Sermons From My Heart

There are so many different types of shows on television, including game shows, one of which was “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”. Most of us would answer yes to that question. A famous comedienne once said, “I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. Believe me, rich is better.” I wonder what Jesus would have to say about that?

The answer is found in Mark 10:17-31. The young man was perhaps in his mid-thirties. Luke describes him as a ruler, a person of prominence. In the ancient Middle East, it was considered undignified for a man to run; however, this one threw his respectability to the wind, rushed to Jesus, and fell on his knees before Him. The man recognized that he was missing something important-eternal life-but he did not understand that salvation is about what God does for sinners rather than what we do for God.

Despite his wealth and position, the young man showed youthful enthusiasm. He had a vision of the future. The fact that he turned to Jesus showed that he learned that you get what you want by running toward your goal at the head of the pack. When he stopped running and winning, he reflected on his future. He asked himself what more he could achieve. He longed for spiritual satisfaction and the assurance of eternal life.

When he addressed Jesus, the young man asked what he could do to inherit eternal life. He had several false assumptions. He assumed that goodness could be achieved. He assumed that eternal life can be earned. He thought that everything can be bought for a price, including eternal life. Eternal life can’t be bought but it costs everything we have.

Jesus did not rebuke the man for calling Him “good,” but He wanted the young ruler to move beyond flattery and recognize that if Jesus is really good, then He is also God. The only way to God is through Jesus.

God’s commands are a tutor to bring people to Him, so Jesus cited five of the last six Commandments to help the man see how short of God’s perfection his actions had fallen. The young ruler had already broken the first commandment by elevating riches into a Godlike place in his life.

Although no one can flawlessly keep all the commandments for even one day, let alone a lifetime, Jesus did not correct the ruler’s claim. Still, Jesus wanted him to see that his “goodness” could not be compared to God’s perfection. He pointed out the one glaring fault that kept the man from accepting God’s offer of eternal life.

Because Jesus loved this man, he called him to the truth of uncompromising discipleship. Only in leaving behind all that mattered to him-both the wealth and the social position that came with it-would he gain eternal life. The term translated “sad” means more literally, “to cloud up.” While the young man felt emotionally torn, his decision proved the object of his devotion.

Jesus reduced the expectations attached to wealth. Jewish law and its interpretations made wealth a sign of God’s special favour and a qualification for eternal life. According to the Jews, true piety consisted of prayer, fasting and alms giving. Poor people could pray, but only the rich had food to fast and money to give. Jesus taught that this belief was wrong. No one can enter heaven by their own merit or need, but everyone can be saved by God’s grace.

The young ruler is like most of us. We compare ourselves to other people. Jesus says that if we want to compare ourselves to someone, we should compare ourselves to God. He is the ultimate standard of what is good.

We are sometimes like the young man who was struggling to make ends meet. He thought that getting a better-paying job would make his problems go away. He wrote to Billy Graham and asked if financial stability would bring peace. In his reply Billy Graham wrote the following words:

“The story is told of two old friends in the process of dying at the same time. One was rich, the other was poor. The rich man was not saved, and he was telling someone about his friend, who was a Christian. “When I die,” he said, “I shall have to leave my riches. When he dies, he will go his riches.” In a word, he summed up the two radically different principles which govern the world. He could not part with his riches in peace.”

To often when we do something, we ask ourselves, “What’s in it for me?” This is also a major theme in some so-called Christian ministries. They tell us that if we have more faith in Christ, we will be wealthy. They tell us that if we give more money to them, God will heal us more. We will be wealthy-we will gain heavenly riches.

The young man’s problem was not riches themselves but that he trusted in such things, believing that life with God could somehow be bought. If only he had looked beyond his great possessions, he would have seen the real possession of those who believe-eternal life.

Jesus isn’t saying that material wealth is bad. He says that it can blind us to the true riches of life. When are we the happiest? When do we feel loved for who we are? When is there peace in our families, in our neighbourhoods and in the world?

Jesus didn’t make poverty or giving all our money to the poor requirements for salvation. He exposed the young man’s heart. The young man couldn’t submit to the Lordship of Christ no matter what was asked of him. This kept the young man from the eternal life he sought. When we realize that the things we often rely on don’t actually give us anything, we find ourselves in a place where we rely on Jesus. We realize that everything good we have and all we have accomplished is a gift from God. We are ready to share it with others. When we do, we begin to follow and act like Jesus.

No one can enter heaven by virtue of his or her good works. That is as absurd as a camel, loaded down with goods, passing through the eye of a needle. Yet through His love and grace, God accomplished what sinners could not do on their own. Salvation is all grace, all God.

Peter commended himself and his fellow apostles for doing what the rich young man failed to do. They left all and followed Jesus. Jesus answered that God would reward them beyond all proportion to their supposed sacrifice. No one who gives up anything to follow Jesus really misses out on anything in the end. Anyone who has made sacrifices gains eternal life and will receive spiritual rewards.

The struggle that the wealthy have is that the values and principles of God’s Reign are so completely different from those of the world. Human systems of power and wealth always favour some and ignore others. They always end up perpetuating injustice, because human beings are broken and sinful. God’s Reign is about equality and generosity. It is about sharing power, resources and opportunities. The more wealth we have, the more we are invested in the human systems of this world and the harder it is to live according to the values of God’s Reign.

We can’t buy our way into heaven. We can’t get to heaven by doing good works. We can’t get into heaven by praying. Our salvation is a gift from God. If we accept this gift, we will be spiritually wealthy. Eternal life is in Christ alone. People who have it have died to sin and are alive to God. They have the life of Christ in them. They enjoy a relationship in Jesus that will never end.

The wealthy can’t escape sickness, aging and death. Wealth won’t help us to face what is beyond our control. Only spiritual wealth can inspire a life of healing, justice-seeking and care for the earth. Only spiritual wealth will enable us to trust our futures to a power and wisdom greater than our own.

How do we as people who live in one of the wealthiest countries in the world and during the wealthiest chapters of history hear this text? We live in comfortable homes. We are more likely to overeat than to go hungry. Our children go to good schools. We dress well. We drive nice cars. We have retirement savings. By any standard, we are among the wealthiest people in history.

