grace. How about us? Jesus knew that we have a need that can never be covered over or washed away by human deeds.

It reminds me of a story about a minister who was waiting to board a plane. He saw a businessman run up to an airline attendant and demand immediate entry on the plane. The attendant asked him to go to the end of the line and wait his turn. The man shouted, “Do you know who I am?” He said he was a senior executive who flew often, and he could have her fired. She said, “Well, I guess I’ll wait for that call, but you’ll still have to go to the end of the line”.

Arrogance is the opposite of true self-esteem, and it is the opposite of the two Great Commandments to love God and love people. Humility is a realistic assessment of who we are in God’s eyes. Connecting with who we are in God’s eyes is the start of our spiritual journey. The remainder of the journey involves staying in touch with who we can become with God’s help.

The Pharisee represented the best in religious society. His life reflected care about religious things. Pharisees were pious lay people and religious leaders who were dedicated to their religious observance and admired by others of their faith. The Pharisee thought that he was better than everyone else. He tried to justify himself in the eyes of God. These were his two big mistakes, and they are the same two mistakes all of us make at times. Sometimes we think that we are better than others, and I’m just as guilty of that mistake as everyone else is. We use anything and everything we can to justify ourselves-intelligence, where we went to school, where we live, sports, family, job, etc. We feel the need to prove ourselves to God, but that isn’t necessary as long as we come to him in true faith just like the tax collector came to God in faith.

The main issue in this reading is the sin of self-righteousness, the belief in salvation by works instead of trusting in God’s grace. The Pharisee believed that his good works would get him into heaven, but the tax collector had the humility to do what God requires. He faced the truth about himself and asked for God’s mercy and forgiveness. We can’t gain God’s favour with good works. Our good works have to be backed up with a genuine, humble faith. God has no use for people who boast of their achievements. We must humbly repent and confess our guilt. Humility raises us up to heaven.

Jesus sees the truth about people by looking into their hearts. He saw that the Pharisee was not sincere, and he knew that the tax collector was sincere. Someone who is honest with God sees himself as he truly is. Anyone who repents and calls on Christ will be redeemed by God.

Jesus wants lives that have been transformed. He wants to see followers who love others like he loves us. He wants followers who will feed the hungry, care for the sick, clothe the naked. By doing these things, we will grow close to God.

Religion is not the same as Christianity. Religion concentrates on worshipping God by following man-made rules. Christianity concentrates on worshipping God in sincere faith and on loving others. There are five rules that will free us from religion:

1. Refuse to bind ourselves and others with man-made rules.
2. Reject appearances as a spiritual yardstick. Looks can be deceiving.
3. Review our walk with God and beware of the danger of form without function.
4. Return to the basis of examination and confession.
5. Remain humble.

We must remember that what matters to God is our heart and that we are sincere in our relationship with him. God will answer our prayers with a “yes” if we actually offer our prayers to him.

Jewish law required that the faithful give 10 percent of their income from crops and livestock to God’s work, but the Pharisee went beyond that by giving 10 percent of all his income. Jewish law required that the faithful fast or go without food one day per year, but the Pharisee fasted two days per week. He was a religious over-achiever. He stood off by himself and looked at other worshippers, eyeing some of them with contempt. In modern language he would say something like this, “O Lord, how thankful I am that I’m not loitering on some street corner, a no-count drug abuser living off welfare. I thank you that I’m not a homosexual or an abortionist or New Ager or Hollywood pagan. O Lord, it’s hard to be humble when you’re prefect in every way.”

Sinners are justified when God’s righteousness is added to their account. In other words, sinners are justified when they accept God in faith as their saviour. It was on this basis that the tax collector was saved, and it is on that same basis that we are saved. The tax collector’s heart was a pigsty, but when he prayed he opened the doors wide and begged God to enter. He was not happy with himself and was desperate for grace. Where the Pharisee’s prayer was self-centered, the tax collector’s prayer was God-centered. He did not compare himself to others. He made no reference to what he did or what he did not do. He knew that God knew him just like God knows each and every one of us, and this knowledge broke him open and made him want something better than all that he was and all that he did. Jesus likes sinners because they know that they still have room to grow and depend on God. Jesus also likes sinners because they do not look down on others.

God can take our miserable efforts and make something useful out of them. He takes our mismanaged lives, our failed efforts, our missed marks, our shameful deeds, our attitudes, our sinful lives and out of his resourcefulness he saves us by creating something new, worthy and wonderful that still has usefulness and beauty in his divine plan for our lives.

A martial arts student met his instructor for tea. The student said to his teacher, “I’ve learned all you have to teach me about defending myself. I want to learn one more thing now. Please teach me about the ways of God.”

The teacher took the teakettle and started pouring the student’s cup full of tea. Soon the cup overflowed and spilled over onto the saucer. The teacher continued to pour the tea until it spilled over the saucer and then onto the floor.

The student finally said, “Stop, stop, the tea is spilling over. The cup can’t take any more.” The teacher looked at the student and said, “You are so full of yourself that there is no room in your life for God. It is not possible for you to learn the ways of God until you learn to empty yourself.” That is a good lesson for all of us to learn.

When we are 100% dependent on God’s grace and admit that we are nothing, that admission impresses God to the extent that we have earned God’s favour and God’s life. This parable invites us to reflect on our claims to righteousness and goodness and whether it puts us in a position of justification and righteousness with God.

Bibliography

1. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2009)
2. Daniel Clendenin, Ph.D., “Lord Have Mercy: What’s Wrong and What’s Right?” Retrieved from www.journeywithjesus.net
3. John Shearman’s Lectionary Resource, 22^nd Sunday after Pentecost, Year C. Retrieved from http://lectionary.seemslikegod.org
4. Jang Ho Park, “How DO We Pray?” Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net
5. James MacDonald, “Freedom from Religion”. Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
6. Greg Laurie, “The Right Way to Pray”. Retrieved from www.harvest.org
7. Dick Inness, “I Have a Problem”. Retrieved from www.actsweb.org
8. Jude Siciliano, OP “First Impressions, 30^th Sunday, Year C” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
9. T.M. Moore, “Pride”. Retrieved from www.colsoncenter.org
10. George Vink, “Looking at Ourselves”. Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net
11. Paul DeVries, “A Parable of Prayer”. Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net
12. Reginald Smith, “Knowing Your Place”. Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net
13. Rev. Dr. Ken Klaus, “God’s Just Rewards”. Retrieved from www.lhm.org
14. Exegesis for Luke 18:9-14. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
15. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.
16. MacArthur, J.F.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers,; 2006)
17. King Duncan, “Why Jesus Likes Sinners.” Retrieved from www.esermons.com
18. R. Curtis Fussell, “Pride.” Retrieved from www.esermons.com
19. Leonard Sweet, “License to Steal”. Retrieved from www.esermons.com
20. Dr. Bill Bouknight, “Broken and Beautiful” Retrieved from www.esermons.com
21. Alan J. Weenink, “The Cunning Craftsman, God” Retrieved from www.esermons.com
22. The Rev. Charles Hoffacker, “Two Ways”. Retrieved from www.lectioonary.org

Good morning boys and girls!

Have any of you ever been bullied, teased or made fun of? It isn’t very much fun, is it? Believe me, I know the feeling because when I was your age I was bullied, made fun of and teased. Why do you think some people act like that?

Have you heard anyone brag about how good they are in school or in sports? What do you think of people who are like that? Why do you think people act like that?

Well, one reason why people brag, bully, tease or make fun of other people might be that they think that they are better than other people. But as God’s children we know that this is not true. We are all the same in the eyes of God, and he hates people who think they are better than anyone else.

Our Gospel reading today from Luke 18:9-14 talks about someone who thought that he was better than anyone else.Boys and girls, the Pharisee thought that he was better than anyone else. The Pharisees were among the religious leaders in society at that time, and they were so observant of religious laws that they thought that they were better than other people in society.

Dr. Seuss once wrote a story about a turtle like that. The title of the story is “Yertle the Turtle.” Yertle was ruler of a little pond on the island of Sala-ma-Sond. All of the turtles at the pond had everything they needed and were quite happy. They were happy, that is, until Yertle decided that his kingdom was too small. “I am ruler of all that I see, but I don’t see enough. My throne is too low down” complained Yertle. So Yertle lifted his hand and gave a command. He ordered nine turtles in the pond to stand on each other’s backs so that they could become his new and higher throne. He climbed up onto the backs of the turtles and he had a wonderful view. But Yertle still wasn’t satisfied. “Turtles! More turtles!” he called from his lofty throne, Yertle swelled with pride and feelings of importance as turtles from all over the pond came to climb on the stack of turtles which made up Yertle’s throne. At the very bottom of the stack was a plain and ordinary turtle named Mack. He struggled under the weight of all the turtles until finally, he decided that he had taken enough. That plain little turtle named Mack did a very plain little thing. He burped! His burp shook the throne and Yertle fell right into the mud! And now the great Yertle is King of the MUD. When you think too highly of yourself, you often wind up taking a big fall, don’t you?

In contrast, the tax collector was among the lowest class of people in society. Some of you have probably heard your parents complain about how much they have to pay to the tax man, and if you want to know why they complain, just wait until you have jobs of your own and have to pay taxes! In Jesus’ time, tax collectors “bought” their jobs from the Romans. They collected the taxes that people owed to the Romans, but they also tried to collect as much tax revenue as they could from the people. The difference between what the tax collectors collected and what they paid to Rome was their salary.

The tax collector was truly sorry for his sins and prayed to God with all of his heart. In contrast, the Pharisee bragged about how better he was than the Pharisee. Jesus does not like people who brag or think that they are better than other people. He said in the passage that in his coming kingdom those who think they are better than other people will be among those who will be made humble, and those who are humble and come to Jesus in humble faith will be glorified. Jesus likes humble people.

Let us bow our heads, close our eyes and have a moment of prayer. Dear God, thank you for loving us when we come to you with humble hearts filled with true faith. Help us always to be close to you in faith and humility. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.

Have you ever wanted something so much that you kept asking for it time and time again until you finally got what you wanted? If so, you can understand how the widow in the Parable of the Unjust Judge felt. She kept going to the judge until he finally decided to hear her case. Jesus told this story to encourage His listeners to be persistent in prayer.

In Jesus’ time, widows were among the most disadvantaged people in society. In spite of Old Testament laws stating that they and other disadvantaged people were to be provided for and taken care of, they had few rights, no one to be an advocate for them and no one to look after them in their old age if they did not have any children. To make matters worse, judges could be influenced by bribes or friendship or other means. Not all judges were fair or interested in helping the less fortunate obtain justice.

The judge in this parable was only concerned with his own opinions, comfort and income. Luke doesn’t say so, but there was probably a reason why the judge wouldn’t give the widow justice. That reason probably had to do with money. It was likely that the judge was either taking bribes to fatten his wallet or had an “arrangement” with a wealthy citizen who stood to lose if the widow won her case.

In contrast, God, who is the Chief Justice of the highest court known to mankind, is a friend of the less fortunate. He loves to hear their cries for justice. His justice is swift and fair to the less fortunate yet is merciless when it comes to dealing with people who would take advantage of the less fortunate. He loves to hear our prayers. When we go to God in prayer, no matter how persistent we are, God will always be there to listen and give advice.

Although the judge did not listen to the widow when she began to ask for justice, and her cries initially seemed to accomplish nothing, something was happening: the judge’s resistance was breaking down. It did not matter that the woman could not see the change taking place. Her pleas were having an effect.

The point of this parable is this.  If an unrighteous, earthly judge will finally hear our appeals, how much will God, who loves and cares for us, hear our appeals? We, like the woman in this parable, should believe that with God all things are possible. We must never give up. God-who always does what is right and is filled with compassion for suffering believers-will always act in His own time and His own way.

Some of you are probably saying to yourselves, “I’ve tried praying, but I didn’t get any answer” or, “I didn’t get the answer I wanted”. There are several reasons why you received the answer that you did receive. Perhaps you didn’t pray hard enough or often enough. Perhaps your request did not fit into God’s plan for your life. Sometimes God’s answer is “No”. Sometimes his answer is “Not now”. Sometimes his answer is “No, because I have something even better in mind for you”. God our heavenly father loves us like our earthly parents love us, and like earthly parents He does what He knows to be best for us.

So why don’t we “pray without ceasing?” There are several reasons:

1. We are busy. The richer a culture is, the less time it has for prayer because money and wealth give people so many opportunities to be busy.
2. We don’t believe prayer does that much good.
3. We often believe that a good God should protect us from life’s disasters. When God doesn’t protect us and our friends, we assume that there must not be a God.
4. We don’t walk closely with God. To have any close relationship, we need to talk often and deeply. If we don’t talk often and deeply with God, we aren’t walking closely with Him.

We grow in faith when we hear from God, obey Him and acknowledge His faithfulness to His Word in our lives. If we aren’t hearing from God, we can’t grow in faith. The same is true if we aren’t obeying Him and if we aren’t looking for Him to fulfill His Word in us.

When we pray, God might not answer our prayers right away. He might use the delay to teach us something. He might use the delay to prepare us to receive his answer. He will answer our prayer in his own time and in his own way. In God’s way of doing things, justice delayed is not justice denied.

Gow will respond to our prayers because He will secure the rights of His chosen people. This gives us hope, because our world is so unjust, especially for disadvantaged people. We pray for things to be put right, but things don’t always improve. In fact, they often get worse. God can be found in the widow. Power is often found in weakness. If we are made in God’s image, we must tirelessly pursue justice even if we have to pursue it against powerful forces.

Prayer doesn’t mean being pests because God is not like the unjust judge. He isn’t slow to answer and provide justice to those who call out to Him. We might not believe this is true because we don’t understand what God considers quick. God is faithful to His promises. He has made a covenant with His people, and He remains true to it.

As children of God we have certain rights and responsibilities, and sometimes we forget about these rights and responsibilities, especially the responsibility to care for the less fortunate. God has to constantly remind us of these responsibilities. In this way, God is the persistent widow in the Parable of the Unjust Judge.

Luke wrote his Gospel about a generation after Jesus died and rose again. At that time, people expected Jesus to return shortly after he ascended into heaven, and they were getting discouraged when Jesus did not return when they expected him to return. Luke included the Parable of the Unjust Judge to encourage the people. The parable is about waiting and not losing hope, heart or faith. If we pray earnestly, faithfully and regularly, Jesus will find faith when He does return. If we are persistent in prayer, we will stay in touch with God. We must persevere in prayer because we must persevere in doing God’s work, and that includes doing God’s justice in an unjust world. That requires long, constant and persistent prayer. Sometimes the task seems hopeless, but we must never give up.

God is love and love is not coercive. That’s why God never imposes justice. He only works though willing hearts and minds. Actual justice comes at the speed of changed hearts, minds and behaviour. Unfortunately, we all know how fast that happens.

It is impossible to be persistent and to constantly work for justice in our lives and in our world if we lose faith. It is our conviction that God is just and desires justice, and our commitment to stay faithful to the cause until justice comes that sustains us and ensures that we won’t give up before we see God’s justice manifest among us.