Is Jesus speaking to us in this text? Are we to sell what we own and give it to the poor? Is it harder to us to get into heaven than it is for a camel to go through the eye of a sewing needle? If Jesus were to put his finger on what is keeping us from wholehearted devotion to him. what would the issue be? Would we love him with our whole hearts, minds and souls, or would we go away sad?

Jesus is speaking to us, and it is extremely difficult if not impossible for us to manage our wealth in a way that enables us to spend eternity with God. As soon as we cry out with the disciples, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus answers us as he answers them, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for with God all things are possible.”

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, pp. 1361-1362)
2. “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” Retrieved from www.Sermons4KIds.com
3. McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 25: Mark (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982; pp.198-203)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. “Rewards by Grace.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
6. Michael Milton, “What’s In It For Me?” Retrieved from www.preaching.com
7. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, 28^th Sunday (B).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
8. Pastor David J. Risendal, “Through the Eye of a Needle.” Retrieved from donotreply@wordpress.com
9. David Ray, “Painful Remedies.” Retrieved from mail@hope1032.com.au
10. Vikki Burke, “The Means to a Greater End.” Retrieved from dbm@dennisburkeministries.org
11. Bruce Epperly, “The Adventurous Lectionary-Pentecost21-October 14, 2018.” Retrieved from www.patheos.com/blogs/livingholyadventure/2018/09/the-adventurour-lectionary.org
12. Rev. Billy Graham, “Can Financial Stability Buy Peace?” Retrieved from www.arcamax.com/healthandspirit/religion/billygraham/s-2126209?print&ezine=202

Ryan leaned against the tree and stared at the dying embers inside the ring of rocks. “Don’t stay up too late,” Dad had said as he crawled into the tent to join Mom and Emily. Ryan shook his head. Any other night, he’d be in bed by now, but tonight was different. Mom and Dad knew he wanted a little time alone with his thoughts.

Ryan sat down on a log as he thought about his dog. King had been a wiggly little ball of black and white fur when Ryan got him for his tenth birthday. Since then, King had grown into a big dog and a faithful friend. Today King had shown his friendship in a dramatic way.

Shortly before supper, Ryan went to gather wood for the campfire, and King went with him. As Ryan stooped to pick up a large limb, he immediately heard the furious sound of a rattlesnake who had been disturbed. When he turned, he saw that the snake was ready to strike. Suddenly a black and white blur passed between him and the snake. It was King. The rattler struck King in the face, but the dog fought bravely, biting and shaking the snake until it was dead. Then King collapsed, too.

Ryan’s heart ached over the memory of running back to camp carrying his unconscious pet-hoping someone could help. But there wasn’t anything anyone could do. King had given his life to save Ryan.

A tear ran down Ryan’s cheek. He longed to hold King, ruffle his fur, and thank him for saving his life. A Bible verse popped into his mind-“He laid down His life for us.” That verse is talking about Jesus, thought Ryan. King gave his life to save me, and Jesus did, too. Ryan sighed. I can’t do anything for King now. Like Dad said, I can just remember the good times we had together. But there is something I can do to thank Jesus for dying in my place. I can live for Him each day and show His love to my friends and everyone I know.

Ryan stood up and covered the cooling embers of the fire with dirt. Then he crawled into the tent and into his sleeping bag. He thanked God for King and also for the salvation Jesus provided. He asked God to help him not miss his pet too much and to be a faithful witness for Jesus. Then he fell asleep.

Romans 5:6-11 is a description of God’s love for us, and it was expanded on in John 3:16. God loves us just as much on our bad days as He does on our good days. On our worst days, when we commit the worst sins possible, when we turn our backs on God-those are the days God loves us the most.

God not only loves us now, but He loved us before we acknowledged Him. He won’t force us to accept His love, but He empowers us through the Holy Spirit to receive it and rejoice in it. God’s call to us is always present. It is often buried under personal ambitions, cares, problems, daily routines and the busyness of life, but it is always there. When we are tempted to question whether or not God cares, we are reminded of the word of Romans 5:8: “God demonstrated His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” If we let God into our hearts and lives, He will fix the messes in our lives. We are sinners who can’t do anything ourselves to change ourselves. We can’t do anything ourselves to change our destiny in hell. The only way we can change this is to accept Jesus as our Saviour.

When we tell other people about what God has done for us, we are sharing our testimony. A testimony is when we share our story of how we came to faith. Each and every one of us has a testimony. Our testimony is not about what we gave up for Jesus. It’s about what Jesus gave up for us. Don’t share what you have done for Jesus. Share what Jesus has done for you. Jesus is the one who did the work. It is Jesus whom we are proclaiming.

We have to step out of our comfort zones and tell people about Jesus. We have to get Bibles in the hands of those who don’t have them or who have never even seen one. We have to show the love of Jesus by bringing the Good News to those who have lose hope, to those who are living in the mess that has been made of this world. What messes have you made? God is in the business of fixing messes. AS I mentioned earlier, He will fix the messes in your lives if you’ll let Him.

Some of you might be going through some major changes in your lives right now. Perhaps some of you are even experiencing deep suffering from the loss of a loved one or some other circumstance. It’s vital for us to remember that God loves us! His love isn’t based on how good we are. Jesus paid the price for our sins. For example, someone once wrote to Billy Graham. His parents were elderly and suffering, but every day they rejoiced that God was with them and they prayed for people who didn’t know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. The person wondered why God didn’t relieve their suffering.

In his reply, Billy Graham wrote the following words:

“God is always with His people through thick and through thin. He is with us when we are well, and God is with us when we are sick. He is with us in pleasure and in pain. He is with us now, and will be with us to the end. Some of our troubles are but for a short time, while others are for a longer time. It is important to keep our eyes on Christ and it is equally important that we thank God in the good times of blessings and in the times of distress. His strength will uphold those who trust in Him.”

Jesus’ death reconciled us to God, and His resurrection saves us. It gives us everything we need, especially eternal life. The phrase “much more” means “from the heavier to the lighter.” God has done the harder thing in dying for people when they were enemies. Will He not do the easier thing in living for them now that they are His friends?

 Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013, p. 1550)
2. “True Sacrifice.” Retrieved from newsletter@cbhministries.org
3. Daniel Darling, “A God for Your Bad Days.” Retrieved from www.danieldarling.com
4. Bayless Conley, “Inwardly Compelled.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
5. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Receive God’s Love.” Retrieved from mydevotional@ltw.org
6. Pastor David McGee, “But God.” Retrieved from www.crossthebridge.com
7. Anne Graham Lotz, “God Cares.” Retrieved from info@angelministries.org
8. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Jesus Receives Sinners.” Retrieved from www.lhm.org
9. Greg Laurie, “The Purpose of a Testimony.” Retrieved from www.harvest.org
10. Billy Graham, “Why Doesn’t God Relieve My Suffering Parents’ Misery?” Retrieved from ezines@arcamax.com 

I’m going to take you on a short walk down memory lane. Some of you may have heard of a singer/songwriter from the 1970s by the name of Ray Stevens. He was famous for writing and recording comedy songs such as “Bridget the Midget”, “Ahab the Arab”, “The Streak” and many others. He did record a few serious songs, the most famous of which was “Everything is Beautiful”. That particular song starts with a group of children singing words that tie in nicely with the topic of my homily today. The verse goes something like this:

Jesus loves the little children

All little children of the world

Red and yellow, black and white

They are precious in His sight

Jesus loves the little children of the world.

In Mark 10:13-16, the disciples try to prevent the children from coming to Jesus to receive his blessing. In his stern rebuke, Jesus reminds the disciples that the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Does this mean that the kingdom belongs to children, or does it mean that the Kingdom belongs to those who are LIKE children? I believe it’s the latter.

So what does it mean to receive the Kingdom like a little child? There is an apparent contradiction that can best be handled by those who are like children. God is all-powerful, perfect and hates sin, but at the same time He is good, free and full of grace, and He loves us. Adults often have a hard time accepting this. They try to make Him politically correct, middle class, sensible and safe—but we all know that Jesus is none of these. Those who approach Jesus like a child accept him for who He is, not for who they want Him to be. When Jesus says, “Come to me and receive…”, children come running, wanting more. Adults, on the other hand, say, “What’s the catch?” Those in spiritual poverty are the ones who have figured out that they are the ones who will be given the Kingdom of heaven.

So how do we become like children? We become like children through the sacraments of baptism and Communion. The water of baptism washes away the old life that is full of doubt, evil, etc. and cleanses us. Christ’s “blood” gives us a regular spiritual cleansing that we need and get through the Eucharist. Baptism and the Eucharist represent a new beginning and a new life. Life starts with childhood-spiritually and physically. Both physical and spiritual children are naïve, full of wonder and trust. What can be more moving than a small child holding out their hands to you in complete trust that you can pick them up? What can be more humbling than the way they ask you for something with a simple belief you can do it, or provide it, just like Jesus can?

In 1 Corinthians 13:11-13, Paul makes it clear that as we grow and mature, we put away childish things. We don’t stop being childlike in the sense Jesus talks about—trusting, humble, willing to follow His commands. We stop throwing tantrums when we don’t get our own way. We stop trying to “be the boss” in every situation, recognizing that our knowledge is partial and that only God deserves to be in control.

The children were brought to Jesus by their parents because they were helpless. They couldn’t do it on their own. Spiritual children are the same way. We need people to bring us to Jesus by being a Christ-like friend, by sharing what it means to follow Jesus and by carrying thanks to Jesus in prayer. We are challenged to bring people to Jesus so they can become spiritual children.

There is a story of a little girl whose mother had given birth to a baby boy. The little girl asked her parents to leave her alone with the new baby. They worried that she might want to hit or shake him, so they said no. Over time though, since she wasn’t showing signs of jealousy, they changed their minds and decided to let her have her private conference with the baby. The little girl went into the baby’s room and shut the door, but it opened a crack-enough to let the curious parents watch and listen. They saw the little girl walk quietly up to the baby, put her face close to his, and say, “Baby, tell me what God feels like. I’m starting to forget.”

We must be like children in our service to God. We must trust and obey Him without fail. We must live as children of God SHOULD live. In Jesus’ time, children were seen as nothings until they were old enough to be useful. Jesus appreciated and valued them for who they were and what they brought as children:

1. A simple, unquestioning faith
2. A trusting view of life
3. Disregard for wealth and status
4. Taking pleasure in the smallest things

What is our outlook as Kingdom people on life, possessions, people, those who might be neglected? It should be like a child’s.

 Children are honest and straightforward. They say what’s on their mind without thinking or worrying about what anyone will think or say. They are an example of how we must be before God if we want to receive his blessings. In other words, we must have a childlike heart with simplicity, the ability to learn, trust, forgiveness, responsiveness and humility.

 Membership in the Kingdom is about grace. That’s why Jesus says in Mark 10:15, “Truly I say to you, whosoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it”. Baptism allows us to be like children. It washes away the dirt of our lives and replaces it with the childlike qualities of simplicity, the ability to learn, trust, forgiveness, responsiveness and humility. It enables us to be reborn—to start over. Every child born into this world is born helpless. Every child born into this world is dependent on others for food, clothing, protection and education. Every Christian is born helpless. Just as children depend on others to survive, so Christians need Christ to survive. Helpless dependence is what the Kingdom of God is all about.

Children are good judges of character. They can sense a reason to fear or a reason to be at peace. They are drawn to people with pure hearts. The children in Mark 10:13-16 could sense that Jesus was pure in heart. Jesus hugged them and loved them. His love was passionate, open and emotive. Jesus was child-friendly, and his church should be too. In a day when children can be physically, sexually and emotionally abused, abandoned, ignored, and forgotten, we must remember the one we call “Lord” loves all the children in the world. If Jesus loves the children we, who are his followers, should also love the children.

 It is abundantly clear that Jesus’ attitude was welcoming, open, receptive, concerned for them, very much positive towards them. When they are excluded, he includes them. When they are rejected, he accepts them. When they are made to feel unwelcome, He opens his arms to them. We can enter the kingdom of God easily when we are like children. We can do it through:

 1. Unwavering faith like a little child.

2. Knowing that Jesus’ priority is our souls.

3. Dealing with sins in a positive manner.

We become part of God’s family through baptism and the spiritual cleansing it gives us. Through the spiritual cleansing, we gain a new, child-like nature that allows us to be hopelessly dependent on Christ for salvation—the hopeless dependence children have. We must receive the Kingdom in weakness and powerlessness. We need to believe simply because our heavenly Father tells us, just like children do something when their parents tell them.