Have you prayed and prayed, and there still seems to be no answer? Does it seem as if God is asleep and absent from your cry? Jesus has given us the answer by discussing the problem, delivering the parable, and defining the principle. Therefore, don’t give up, don’t lose hope, don’t quit now, but just keep praying until the answer comes.

God steadfastly hears our cries. He always cares when people are vulnerable, disregarded and in need. He also persistently calls us to act. God commands us to be like the widow in this parable. He commands us to persist in our efforts to advocate for a society with justice, opportunities, dignity and love for all people.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013: p. 1421)
2. Larsen, B. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 26: Luke (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983; pp. 264-265)
3. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
4. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
5. Dean Deppe, “A Persistent Plea”. Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net
6. The Rev. Nils Chittenden, “Patina of Faith”. Retrieved from http://episcopaldigitalnetwork.com
7. The Rev. Mark Sargent, “Keeping Heart, Trusting in God”. Retrieved from www.day1.org
8. The Rev. Dr. Robert Dunham, “Whose Persistence?” Retrieved from  www.day1.org
9. Pastor Jeff Schreve, “Does Prayer Even Make a Difference?” Retrieved from www.fromhisheart.org
10. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 29^th Sunday, Year C”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
11. Pastor Jeff Schreve, “Have You Thrown in the Towel on Prayer?” Retrieved from www.fromhisheart.org
12. Exegesis for Luke 18:1-8. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
13. Craig Condon, “Persistence Pays Off”. Retrieved from http://sermonsfrommyheart.blogspot.ca/2013/01/luke-181-8-persistence-pays-off.html
14. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, 29^th Sunday -C-, October 20, 2019”. Retrieved from firstimpressions@lists.opsouth.org
15. Bob Cornwall, “Faithfulness in Prayer and the Realm of God-Lectionary Reflection for Pentecost 22C.” Retrieved from www.bobcornwall.com/2013/10/faithfulness-in-prayer-and-realm-of-god.html
16. “Luke 18:1-8.” Retrieved from www.holytextures.com
17. Dr. Ralph Wilson, “#77. The Widow and the Unjust Judge.” Retrieved from www.jesuswalk.com/lessons/18_1-8.htm.
18. The Rev. Edward Markquart, “Pushy in Prayer.” Retrieved from www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_c_pushy_in_prayer.htm

Tears ran down Keira’s cheeks as Dad drove off. She pulled away from her mother and ran down the street. She heard Mom call her name, but she ran faster. Today was the worst day of her life!

Earlier that morning, Mom and Dad sat on opposite ends of the couch and calmly spoke the words that tore her world apart. “We still love you, Kiera. We just can’t live together anymore.” The words had pierced her heart.

Kiera finally stopped running and sat on a swing at the neighbourhood park. She could no longer cry; she felt empty.

As the weeks went by, Kiera’s life fell into a new pattern. After school on weekdays, she and her mother cooked dinner and spent the evenings together. On Fridays, her father picked her up after school, and she went to his apartment for the weekend. They had fun, but it just wasn’t the same as having him home.

One Friday Kiera’s father called to say he couldn’t come. After that, Dad sometimes came, and sometimes he didn’t. When he told her he was going to get married and she would have stepbrothers and a stepsister, she wasn’t quite sure where she fit in anymore.

A few weeks later, Kiera agreed to go to church with Mrs. Mason, who lived next door. The lesson was about the love of God. Kiera listened as the pastor talked. Love comes and goes, thought Kiera. One day you’re a family, and the next you’re lost somewhere in the middle. Tears began to well up, and when the sermon was over and everyone got up to leave, she stayed in her seat.

“What’s wrong, Kiera?” asked Mrs. Mason.

“Love’s not like what the pastor said,” replied Kiera. “Dad doesn’t love us like that.”

“God’s love isn’t like human love, “said Mrs. Mason gently. “God loves His children perfectly, and nothing can separate them from His love. He will always be there for them, no matter what.”

“Are you sure?” asked Kiera. It would be wonderful to be loved like that, she thought.

“Yes,” said Mrs. Mason. “Why don’t you and your mother come over for lunch and I’ll tell you more about it.”

In this passage Paul asks for a response to a question that doesn’t have an answer. Some realities are so awe-inspiring that the only proper response is silence. The question “who can be against us?” would have many answers. Anyone able to take away salvation would have to be greater than God.

God was willing to give His Son to restore our relationship with Him. That’s how much He loves us. If He was willing to give up Jesus for us, He will be willing to give us anything we want provided that it is good for us and that it fits into His plan for our lives.

Satan is called “the accuser of our brethren” in Revelation 12:10, but those charges can’t stand because the One who justifies is also the One who judges. For example, when a woman who was accused of adultery was brought before Jesus, He did not condemn her. If God the judge refuses to condemn us, who can be against us? Believers are protected by Christ’s crucifixion, resurrection, exaltation and intercession.

God knows that every day we try to live for Him, we are fighting a spiritual battle. Satan doesn’t want us to serve God. He’d rather hurt us than see us become conquerors with Christ. Through the powers of Jesus, we can defeat the enemy and become great warriors in God’s kingdom.

In verse 35, Paul is not talking about one’s love for Christ when he speaks of the love of Christ. Paul is speaking of Christ’s love for people. Christ’s love is a safeguard against the difficulties of life. None of the seven threats Paul lists can separate believers from God. Our love for God is so strong that it will survive all opposition and trials. Our love is so strong that we will be willing to endure all of life’s trials, just like the love the saints in the Bible had for God allowed them to endure the hardships they faced. Not even death can separate us from God’s love if we are believers. When we die, we will be immediately ushered into God’s presence.

Paul’s words bring out the truth that for God’s people there is real risk and a call for real devotion. Christians might be tempted to think that because the love of Christ is so real and so unshakeable they need not fear that they will run into trouble. Scripture shows that while the love is sure, so are troubles. Paul says, “We are being killed all day long.” It is real and not imaginary anger that Christians face.

The phrase “more than conquerors” means “over and above victory.” Believers are super conquerors! We will gain the victory over all of life’s trials. Our faith won’t be destroyed. Not even evil spirits will be able to defeat us.

Paul begins verse 36 with the phrase “we know,” and ends with the more personal phrase “I am persuaded.” Knowing truth and being persuaded of it are different things. Paul knows God’s truth, but because he has also experienced most of what he is writing, he says with confidence that nothing can separate him from God’s love.

If we think God can’t really love us, we are wrong. All we have to do is commit this passage from Romans to memory. God is there whether we walk away from Him or not. God’s acceptance is based on Christ’s death and resurrection and not on our own merit.

When we pray, God is looking at our hearts more than anything else, because that’s His main concern. Prayer is inviting God. It is like the relationship between a parent and a child. It keeps us in touch with God, and God wants to stay in touch with us. With God on our side, we don’t need anything else. God plus one equals a majority. When we let God’s Word flood our lives with truth, we are changed by the height, depth and width of His love for us.

Bibliography

1. info@keysforkids.org.
2. Biblegateway@e.biblegateway.com
3. https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/homestudydaily/keep-in-touch-greg-laurie-daily-devotion-july-24.html?
4. Pastor Rick Warren, “Fear Not: God is for You!” Retrieved from www.pastorrick.com
5. Gwen Smith, “A Truth That Will Change Your Life.” Retrieved from https://www.crosswalk.com/devotional/girlfriends-in-god-november-8-2017.html

When I was a child and asked my mother for something, she would often remind me to say “please”. Then, after she gave me what I asked for, she would remind me to say, “thank you” by saying, “Now what do you say?” I knew what to say, but sometimes I would forget. We all know what to say, but unfortunately, we sometimes forget to say it.