Children find the kingdom of God quite easily and enter it quite easily. The kingdom of God is so vast that the only way we can understand it is to be like children—naïve, trusting in God, and full of wonder. We receive the Kingdom of God when we ask for it to come. When it comes, we will enter it, if we are like a little child. It is easy for children to have faith because their minds are not cluttered and they believe what they are told. We too must believe what we are told about the Kingdom. Believing is the foundation of faith. Baptism allows us to believe with an uncluttered mind because the spiritual cleansing we receive through baptism cleans out the clutter from our minds. Faith needs to be based on a strong foundational understanding of the Word-a foundation that is based on baptism. We can’t see God, but we have faith that He is alive and living within our hearts as we look forward to the promises that are waiting for us—and we can only do this through the sacrament of baptism.

In Jesus’ time, fathers were the ones who took responsibility for the spiritual growth and well-being of the children—just like our heavenly Father does for His children. The Kingdom is really about caring for the weakest, rather than engaging in political or military victories. It represents true greatness. The blessings God has for us in life belong to those who are like children. We can only come to Jesus in our humble state like children do, looking to Him and His grace alone. God designed us to be dependent on Him like children depend on their parents. Children represent the poor, the needy, the downtrodden, and the ordinary human beings. We are told to come to Jesus as a child—without prejudice, with nothing held back, with the innocence of a child—to experience God’s love for us.

It is often hard for us to come to Jesus as a child—with innocent trust. We like our independence. We like to think of ourselves as sophisticated and in control. We are too childish in our self-esteem to be childlike. If God helps us today, we will be able to see with eyes of faith the truth behind the scenes. So much of life is beyond our control and we need God to protect and bless ALL of us—children and adults. Baptism doesn’t save anyone, but bringing infants to Jesus does bring spiritual blessings from God to the child-like faithfulness of the parents.

The touch of God on a child’s life is like a divine tag in which Jesus says, “This child is mine. She may wander all over the world, but she has the tag, the early impression of Jesus in her life, the touch of Christ on her life”. This touch comes through baptism into a new life in Christ. We do not make the rules about who comes to Jesus—Jesus does. We do not discriminate in who hears the gospel. We must reach all with it. Moreover, we must not place barriers in the lives of those who desire to come to Christ. We can hinder believers by our attitude, inconsistencies, hypocritical living, or by selling a brand of religion that does not show God’s grace and His free offer of eternal life. When we are dependent and trusting, there is a mutuality of bonding that can occur and allow the Spirit of God to flow into our lives in ways that are not blocked. Baptism removes everything that hinders believers.

We begin the proper training of children by making sure our heart is right with God long before they come into the world. When they come into the world, we begin to exert that influence upon their lives. Bringing children to Jesus is like bringing Him a diamond in the rough—a diamond that can be cut and polished and become of invaluable worth. We have a choice to make. Jesus can do the polishing and cutting, or our corrupt, sinful world can.

Baptism gives us the spiritual cleansing that we need to begin our new life in Christ, but we also need the regular spiritual cleansing that is provided when we partake of Christ’s body and blood through the Eucharist. Just like our clothes need regular cleaning, or our physical bodies need daily cleaning, our spiritual lives need the regular cleaning that we get when we partake of the Eucharist. We all need a good spiritual cleaning on a regular basis, just like Jesus cleaned the money changers and vendors from the temple. When Jesus saw evil in the temple of the Lord, He gave it a good cleaning. If Jesus inspects our lives, will he find things that need to be cleaned out? Baptism allows the Spirit to get into every nook and cranny, every crack, every crevice of our souls and clean out the dirt of our evil, sinful, corrupt previous life.

It is never a pleasant experience when the Holy Spirit shows us what we need to change in our lives, but we aren’t left to do all the work ourselves. In fact, on our own we can’t overcome the sin that needs clearing out. We need God’s power in order to change, and the Spirit works in us to make sure we do. The Spirit’s job is started through the waters of baptism, and continues with the spiritual cleansings we receive through the Eucharist.

Jesus taught that we are to be nothing, and the less we are and the weaker we are, the better. The less we have of self, the more room there is for His divine grace. We are to be like children—weak and having nothing. When a child believes in Jesus, it cares nothing for critical points. That is the way we must come to Christ. When we come to Him, He will make heaven our home, and He will take us in His arms.

I’d like to close this message with these words from an email I received a few years ago. They accurately describe how we are to come to God like a child and not keep others from coming to him. The poem is entitled:

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN’T LOOKING

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I heard you say a prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in God.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don’t.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn’t feel good and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it’s all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I learned most of life’s lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, “Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn’t looking.”

Each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher or friend) influences the life of a child. How will you touch the life of someone today? Have you come to Him completely? Are you resting safe in His arms, or are you hesitating? Are you being hindered or prevented by someone or something in your life? There is no sorrow when we completely rest on Him like a child—a true child of God.

Have you ever noticed that there is a hierarchy or “pecking order” in almost everything in life? For example, in business there is either a board of directors or an owner or owners at the top, managers (if there are any) in the middle and workers at the bottom. In the school system, there is a school board at the top, followed by superintendents and directors of various departments, then individual school principals, then teachers and then students.

There is also a hierarchy in heaven. God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are at the top, followed by angels and archangels. As part of the top level, Jesus is God’s final revelation of God, because he is God’s Son, the agent of creation, the very glory of God and one who cleanses us from sin. God spoke to his people through prophets in Old Testament times, and he speaks to us today through Jesus and the Bible. The Old Testament prophets could only give us pieces of truth. When Jesus came, all of these pieces came together and gained meaning. Unfortunately, in many cases the people reacted to the truth of God’s message by killing the prophets and Jesus when they should have obeyed the message ,”Don’t shoot the messenger.”

One problem in almost any organization that has more than a few levels is communication. Sometimes messages sent by higher levels are not conveyed clearly or in their original form. Here’s a good example:

Memo from Director General to Manager:

Today at 11 o’clock there will be a total eclipse of the sun.  This is when the sun disappears behind the moon for two minutes.  As this is something that cannot be seen every day, time will be allowed for employees to view the eclipse in the car park.  Staff should meet in the car park at ten to eleven, when I will deliver a short speech introducing the eclipse, and giving some background information.  Safety goggles will be made available at a small cost.

Memo from Manager to Department Head:

Today at ten to eleven, all staff should meet in the car park.  This will be followed by a total eclipse of the sun, which will disappear for two minutes.  For a moderate cost, this will be made safe with goggles. The Director General will deliver a short speech beforehand to give us all some background information.  This is not something that can be seen every day.

Memo from Department Head to Floor Manager:

The Director General will today deliver a short speech to make the sun disappear for two minutes in the eclipse.  This is something that cannot be seen every day, so staff will meet in the car park at ten or eleven.  This will be safe, if you pay a moderate cost.

Memo from Floor Manager to Supervisor:

Ten or eleven staff are to go to the car park, where the Director General will eclipse the sun for two minutes.  This doesn’t happen every day.  It will be safe, but it will cost you.

Memo from Supervisor to staff:

Some staff will go to the car park today to see the Director General disappear.  It is a pity this doesn’t happen every day.

Jesus solved this communication problem for us by coming down from heaven to live among us, experience what we as humans experience, and clearly convey the message of God’s love by his words, deeds and love for us.  

As the Son of God, Jesus is superior to the world, even though he was not fully revealed to man until his death, resurrection and ascension. Because he became human, he was our representative before God. He was like a lawyer in a court case where God is the judge. He pleaded our case before Judge God, and he still pleads our case before Judge God today if he takes our case. Jesus became perfect by living as a human being while at the same time living a sin-free life and obeying God. He became the perfect sacrifice for us and the perfect example for us as Christians to follow. He calls on us to join him in worship.

God gave man dominion over all the earth, but that dominion was wasted because of Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden. Man was told to take care of the earth, but we have not always shown good stewardship. We have wasted natural resources, polluted the earth and hunted many species of birds, fish and animals to the point of endangerment or extinction. Our stewardship of the earth has left a lot to be desired. God sees us and what we do in life. He sees what we are doing with the resources he has entrusted to us, even though he is at the top of the hierarchy and we are at the bottom.

The Letter to the Hebrews is about the person of Christ-his deity, humanity, supremacy, priesthood, sacrifice and glory. As I mentioned earlier in this message, God spoke to his people at various times and in various ways, and he still speaks to us at various times and in various ways today. All Old Testament revelations pointed to God’s final revelation in Jesus.

If we want to get to know God, all we have to do is get to know Jesus, and we get to know Jesus by reading and studying the Bible. God’s very nature is revealed perfectly in Jesus because Jesus is God. He is the one who upholds all things by the word of his power, and therefore he controls history. Christ’s birth is the greatest proof of God’s love and concern for humanity. God translated deity to humanity by coming to earth in the form of Jesus, and this final revelation was absolute, infallible and authoritative. The world in its entirety was given to Christ as the heir of all things. As the executor of God’s divine will, Jesus will return on day to enforce every clause.

In speaking of the world to come, the writer of Hebrews contrasts it with the present age. In the world to come, angels will not be in charge, but in the present age they rule the world by ministering with God in a role above humans and below God. In God’s original plan for the world, humans were second only to the angels in God’s hierarchy of creation. Humans are lower than angels for several reasons:

1. Humans are physical beings, but angels are spiritual beings.
2. Humans are subject to death, angels are not.
3. Humans are bound by time and space, angels are not.
4. Humans are bound to the earth, angels are not.

God’s original plan was for humanity to have domination over the world, but Adam and Eve delayed that plan. We are born to rule the world, but when we are born again at death we will regain our place of honour and glory. Jesus rules over creation now, but in time God will restore humanity to its intended place of authority. In order to do this, God had to become human and taste death for everyone. Union with God could not be restored without suffering. Christ’s sufferings were fitting because they completed the work of bringing us to God’s glory.

Believers become holy the moment they are saved, but they are also sanctified by God through the Holy Spirit as they grow in faith. They increase in holiness through the work of God. We take part in the process by reading, studying and obeying the Bible.

After his resurrection, Jesus called his followers “brethren.” By using this term, Jesus shows that he is willing to identify with people in their humanity and suffering. We are challenged to consider that we are members of God’s family. Just like families come together to help a member who is in trouble, God reaches his hand out to us. God will always be a light in the darkness of our sin-filled world. We can’t hide from that light because God will always find us and bring us back to him. The light reflects God’s glory and one day we will share that glory in heaven. Until then, we can reflect God’s radiance here on earth by doing the work God has called us to do and to show God’s love to our hurting world.

Bibliography

• Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

• ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

1. Evans, L.H. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 38: Hebrews (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985)
2. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
3. Rebecca Barlow Jordan, “The Radiance of God’s Glory.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
4. Dr. David Jeremiah, “Born to Rule.” Retrieved from turniongpoint@davidjeremiah.org
5. Berni Dymet, “What’s God Like?” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

Do you know that God speaks to his people?

It’s true. He speaks to us today just like he spoke to his people in the past. God spoke at various times and in various ways. He spoke to people such as Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses. He spoke through thunder; the sound of a trumpet; in a still, small voice or in visions and dreams; in human form and angelic visitations; through foreshadowing and parable and more.

When God spoke to the people in Old Testament times, he pointed to his final revelation in Jesus. Through Jesus, God provided the perfect vehicle of expression. He translated deity into humanity, and this revelation was absolute, infallible and authoritative. The world in its entirety was given to Christ as the heir of all things. As executor of the divine will, he will return one day to enforce all of its clauses.

In Christ we have God’s final message. He is the fullness of the Godhead. He is the Lord of everything. He is the eternal word of God. He came to earth to take away our sins. Before Jesus came to earth, the Jews had to have their sins taken away.

Jesus is better than everything and anything because of his relationship with God. He is also better because he is royalty. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is also better because of his reputation. His domain is never-ending. His delight is unequalled. He never changes. His reign is unchallenged. In fact, the only angel who has ever challenged his authority was Satan-and Satan was kicked out of heaven.