Luke 17:11-19 is a story about ten lepers. A leper is a person who has a disease called leprosy. This disease causes sores all over the body. Leprosy was very common in Jesus’ day, and people who had this disease were thought to be unclean. They were required to stay away from other people because of the fear that they might infect them with their disease.

Priests had great power. Once a priest judged a person to be unclean, that person was cut off from society and family. He could not hold a job or engage in business. He was reduced to begging. To be restored to a normal life required a priest’s judgment that the person was no longer unclean. That was Jesus’ reason for sending these lepers to the priest-so that they might be restored to normal lives. Jesus had another underlying purpose. The lepers would bear testimony to the priests of Jesus’ great healing power. When the priests judged the lepers to be clean, their judgements would authenticate Jesus’ Godly power.

When Jesus told the men to visit the priests, He was telling them to get a certificate of release indicating they were free from the disease. As they followed His instructions, they were cleansed. He did not heal them on the spot. He did not heal them in a distant spot. He healed them as they moved to obey His orders.

When Jesus visited the lepers, He made a big statement. He was saying to them, “You have value to me because I created you in my image.” He also said to those who are not leprous, “These people are just as loved by me as you are.”

Jesus told the lepers to go show themselves to the priests. He directed them back to the temple. That is a challenge to our modern church. Whom have we cast out or ignored? Who are those considered “unclean” among us? They include divorced and remarried women, women who have had abortions, refugees, prisoners, ex-convicts and so on. We can also include members of the LGBTQ community, especially here in Canada. A resolution at the Anglican Church of Canada’s 2019 General Synod to allow same-sex marriages was defeated in the House of Bishops even though the majority of lay delegates and clergy delegates voted in favour of the resolution. When the results of the vote were announced, there was a huge sense of sadness. Supporters can take some comfort in the fact that there is a local option where bishops of individual Dioceses can authorize clergy to perform same-sex weddings.

The ten lepers didn’t ask for healing. They were looking for pity or a handout. When they obeyed Jesus’ instructions, He gave them much more than they asked for. When God tells us to do something small, all we have to do is obey Him! When we obey Him, He may surprise us by giving us more than we would have ever dared ask of Him.

What was a Samaritan (a foreigner) doing among nine Jews? Leprosy made misery their common denominator, and they joined together in a community of woe. Out of all those who had been healed, the one knowing the least about Jesus returned to thank Him. The most religious people are not always the ones who see life’s graces or think to say thanks. The lepers were Jesus’ fellow Israelites. They knew that He has been healing those in need and they showed Him due respect. The Samaritan-who worshipped God differently enough to be a non-Jewish outsider-knew that Jesus’ power was of God and that to thank Jesus was to glorify God.

The Samaritan was an outsider, and he saw Jesus for who He really is and turned back to throw himself at Jesus’ feet while praising God. In doing so, he showed not that Jesus has come for everyone but that those who are on the margins of society are most likely to see God working through Jesus. The insiders often miss this, preferring to work within the confines of the established institution.

As sinners, we have been defiled with the leprosy of sin. We should put our faith in God and obey His commands with confidence that He will heal us if we follow His instructions. This will be evidence that we have made peace with God.

While the one who returned had the same experience as the others, he had a different expression as a result of this experience. The other nine lepers were healed, but only one was made well. Being made well is more important than being healed. Unless gratitude is part of our human nature, we can’t be whole people. The other nine were merely healed. If ingratitude is more deadly than leprosy, the nine were in worse shape than before. Only one came back and was made whole.

Why didn’t the other nine return? Were they ungrateful, or did they just not know a return to say “thanks” was an expectation? Were they careless, or were they carried away in a mad fury to show their newly healed skin to those they were separated from by that dreadful bacteria? Were they distracted by the celebration with one another? Were they ungrateful, or were they swept up in the possibility of their new lives given in healing? Did they simply forget?

Jesus’ words in verses 17-19 reveal a note of sadness and surprise. The nine Jewish lepers who had been healed went away, clutching their blessings to themselves. Only the Samaritan returned, and Jesus rewarded him with a healing beyond the physical. The power of God cleansed him inwardly from the stain of sin.

One of the most prevalent sins today is ingratitude. God does so much for us, but we rarely (if ever) offer thanks for what He has done. In fact, many Christians fail to offer thanks over their meals, much less offer thanks over all that God does for them in their lives. They are like the little boy who was given an orange by a man. The boy’s mother asked, “What do you say to the nice man?” The little boy thought, handed the orange back to the man and said, “Peel it.”

Gratitude allows us to forgive everyone who has hurt us, especially our parents. Whatever they were, we can forgive them and bless them for our own sake. I know, because I’ve experienced this within my own family. One of my nephews had a difficult relationship with his father for several years because his parents divorced when he was a young child. His father was my brother. That rift was not completely healed until my brother was on his deathbed. His family was at his bedside, and my nephew spent a lot of time talking to his father even though his father could not speak because he was in a coma. At one point we were asked to leave while my brother’s breathing tube was removed at the family’s request. I saw my nephew in the hallway, and I could tell that he was upset. I asked him what was wrong and he said, “I never should have stopped talking to him after he took her side…” I asked my nephew if he was able to forgive his father, and he said, “Yes.” Jesus tells us to bless people who have hurt us, especially our parents. The Bible tells us that if we can’t forgive our parents, our days will be shortened.

Nothing pleases God more than faith, and faith is always expressed and made real through action. If we need a miracle or answer from God (just like the Samaritan leper), we have to do more than just believe that God can do it. We have to respond to our belief with gratitude. As the old saying goes, actions do speak louder than words.

The Samaritan leper praised God, but he still had problems. He lived as an outcast with no family, no job, no home and no village. In spite of these problems, he still praised God. Similarly, all of us have problems. We can focus on our belief that God is bigger than all of our problems and that He is present in the midst of our problems.

For the Samaritan leper, his encounter with Jesus was a life-changing invitation into a kingdom and a new community, into life as a new creation. When he fell at Jesus’ feet, he saw the Son of God who made him well. The Samaritan’s response is a model of discipleship, believing and faith. His grateful response to his healing was the start of a process of reaction. We are not called to respond as he did. We are called to imagine our own grateful response.

Several years ago a dog became stranded in the water at the bottom of a canal in Romania. A passerby saw the dog crying and trying to climb the wall to safety. The passerby scaled the wall, jumped into the water and carried the dog to dry land. The dog ran away and shook itself, but then it quickly returned, ran to its rescuer and showered the man with lots of nuzzles and licks.

We can learn a lot from the dog. Only one of the ten lepers Jesus healed returned to give thanks. Everyone who believes in Christ has been rescued and healed. We’re the most blessed people on earth. Some days may be harder than others, and some seasons of life might be tumultuous. But gratitude isn’t situational. It isn’t based on what we have or what we are, but on our relationship with the God who pulled us out of deep waters, set our feet on a rock, and put a new song of praise in our mouths.

Like the leper, on the way, we are being cured when:

1. A person who loves us tells us a hard truth we need to hear about ourselves.
2. We experience, in a loving relationship, opportunities for growth in generosity, forgiveness, patience and humour.
3. Parenting teaches us to give our lives for another in frequent doses of our time, energy, hopes and tears.
4. We suffer a broken relationship, go for counselling and the guidance we receive gives us hope for our future.
5. We seek help for an addiction and the group members offer us wisdom, support and helping hands when we fall and support us “one day at a time.”
6. We suffer the death of a loved one and family and friends are there to grieve with us and eventually there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Has Jesus done great things for us? Have we returned to give Him thanks? God loves to shower us with blessings, but He is not immune from the pain our lack of gratitude brings Him.  It’s easy to spend our lives worrying and obsessing over the problems of life. It’s also easy to overlook a blessing in times of need or forget to be thankful when troubled times have been put to rest. We must make certain that we don’t become one of the nine lepers who were so happy to be cured that they forgot who cured them.