God’s very nature-his glory and the express image-is revealed perfectly in Jesus, because Jesus is God. The Son-who existed before time, was at the beginning of time, and will be at the end of time-is the One who upholds all things by the word of His power and thereby controls history. Jesus is God’s final, divine revelation of himself. Jesus is the Son of God, the agent of creation, the very glory of God and the one who saves us from our sins. He inherits all of creation from God. He is the imprint of God. Jesus is the mind of God in human form as illustrated by the Gospel of John. Because Jesus came to earth, God knows us and love us. He loves us just as much as Jesus does.

In Bible times, a person’s name was the outward expression of who they were, encompassing not only a person’s proper name but his or her identity-including rank, authority, fame and character. The more excellent name Jesus inherits is “Son”. He is the eternal Son of God. While Scriptures sometimes refer to angels as “the sons of God,” nowhere does God say of angels, “You are My Son, today I have begotten you.” Only to Jesus does the Father speak in such personal, familial terms.

The title “firstborn” does not mean that Jesus was created but refers to His exalted status and authority as Ruler of all creation. His superiority to angels is also proven by the fact that all the angels of God worshipped Him at His birth and worship Him now at the throne of God. The angels are Christ’s ministers. Although angels are not superior to or equal to Jesus, they occupy an important role in the lives of believers today as “ministering spirits.”

The Jews believed angels were the highest beings next to God. To prove that Jesus is much better than the angels, the writer of Hebrews quotes several of Israel’s own Scriptures. The word “better” occurs 12 times in this book, indicating Jesus’ superiority to all of creation and to the Old Covenant. The job of angels is to worship God, and hence to worship Jesus by doing His will. Since only God is worthy of worship, this is evidence of Jesus’ full deity.

Angels work in hidden ways to carry out God’s will and protect God’s people. They are part of our lives even if we aren’t aware of them. They are part of an unseen army that is fighting Satan and his followers.

Jesus is supreme above any angels because:

1. God speaks to us through His Son.
2. Jesus is the heir of all things.
3. God made all things through Jesus.
4. Jesus is the express image of God the Father.
5. He upholds all things with the word of His power.
6. He purged our sins.
7. Jesus is the Son of God, not a servant as are the angels.
8. He is worthy of our worship.
9. Jesus is God Himself.

When God the Father refers to Jesus as the eternal God, it is one of the Bible’s most irrefutable proofs of the deity of Christ.

One day the worlds God created will be folded up like a linen garment, but Christ will remain. He will be the same as He always has been, and His existence will never end.

Bibliography

• Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 1744-1746)

• ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

• MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, New American Standard Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

• Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)

• Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010; pp. 1689-1690)

• Joni Eareckson Tada, “Like Father, Like Son.” Retrieved from communications@joniandfriends.org

• Billy Graham, “What Do Angels Look Like?” retrieved from www.arcamax.com

• Berni Dymet, “A Picture of God.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Bayless Conley, “The Supremacy of Jesus.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Jeremiah, David: Hebrews: The Supremacy & The Sufficiency of Christ, Volume One (San Diego, CA: Turning Point for God, 2012, pp. 9-30)

Hello boys and girls!

Has anyone ever told you to get lost or go away? |Has anyone ever told you that they didn’t want you around? How did that make you feel?

There is one person who will never tell us to go away. In fact, he wants all of us to come close to him. His name is Jesus. Let me explain by reading a story to you from Mark 10:2-16.

One day, Jesus and his friends were walking along the beautiful coast of Judea. As they were walking and talking, and discussing the news of the day, other people saw Jesus and wanted to hear what he was saying. Soon there was a very large crowd of people following Jesus. Some of them were sick, and Jesus touched them and made them well. Others had questions they wanted to ask and listened carefully as Jesus answered them.

There was a group of people called “Pharisees,” who were leaders in the temple. They liked to have long discussions and especially enjoyed arguing and trying to trick one another. When the Pharisees heard that Jesus was nearby, they left their work and rushed to join the crowd. They were having a good time asking questions and trying to trick Jesus, but, of course, Jesus knew what they were trying to do, and He gave them perfect answers every time. They could not trick Jesus!

While the Pharisees were having their discussion with Jesus, some mothers joined the crowd. They knew Jesus was a very important man, and they wanted their children to have a chance to see Him. Holding the hands of their children, they pushed through the crowd, trying to get closer.

When Jesus’ friends saw the mothers and children trying to get to the front to see Jesus, they scowled roughly. “Go away! Don’t you know that Jesus is an important man? Can’t you see that he is busy talking with the leaders of the temple? Take your children and go home!” Sad and dejected, the mothers turned to guide their children back the way they had come and away from the crowd.

However, Jesus loved children very much and had a different idea about the situation. He turned to his friends and kindly said, “No, don’t send them away. Let the children come to me.” Jesus’ friends quickly worked to make a path through the crowd so the mothers and children could get up close to Jesus. The mothers were full of joy and excitement as Jesus reached out his arms toward their children!

One by one, He scooped up the younger children into His loving arms, held them close, and prayed a special prayer of blessing. He gave each of the older children a tender hug and also prayed a blessing for them. He spoke gently to the mothers and gave them a smile of approval. After each one had seen Jesus and been blessed, Jesus spoke to his friends, the Pharisees, and the rest of the crowd, saying, “Whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God as a child does, will not be able to enter into it.” He was trying to help them all understand that loving God is easy enough for a child to do, and all their long discussions and arguing were unnecessary.

Here’s another story about how much Jesus loves us. It’s a story about a little girl named Susie. One morning Susie’s mother said to her, “Do you want to come with me to Saturday School?”

“What’s that,” said Susie, “I already went to school.”

“Saturday School is a place for children who would be home alone all day on Saturday,” said her mother. “How come?” said Susie. “Because they don’t have a daddy or they don’t have a mommy and there is no one to stay home on Saturday,” said her mother.

“You mean they have to go to school another day because they don’t have a daddy or mommy,” said Susie. “That’s not fair. It’s not their fault. I wouldn’t want to have to do school work on Saturday.”

“We don’t do a lot of school work,” said her mother. “It’s fun. You’ll see. You can help.”

That night after Susie had taken a bath and tidied up her room, her mother came in for a Bible reading and prayers. They sat together on the bed and opened the Bible to a picture of Jesus sitting down talking to children. A little girl was on his knee and others were standing around him. He looked happy and so did the children.

“Did Jesus teach Saturday School?” said Susie. “Well, you know,” said her mother. “He probably did when he lived in Nazareth.”

“Are those children with Jesus because they don’t have a mommy or daddy?” said Susie.

“I don’t know,” said her mother. “But I do know that Jesus wants them to have mommies and daddies, and if they don’t Jesus would give them special attention.”

“Is that why we went to Saturday School today?” said Susie. “To give the children special attention like Jesus.” “Yes,” said her mother, “We were being like Jesus.”

“I like being like Jesus,” said Susie.

All of you are here today because someone loved you enough to bring you here. It doesn’t matter if that person is your parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles or even a neighbour or close friend. We are thankful for each and every one of you and for the people who loved you enough to bring you here.

Let’s bow our heads and close our eyes for a moment of prayer. Dear God, we love the children just as Jesus loved them and we are thankful that these children have someone who loves them enough to bring them to Jesus. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Bibliography

• Linda Sue Pochodzay Edwards, “Fruit of the Spirit-Love: Jesus Loves Children.” Retrieved from stories@tscpulpitseries.is.to

• Roland McGregor, “Children’s Sermon for McGregorPage 838 Pentecost 19 (October 7, 2012) Retrieved from childpage@mcgregorpage.org

• “Let the Children Come.” Retrieved from www.sermons4kids.com

At first glance, the passage from Mark 10:2-16 seems a little disjointed. It starts with a discussion about divorce and ends with a discussion about entering God’s kingdom like little children. While they seem to be disconnected, they really are connected. Let me try to explain.

Mark’s Gospel was the first of the four major gospels to be written. In fact, if you compare the Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke, you will find that they are very similar. John’s Gospel is different for reasons that I won’t get into this morning. Mark’s Gospel was not intended to be a daily diary of Jesus’ activities. Rather, it was intended to teach us about how we are to live our lives as Christians. In order to do this, Mark often puts two or more stories that are seemingly different side-by-side because of the deeper connection between them.

Such is the case with this morning’s Gospel reading. Jesus is trying to tell us that we are to show concern for the less fortunate in society. In Jesus’ time, women and children were among the least fortunate in society. They had very few rights. In fact, women were seen as the property of their husbands. A man could divorce his wife for seemingly petty reasons such as burning the meat, not keeping the home clean or getting older. All he had to do under the Law of Moses was to write a bill of divorce, give it to the woman and send her on her way. It is no wonder that prostitution is mentioned so many times in the Bible. It was the only way a divorced woman in that society could support herself and her children, especially if she did not have any other male relatives who could support her.

Society is the same today. There are many divorced women who are working to support themselves and their children without the support of their ex-husbands. Marriage is often seen today as nothing more than a social contract, but God sees marriage as a sacrament uniting a man with a woman. Society and some churches are trying to change their interpretation of God’s plan. One only has to look at the current debate within the Anglican Church of Canada regarding performing same-sex marriages to see an example.

While God’s plan is that marriages last until death, God also realizes that divorce is a reality because of our frail, sinful, human nature. That is why Moses allowed divorce, but he made it as difficult as possible. You see, the bill of divorce had to be written. Since many people at that time were illiterate, the process was a long and difficult one. God also realizes that there are situations where divorce is necessary, such as in the case of abuse. While every possible effort should be made to save marriages, we as Christians MUST also work with those who have been hurt by the pain of divorce to show them that God loves them and shares their pain.

Divorce does not just affect the spouses. It also affects their parents, siblings, friends, co-workers and most importantly their children. I know, because the pain of divorce and separation has affected a member of my family. I have seen how the particular situation has affected the children that are involved. All children are vulnerable, but the children of divorce can be even more vulnerable. Marriage was not intended to be ended by man, just like we can’t separate ourselves from the love of God. Our relationship with God is like a marriage, and just like every marriage, it requires work on our part; namely, faith and commitment.

Jesus knew that people suffer in divorce, so it is no accident that Mark follows Jesus’ debate with the Pharisees with Jesus calling the little children to him. We can see Jesus put his arms around the whole human race and condition. He does realize that divorce is sometimes necessary because of our human weakness. To the divorced, as to every person who is hurting, He offers insight, help, healing and forgiveness.

Jesus has a special fondness for the vulnerable members of society. That is why he had the debate with the Pharisees in the first part of this passage from Mark’s Gospel. One of God’s intentions for marriage is protection of the vulnerable-namely, women and children-from divorce caused by any reason. Jesus placed women, children and all vulnerable people on an equal footing with the rest of society. By doing so, he showed them that God’s love and God’s kingdom are for everyone. All we have to do is believe in Jesus and accept him in faith.

 So how do we accept Jesus in faith? We do so by coming to Jesus like a child. Let me explain this by taking you on a short walk down memory lane. Some of you may have heard of a singer/songwriter named Ray Stevens. He is famous for writing and recording comedy songs such as “Bridget the Midget”, “Ahab the Arab”, “The Streak”, “Osama, Yo’ Mama”, and many others. He did record a few serious songs, the most famous of which was “Everything is Beautiful”. That particular song starts with some children who are singing words that tie in nicely with the topic of my homily today. The verse goes something like this:

Jesus loves the little children

all little children of the world

Red and yellow, black and white

They are precious in His sight

Jesus loves the little children of the world.

Children by nature are trusting, naïve at times, and full of curiosity and wonder. They always want to know “Why?” (As those of you who are parents probably remember from your child-rearing days!). They have few worries, if any. They have an enthusiasm for life that we tend to lose as we get older. They have a sense that anything is possible. They trust other people implicitly. They have little if any control over their lives and depend on their parents. In other words, they are humble, just like Jesus teaches us to be humble.

I wish I could say that we as adults are the same way, but we are not. We have been hurt by some of our life experiences. Other experiences have hurt us. We are committed to fending for ourselves. In order to know the love that Christ has for us, we must let go of our control. We must stop protecting ourselves because Christ is our real defense. We must stop trying to provide for ourselves because Christ is our provider. In other words, we must travel the path that leads toward the innocence and trust that a child has.