This passage shows faithfulness in two ways. First, the Samaritan recognizes that mercy has come from Jesus, and returning to thank Jesus is a form of faithfulness to the mercy of God that has been shown. Second, the Samaritan’s thankfulness for his physical healing is a sign of deeper, spiritual healing-and that is our true salvation.

Faith is not only a matter of believing. It is also a matter of seeing. All the lepers were healed, but one saw, noticed, let what happened sink in…and it made a difference. This story is an invitation to recognize that what we see makes a difference. In the face of danger, do we see danger or opportunity? In the face of human need, do we see demand or gift? In the face of the stranger, do we see a potential enemy or a potential friend?

One of the simplest and most powerful ways we can show God’s love for others is by treating them with dignity, no matter who they are or what their relationship to us. When we take time to notice them, greet them and meet their eyes-especially those who serve us-and we speak kindly and patiently with them-even when we feel we are not being well treated-this gives them dignity and shows God’s love.

A life of faith is a life of thankfulness. Leprosy is not unlike a condition that is afflicting us, though ours is much graver. While the lepers were separated from worship in the Temple and the presence of God by their disease, we are eternally separated from God by our sinfulness. There is nothing we can do to heal ourselves. We need a Saviour to perform a miracle, and He did. He cured our problem-spiritual death. Even better, He bestowed on us spiritual life for eternity.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 1420)
2. Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. Part of Wordsearch 12 Bible software package.
3. Larsen, B. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 26: Luke (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983; pp. 249-253)
4. “’Please’ and ‘Thank You.’” Retrieved from www.Sermons4KIds.com
5. Daniel Darling, “The Ten Percent Rule.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
6. Joni Eareckson Tada, “A Surprise for Your Obedience.” Retrieved from communications@joniandfriends.org
7. Ron Moore, “Returning for Thanks.” Retrieved from www.ronmoore.org
8. Mike Benson, “Thankful.” Retrieved from kneemail@welovegod.org
9. Bobby Schuller, “Decisions=Actions.” Retrieved from hourofpower@hourofpower.org
10. Jill Carattini, “Body of Hope.” Retrieved from slice@sliceofinfinity.org
11. Joni Eareckson Tada, “Give Thanks Loudly.” Retrieved from communications@joniandfriends.org
12. Richard Niell Donovan, “Exegesis for Luke 17:11-19.” Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
13. Dr. David Jeremiah, “Puppy Love.” Retrieved from turningpoint@davidjeremiah.org
14. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, 28^th Sunday, -C-.” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
15. Ryan Duncan, “What are You Thankful For?” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
16. Bob Christopher, “Something Good for the Soul.” Retrieved from bob@basicgospel.net
17. Diana Kerr, “Follow Your ‘Please’ With a ‘Thank -you.’” Retrieved from www.christianity.com/devotionals/grace-moments-devotions-grace-moments-devotions-june-6-2018.html#
18. Michael Youssef, Ph.D.,” Our Leprosy.” Retrieved from mydevotional@leadingtheway.org
19. Katherine Lewis, “The Rhythms of Faith.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?post=4726
20. John W. Martens, “Lessons from the 10 Lepers.” Retrieved from www.americamagazine.org/faith/2016/09/22/lessons-10-lepers

21. David Lose, “Commentary on Luke 17:11-19.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=783

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In a few days Canadians will be celebrating Thanksgiving. This is the season where we give thanks to God for everything he has given us. We thank God for providing for our needs, and we especially give thanks for the gift of the harvest, whether it is from the land or the sea.

Giving thanks to God dates back to Old Testament times. In Deuteronomy 26:1-11, Moses commanded the Israelites to give thanks to God for delivering them from slavery in Egypt. They were to give thanks by giving God the first fruits of the harvest. They could not take anything for themselves until they gave the first fruits to God.

The concept of giving God the first fruits was rooted in divine property rights. All created beings of any kind belonged to God and were regarded as holy. Before the harvest could be eaten by humans, it had to be “redeemed” from profane use. If this was not done, divine justice demanded retribution. The only way to resolve this situation was to give back to God the first part of the taboo object-in this case, the harvest. This nullified God’s property rights.

The passage from Deuteronomy 26:1-11 deals with the concept of stewardship. Specifically, as we celebrate Thanksgiving, it refers to offering to God the first fruits of our labour as an act of worship, thanksgiving and dedication of ourselves and our possessions to God. By doing this, we commit ourselves to living in God’s way. We, like the Israelites, must remember and tell others how God has rescued us in the past. These remembrances strengthen our faith and give us the courage to endure in difficult times. God created us to be close to him, and rejoicing in God is a great and powerful way to draw close to him.

One of the greatest gifts God gives us is the peace that is beyond our understanding. We are encouraged to conduct ourselves in such a way that we bring that peace. Pausing to express gratitude for our blessings breathes life into our souls, especially in times of trial and heartache.

True thanksgiving means thanking God for our talents and abilities by accepting them as obligations to be invested in the common good. In other words, we are to use our talents and abilities to do God’s work in our world. True thanksgiving means thanking God for all that people have done for us by doing things for others. We must thank God for blessing us, and in return we must bless others.

Sometimes we have to wait until the fruits of God’s labour appear. Why?  God might be preparing us to receive his blessings. He is often teaching us to have faith in him. Sometimes God will withhold blessings to protect us from harm that we can’t see.

We need to rejoice in that which is guaranteed-God. We need to give thanks for that which can never be taken away. God never fades, and for that we can rejoice. We are to tell God what we need. Praying about everything, including everything we need, shuts out worry. In the words of the famous song recorded a few years ago by Bobby McFerrin:

Here’s a little song I wrote

You might want to sing it note for note

Don’t worry

Be happy.

In every life we have some trouble

When you worry you make it double

Don’t worry

Be happy

When you worry your face will frown

That will bring everybody down

Don’t worry

Be happy

Prayer invites God to be involved in all areas of our lives. When he is involved in our lives, we have nothing to fear.

In order to have a right relationship with God, we need to have an attitude of gratefulness. We need to be thankful. For example, in Luke’s version of the Parable of the Ten Lepers, which is found in Luke 17:11-19, Jesus healed ten lepers when they cried out to him. He commanded them to go and show themselves to the priest in the temple, but only one of them came back to give Jesus thanks. We are to be like the one who returned and gave thanks, and not like the other nine who were ungrateful. We need to give to God out of the blessings that he has given us. This is where the concept of tithing, or giving God 10 percent of our income, comes from.

We must have an attitude of obedience to God and his word. We must not equate faith with our desired outcomes. To do so means that we do not trust in God’s greater plan and purpose. The mark of a Christian is joy, especially the joy that is expressed in giving thanks to God.

We need prayer and supplication. Paul’s offer of prayer in Philippians 4:4-9 is not an easy solution or a magic formula or a bedtime repetition of words that we have labeled prayer. Paul is talking about the serious business of bring our lives before God, examining our dependence on God, placing our lives in God’s hands to be used, remembering and celebrating what God has already done, confessing our needs and dedicating our gifts, and committing ourselves and all that we are to make our common cause God’s kingdom, not our own kingdom.

Prayer, supplication and requests are not to be separated. They include genuine thankfulness regardless of our circumstances. God loves us and provides for our needs, both here and through eternity. God loves to hear our prayers because he is always ready to give his grace to his children, but God gives with wisdom. He gives gifts that help us to learn and grow. He gives us the resources to deal with the issues we face.

The greatest gift God gives us is the gift of eternal life. To enjoy it, we must constantly feed on his word, which is the Bread of Life Jesus refers to in John 6:25-35. When he made this statement, Jesus identified himself as being completely with God. God offers this bread of life along with spiritual water to drink when we come to him in faith by prayer. When we eat the spiritual bread, we can be sure of our eternal salvation.

Jesus’ bread of life speech takes place just after the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000. The people wanted more of the free physical food Jesus offered, but they did not want the spiritual food. They are like some of us. People want forgiveness, but they do not want to repent. They want to go to heaven and wear the crown, but they don’t want to bear the cross here on earth. Christianity is a package deal. We can’t pick and choose what we want. Christianity is not the same as going to a restaurant. It is like a meal our parents made for us. We had to eat what was on our plate or else! This does not mean that we do not have to make any effort to satisfy our physical needs. On the contrary, Paul states in 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 that if a man doesn’t work, he shouldn’t eat. Jesus must be the primary focus of our labours.

Like the Israelites, we come to Jesus asking for bread too. Our prayers reveal our true opinions about Jesus. We can be just as near-sighted or selfish as the Israelites were. We are often consumed with our current needs and desires, but we don’t always see the eternal gifts Christ offers us. We ask him to help us through our needs and problems, but we don’t give any thought to his kingdom and the role he wants us to play in that kingdom.

Prayer has potential, but we use so little of it. We can use the word ACTS to learn prayer’s full potential. ACTS is an acrostic.

• A stands for Adoration. Our prayers should include adoration and praise for God.
• C stands for Confession. We should confess our sins before God.
• T stands for Thanksgiving. Who among us has nothing for which we can give thanks?
• S stands for Supplication or asking. It includes prayers for us and for others. We don’t have trouble asking, because often our prayers consist of nothing else.

It would be a good exercise for us to go through this checklist when we say our prayers.

Jesus invites us to take part in his feast for the soul. He urges us to eat until we are full. Only he can satisfy our deepest hunger-the quest for eternal fellowship with him. Our main purpose in life is to get spiritual nourishment and eternal life by listening to and obeying the word of God. Keeping eternal life in front of us and eating the bread of life won’t make us lazy, shoddy or gloomy workers. We will bring joy and excellence to our work because we know him, trust him, treasure him and aim to make much of him. Everything we do in his name and for his glory will be rewarded in heaven.

Bibliography

1. John Shearman’s Lectionary Resource, Thanksgiving Sunday in Canada, Oct. 10, 2010. Retrieved from http://lectionary.seemslikegod.org
2. John Shearman’s Lectionary Resource, 1^st Sunday in Lent, Year C. Retrieved from http://lectionary.seemslikegod.org
3. Exegesis for Deuteronomy 26:1-11. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
4. Maxwell, J.C. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series; Vol. 5, Deuteronomy (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1987)
5. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2009)
6. Dr. Harold Sala, “Thanksgiving”. Retrieved from www.guidelines.org
7. Mary Southerland, “Winning Over Worry, Part 3”. Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
8. Dr. Charles Stanley, “God Acts on Our Behalf”. Retrieved from Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
9. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “How to Pray”. Retrieved from www.leadingtheway.org
10. Dunnam, M.D. & Ogilvie, L.J.,: The Preacher’s Commentary Series; Vol. 31: Galatians/Ephesians/Philippians/Colossians/Philemon (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)
11. Bobby Schuller, “Releasing Expectations”. Retrieved from www.hourofpower.org
12. James MacDonald, “Pray About It”. Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
13. Exegesis for Philippians 4:4-9. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
14. Rev. Calvin Hoogendoorn, “Joy in the Midst of Anxiety”. Retrieved from www.thisistoday.net
15. Michael E. Brooks, “Anxiety”. Retrieved from www.forthright.net
16. Amy Carroll, “Making a List and Checking It Twice”. Retrieved from Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
17. Dr. Harold Sala, “Making a Growth Industry of Worry”. Retrieved from www.guideleines.org
18. Craig Condon, “The Bread of Life”. Retrieved from www.sermonsfrommyheart.blogspot.ca
19. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “I Am the Bread of Life”. Retrieved from www.leadingtheway.org
20. Greg Laurie, “More Bread Please”. Retrieved from Greg_Laurie_Daily_Devotions@crosswalkmail.com
21. David McCasland, “Until You ARE full”. Retrieved from www.rbc.org
22. Marvin Williams, “More than Loaves”. Retrieved from www.rbc.org
23. John Piper, “Do Not Labour for the Food That Perishes”. Retrieved from www.desiringgod.org
24. Exegesis for John 6:25-35. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
25. Rev. Wayne Palmer, “Short Sighted”. Retrieved from www.lhm.org
26. Frederickson, R.L & Ogilvie, L.J.,: The Preacher’s Commentary Series; Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985)
27. Jill Carattini, “The Weight of Hope”. Retrieved from www.sliceofinfinity.org

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What advice would you give to someone if you knew that you were talking to them for the last time?

That question was on the apostle Paul’s mind when he wrote his final letter to Timothy. The passage from 2 Timothy 1:1-14 is part of Paul’s last letter and was written from his prison cell in Rome. He doesn’t focus on his circumstances or his impending death. Instead, he focuses on the promise of life in Christ. Any Christian’s earthly circumstances pale in comparison to the glory of eternity.

Four times in this passage Paul uses a form of the verb, “to remember”-remembering, being mindful, remembrance, remind. No Christian is an island. All God’s people stand on the shoulders of those who have preceded them. Paul encourages us to follow his example when it comes to living the Christian life. In particular, he urges us to use the gifts God has given us. These gifts fade in strength when they aren’t used.

For example, the greatest gift parents and grandparents can give their children is the heritage of genuine faith. An important question for any Christian to ask is: If you were standing on the threshold of eternity and looking back over your life, would you be able to see that your faith lives on in others, especially in your family members?

A few years ago, someone wrote to Billy Graham. The writer wondered how his grandmother, who had recently died, got a very strong faith. In his reply, Billy Graham said the following words:

“The Bible (which is God’s Word) undoubtedly became important to her, as did prayer, and fellowship with other believers in her church. She also grew stronger spiritually by helping others and witnessing for Christ. The same can be true for us.”

Fear usually enters our lives when we focus on our situation and abilities instead of God’s sovereignty and attributes. Following fear to its logical conclusion will eliminate all opportunities for service. If we remember our spiritual heritage and friendships, as well as God’s calling on our lives and the spiritual gifts he has given us, we will be encouraged as we move forward in faith. It will ignite a fire within us. If the fire of our faith goes out, it can be rekindled. All we have to do is make some changes and do some rearranging. For example, we can join or start a Bible study.

All open doors offer two choices: to walk by faith or to be controlled by fear. Persecution, infighting, and false teaching all threatened the Ephesian church that Timothy shepherded. They will also threaten Christians in the last days before Christ returns. The fearful will drop out, but those who grab hold of the courage, compassion and self-control that God makes available will be able to stand fast until God completes His work in them.

Christians will suffer for Christ in some way in this life, but it is far better that one’s faith be marked by suffering than by shame at Christ or those who proclaim Him. Paul did not want Timothy to misunderstand his imprisonment. Paul understood who he served, and he was not ashamed. We can expect to face suffering and persecution just like Christ did. The glorious message of salvation is worthy of our suffering. God’s grace and purpose bring life. Obeying God is the central purpose of Christian lives. That obedience includes love, mercy, justice and caring for the poor. All of these involve giving and sacrifice.

The key to successfully accomplishing these tasks is our intention and not our performance. When our desire to love and serve Christ is strong, our performance will be positively influenced. When our performance does not meet our intentions, we will experience anew God’s grace and mercy.

If we have Christ in our lives, we have nothing to be afraid of when we share the Gospel. We don’t have to be trained speakers, gifted salesmen or educated teachers. All we need is a strong faith in Christ.

God saves us for the purpose of furthering the gospel, and not as a reward for our works. Good works are a response to God’s work in the life of a believer. Paul uses the term “has saved’ to indicate that believers have been saved already, and the results of that salvation continue into the present.

We live in a dark world that gives us a lot to fear. As long as we live, there is always something in our lives that is at risk. We can choose to surrender to that fear and let it rule our lives, or we can surrender all those things we love and fear we will lose to Christ and live a life without fear.

Paul was confident in his mission, and he understood the importance of carrying out that mission. He knew that faith is not a one-time act, but something that includes the past, present and future. Because of his faith, he found strength instead of shame when he faced opposition and persecution.

One thing we don’t have to fear as Christians is death, because Christ abolished that fear on the cross. Christ’s saving work not only relieved believers of the fear of eternal death, or separation of the soul and body from God, but it also removed the fear of physical and spiritual death. Death can’t separate us from God’s love anymore. Jesus replaced it with life and immortality.

Even when he faced execution, Paul’s hope and joy never wavered because he knew the power of Christ to faithfully deliver him into eternity. Paul had both a living faith and a faith unto death.

The gospel must be guarded as a treasure. Its words are right, healthy and whole and must not be tampered with. If anyone thinks he or she can adequately watch over this gift, he or she needs to remember Paul’s words to Timothy, especially his instructions to rely on the Holy Spirit’s help.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, P. 1717)
2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
3. Demarest, G. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 32: 1,2 Thessalonians/1,2 Timothy/Titus (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1984; pp. 240-256)
4. Macarthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. Billy Graham, “How Did My Grandmother Get Such Strong Faith?” Retrieved from http://www.arcamax.com/healthandspirit/religion/billygraham
6. Charles R. Swindoll, “Sincere Faith at Home.” Retrieved from eministries@insightforliving.ccsend.com
7. Christine Caine, “Landing Safely.” Retrieved from Biblegateway@e.biblegateway.com
8. “Overcoming the Fear of Sharing the Gospel.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
9. Dr. David Jeremiah, “The Secret to Soul-Winning.” Retrieved from turningpoint@davidjeremiah.org
10. “Decision Making.” Retrieved from Oneplace@crosswalkmail.com
11. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Standing Up.” Retrieved from http://www.ltw.org

Have you ever noticed that some of the greatest or most beautiful things in life come from things that are very small?

Let me give you an example. How many of you plant vegetables or flowers? Plants and flowers start as seeds. Once these seeds are planted, they slowly grow into plants and vegetables of different sizes. All you have to do is look at pumpkins that are entered into various weigh-ins at this time of year. Some of them weigh hundreds of pounds, but they all started from a small seed.

Faith is like a seed. It starts as something small and over time grows into something larger that allows us to do great things in Christ’s name. Many people believe they would be better equipped to live the Christian life if God wold only grant them more faith. Jesus focused not on the quantity of faith but its character. More faith does not equal greater ability to accomplish things, since God is the One who does the work. The Lord is able to accomplish great things with only a grain of genuine faith. Even an small amount of faith can lead to remarkable results if it is the result of a genuine trust in God.

When we ask for more faith like the disciples did in Luke 17:5-10, it’s often because we are facing difficulties in life and we fear that our faith will weaken or that it won’t match the trials we are facing.  Jesus tells both the disciples and us that the quantity of faith we have is not important. What matters is the quality of our faith. A small amount of faith will enable us to do great things for God. Having faith does not mean that we will have the power to perform crowd-pleasing miracles. Sometimes the simplest things done in faith can have huge impacts. Our response to the gift of faith is the desire and ability to do what Jesus asks us to do, including great things.

Jesus illustrated His teaching on faith by pointing to a nearby mulberry tree-a large, stout tree know for its longevity and deep root system. Our faith is to be like the mulberry tree-large, strong, long-lasting and deeply rooted in the love we have for God.

When we struggle against life’s injustices and wrongs, we are reminded that the good work we do is a gift from God. That gift is sufficient to enable us to do what needs to be done to further God’s dominion on earth. Faith is putting one foot in front of the other and walking toward a future we do not see but trust that God is working. Faith is heading out the door every day looking for opportunities to do God’s work in the world.

Christ’s standards might seem to be too high, but they represent the minimum duties for a servant of Christ. When we obey Christ, we are not to think that our obedience is meritorious.  Servants are expected to do the will of their masters or employers; their work is not a favour but a required service. A servant of God seeks to obey God’s commands without question and without bargaining for a reward. When we follow Jesus’ teachings, we are doing what we are supposed to be doing. God owes us nothing, and we owe him everything, even our lives. We are not owed any special favours or rewards for our good works. We will be rewarded in heaven.

When it comes to obeying Jesus, full faith is needed. If we want to increase our faith, we must understand what faith is, and we must be rightly motivated in wanting to see our faith increase. These motives are:

1. Wanting to please God.
2. Wanting to do good works of love, which is a mark of a true Christian.
3. An effective prayer life.
4. Wanting to live by faith.

God wants to strengthen our faith through the hardships He allows into our lives. God works in all kinds of circumstances, among all types of people, in all kinds of situations. He is with us wherever there is even faith as small as a mustard seed. He is alive wherever we practice the faith we already have.

There are two ways to build our faith-repetition and impartation from God. Our faith builds as we see God working in our lives and we come to trust Him more and more because we see that He is faithful to us. When God imparts faith to us, it is for a specific purpose or task. This is the type of faith we received when we trusted God to save us. When we act in faith, we will grow in faith. Faith is like a muscle. The more we use it, the stronger it gets.

Faith isn’t a game plan for solving our problems. Faith does not mean understanding why things are the way they are. Faith isn’t about answers. It’s about the love of God through Jesus. It’s about being grasped by Jesus so that we know in our hearts and bones that our lives, his life and the world are mixed together. It’s about God working through us.

If we live our lives according to the pattern Jesus laid out for us, we should not expect any special commendations or rewards. Following His pattern is simply the way to live life. We are only doing what He expects us to do. It is the life we are expected to live by serving God. Faith is found in the ordinary, daily acts of doing what needs to be done, responding to the needs around us and caring for others.

Sometimes having faith means having our thoughts, feelings and actions transformed by God. It means being a “slave” to God and being wholly devoted to God’s purposes in the world. Faith is just doing our job, or our duty, not because of any sense of reward but simply because it needs doing.

God is gracious to us. Each day He gives us the faith we need to face whatever the day brings. We can grow weary, and we need to be waited on. That’s what God does for us. He has us sit around His banquet table. He serves us with a special chosen Word to encourage us. He gives us bread and wine to renew us with Jesus’ life. We are renewed and we can go back to everyday life.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1419-1420)
2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
3. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 27^th Sunday -C-.” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
4. Larsen, B. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol.26: Luke (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983, pp.248-249)
5. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
6. T.M. Moore, “Why More Faith?” Retrieved from noreply@ailbe.org
7. Lois Malcolm, “Commentary on Luke 17:5-10.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1785
8. David Lose, “Everyday Faith.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/craft.aspx?post=2773
9. Bishop Kenneth Carter, “increase Our Faith.” Retrieved from www.day1.org
10. The Rt. Rev. Porter Taylor, “Opening Up to Faith.” Retrieved from www.day1.org
11. Preaching Magazine, Fall 2016 (Nashville, TN: Salem Publishing, pp. 67-68)
12. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 27^th Sunday -C-, October 2, 2016.” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
13. Richard Inness, “Exegesis for Luke 17:5-10.” Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
14. Evangelectionary for Oct. 2, 2016. Retrieved from http://www.evangelismconnections.org/evangelectionary-for-october-2-2-16-worldwide-communion-sunday
15. “Pentecost 20 C: Every Day Acts of Faith.” Retrieved from noreply+feedproxy@google.com

How many of you have heard of the American Dream?

It’s not a dream that is limited to the United States. In fact, it’s a worldwide phenomenon. It is the desire to pursue prosperity, success and upward social mobility. While it is not wrong to be successful in life, the pursuit of the American Dream can work against us. It interferes with our ability to find contentment in what God provides for us. We seek more money, power, benefits and so on, and that often forces us to miss the opportunity to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

Since the dawn of history, man has tried to be independent of God. It’s in our nature to be self-sufficient and self-supporting. This does not bring us face to face with our need to depend on God every day. True godliness means that a person trusts God to provide for everything and learns to be content with what He gives. God is not opposed to our having good things. In fact, every good thing we enjoy comes as God’s gift. We must not confuse the gift with the Giver.

Growth in godliness does not necessarily lead to material gain or wealth. The idea that we are complete without having enough money or material goods is foreign to us. The world tells us to get as much money or other goods as possible.

Contrary to the popular saying, money is not the root of all evil. It is the love of money that is the problem. The pursuit of money or all the things it can buy is the problem. It shows that we are putting our faith, our sense of security and our hope for the future in material goods. Instead, we need to put our hope in God.

This does not mean that we should not save money for retirement or other emergencies. Accumulating wealth so that we are not a burden on others is a wise move. From a spiritual point of view, Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:25-34 that God will take care of our basic needs. God is our sole provider and if we focus on the necessities of life, we can be content. Those who want to get rich often fall into temptation.

Paul tells Timothy and us in 1 Timothy 6:6-19 that true ministry is not motivated by greed but by the reality of eternal life and an awareness of accountability to God. True joy can only be found in a relationship with Christ. When we have faith, we are no longer slaves to our circumstances. When we combine our love for God with acceptance of His will for our lives, we will find great gain. When we rely on him alone, we will experience our greatest happiness and freedom.

The subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) temptation of any culture is to disregard eternal values for temporary gains. Yet no person takes his money with him when he dies. That’s why you never see a U-Haul behind a hearse in a funeral procession. This is why money is such a poor object for our affection and trust. It does not last beyond this life. A far better plan is to put it to good use here on earth by giving as much as possible to help others. Between this life and the next, believers must trust God to provide.

Most early believers were poor, but there were some rich believers. The rich were given four specific commands.;

1. Don’t be haughty.
2. Trust God, not wealth.
3. Do good.
4. Be rich in good works, giving and sharing

Godly people know what they flee from: the love of money. One of greed’s many dangers is its ability to make people err in the faith and become unfruitful. The rich are to give some of their money to the poor. The sense of accumulating wealth for personal security or comfort is foreign to Jesus. The unchecked desire for money leads to the love of money, and the love of money is the root of all evil. The love of money is called greed. This evil is one of many evils that we have to confront.

We don’t have all of the skills or knowledge to fight every evil. Our efforts are better spent focusing on only one or two issues. We are to fight evil, but we must also recognize when it is best to flee from evil.

It’s not wrong for Christians to have money-even a great deal of money-as long as that money does not have them. According to Paul, the problem comes when accumulating wealth becomes the focus of our lives. When money begins to rule lives, people fall prey to greed. Greed is not only an obstacle to achieving godliness and contentment. It is a gateway to all kinds of evil.

It’s like the burglar who was caught in the act of breaking into a house. He was taken to court and found guilty. Before he passed sentence, the judge asked the burglar if he wanted to say anything in his own defense.

The burglar said, “Well, Your Honour, its like this. The more a man has, the more a man wants.” The judge replied, “Is that so. Well, I tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to sentence you to fifteen years in jail. How many more would you like?”

The godly are known not just by what they flee from but by what they follow after, fight for and are faithful to. Paul used the active verbs pursue, fight, lay hold on and keep. Believers should strive for these qualities as long as they live.

Paul calls Timothy a man of God. This term is found only twice in the New Testament, but over 70 times in the Old Testament. It often refers to prophets-people who spoke for God. For believers today, a man or a woman of God is someone who belongs to God, is dedicated to God, finds true joy in God, and lives for the glory of God. In Paul’s eyes, Timothy was such a man.

The balance in a bank account does not determine a person’s ability to be rich toward God. Those who are good stewards in God’s economy make investments in eternity by sharing their earthly resources-whether many or few-with the church and those in need.

Pride is one of the dangers of being wealthy. Wealth brings a sense of achievement. It also brings power and privilege. There is no room for pride in God’s kingdom. In fact, there are some Christians who are adopting a simpler, less expensive lifestyle in order to direct more money to helping the poor and spreading the Good News.

A willingness to share what we have with others is a mark of Christianity. When we share with others, it breaks materialism’s hold on us. If we focus on giving our resources (including giving tithes and offerings), the result leads to worship and praise. We can take the treasures we have been entrusted with in this life and invest them in the life to come. Jesus even tells us to store up treasures in heaven.

Where there is wealth, pride is often nearby. Believers can counter this temptation to haughtiness in three ways:

1. By concentrating on good works.
2. By giving generously.
3. By trusting in the living God alone.

It is more difficult for people to take pride in earthly possessions when they realize that all they have comes from the Lord and is only temporary. Jesus wants us to use the money God has given us to bring people to Christ. Godliness will pay in both this life and in eternity. It makes sense to make the pursuit of godliness a priority.

Faith is a constant struggle that requires effort. We must always confess Jesus as Saviour and Lord all the time. Confessing means speaking out in faith. As Christians, we can enjoy life because our consciences are clear. We can have fun and laugh in church. We can enjoy friends and family. In the long run we are better off if we let the godliness of Christ within us and contentment give us the greatest gains of all, moment by moment.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1711-1712)
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, pp. 223-232)
3. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
4. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles, 2005)
5. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
6. Pastor David McGee, “Godly Contentment.” Retrieved from www.crossthebridge.com
7. Selwyn Hughes, “God’s Four Purposes for Money.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
8. Selwyn Hughes, “True Contentment.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
9. Pastor Rick Warren, “The Best Financial Investment You Can Make.” Retrieved form connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com
10. Bayless Conley, “The Reward of Godliness.” Retrieved from www.answersrbc.org
11. Pastor Rick Warren, “How God Helps you Enjoy Life.” Retrieved form connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com
12. Alan Smith, “Needing to Share.” Retrieved from thought-for-the-day@hub.xc.org
13. Joan Walker Hahn, “Now That’s Priceless.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
14. Pastor Jeff Schreve, “Are You experiencing Life Indeed?” Retrieved from pastorjeff@fromhisheart.org
15. Katie Emery, “God Pause for Wednesday, 9/21/2016.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu
16. Sandra Hermann, “The Power of Money.” Retrieved from https://store.sermonsuite.com/printer.php?i=788040809
17.