We must be like children in our service to God. We must trust and obey Him without fail. We must live as children of God SHOULD live. In Jesus’ time, children were seen as nothings until they were old enough to be useful. Jesus appreciated and valued them for who they were and what they brought as children:

1. A simple, unquestioning faith
2. A trusting view of life
3. Disregard for wealth and status
4. Taking pleasure in the smallest things

What is our outlook as Kingdom people on life, possessions, people, those who might be neglected? It should be like a child’s.

I’d like to close my sermon this morning with these words from an email I received a few years ago. They accurately describe how we are to come to God like a child and not keep others from coming to him. The poem is entitled:

WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN’T LOOKING

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I heard you say a prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to and I learned to trust in God.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don’t.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn’t feel good and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it’s all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I learned most of life’s lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn’t looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, “Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn’t looking.”

When Christ comes into our lives, we become enthusiastic and God-filled. We can’t sit still. We want to get out and do something about it. We want to reach out to others just like God reached out to us through Jesus. We must not place barriers in the lives of people who desire to come to Christ—-not even the barrier of a broken marriage. We need to bring people to Jesus by being a Christ-like friend, by sharing what it means to follow Jesus, and by carrying thanks to Jesus in prayer. In the scene of children in the arms of a loving Jesus, there is a story to be told, lessons to be learned, a key to unlatch eternal life, and a promise to bring us ultimate happiness—the happiness that is even greater than the happiest marriage on earth.

Bibliography

• Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions” for Sunday, October 4^th, 2009. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

• Unknown, “A Christ in Our Midst”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.org

• Michael Warden, “Looking to the Father”. Retrieved from www.loi.org.

• Donald Strobe, “Childish or Child-Like”. Retrieved from www.sermons.com/theResultsPage.asp?user_id=31971

• Donald Strobe, “God’s Strange Arithmetic”. Retrieved from www.sermons.com/theResultsPage.asp?user_id=31971

• Michael Milton, “Children in the Arms of a Loving God”. Retrieved from www.sermons.com/theResultsPage.asp?user_id=31971

What do we really need? Our society is based on acquisition of things, especially wealth. We are concerned about what we do not have, especially people who are considered to be “have not”. Jesus is saying that it doesn’t matter how hard we try to get things, we can’t accumulate more than what God can provide for us. If we are called to our heavenly home by God, what good will earthly goods be? After all, we can’t take them with us. What Jesus is saying in Matthew 6:24-34 is that we must put first things first. In other words, we are to seek first the Kingdom of God, and we must do this every day. To seek the Kingdom, we must first seek the King.

We must first seek his righteousness. In other words, we are to be seeking God’s character within us, not God’s control over us. It is our job to serve God and God’s job is to supply us with what we need-not the other way around. God will supply us with what we really need if we put our trust in him. We don’t need everything we want, and we don’t want everything we need. God doesn’t give us everything we need.  

People must see the Kingdom in us as we see the Kingdom of God. That is the real mark of a Christian. When ordinary people begin to talk about their faith in Christ, long-lasting results are achieved. God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. We are all called to be a witness for Christ in our lives. It opens the door, even slightly, for God to do something in the life of the person who hears the story. In order for the message to have integrity, it must first be embodied in our lives. In other words, God must be number one in our lives.

The message of the Gospel about the power of Christ to change a human life is by its very nature controversial, because people just naturally resist change and agents of change. Most of us would rather settle for our old familiar second-best lifestyle than venture with Christ into a far more excellent way of life. We simply don’t like for people to make waves.

But whenever the Spirit of Christ is released in a person’s life or let loose on a congregation, things begin to happen. Broken relationships are healed as reconciliation takes the place of alienation. The fruits of the Spirit such as love, peace, patience and kindness begin to emerge. And people catch fire for the Lord! No one can deny that something is going on. The earth may not quake, a sound like a mighty wind might not be heard, tongues of fire may not appear, and people may not speak in strange languages, but it could be described as a “second Pentecost”. And at times like these you can either respond favourably or negatively to Christ, but you will find it hard to ignore him. There is something about the activity of Christ that causes us to choose sides.  

Jesus’ parable of the rich fool is a good example of what he is trying to tell us in today’s Gospel reading. The rich man kept building bigger and bigger barns, and then he died. He was foolish because he spent all of his time preparing for a future that never came. The future is not God’s creation-it is our imagination. We dream about the future, but God creates today. God is not saying that we should not prepare for the future at all. On the contrary, he is telling us to prepare for a future with him by putting our trust and faith in him, and by letting him work through us to do his work in the world.

The main problem in society today is worry about the future. The problem with worrying is that it is easy to do but so hard to lose. It is a power that controls our lives. Worry is a big problem for our society. Advertising only adds to that worry because it tries to convince us that we really need the newest car, computer, dress, suit, etc. This is really about acceptance, but the only acceptance that should matter to Christians is acceptance by God.

Many of the problems we can’t solve instantly can be moved one piece at a time, one day at a time. When worries seem to be overtaking you, let God take over. Trust God to supply your needs and take care of your future. Let faith provide you with a healthy and balanced perspective about life and its demands. Instead of nursing wounds of self-pity, pray for the grace to forgive. Instead of worrying about those for whom we are responsible, ask God to intervene and lift the burden from our shoulders. Instead of thinking creatively about how to bring someone else down, pray creatively how to build them up. We find peace of mind and heart only when we wrap ourselves in something bigger than ourselves. Peace is a by-product of being committed to the Kingdom of God and the resources God gives us for the journey we call life.

We serve only that which we love supremely. We can’t serve both God and man. In other words, a man of the world can’t truly be a religious character. We can be in the world but not of the world only if we trust and serve the Lord. Our existence depends solely on God. We must trust on his wisdom that what he provides for us is truly what we need. We must obey his instructions and submit to whatever he uses to transform our character, whether it is hardship, suffering or ease. When we make a commitment to become increasingly like Christ, God will take responsibility for providing whatever we need.

Grace is the way to glory, holiness the way to happiness. God has conferred the greatest blessings (Life and the body) so he will be willing to confer the lesser blessings of food, clothing, shelter and other necessities. Those who ask receive, and those who seek find, but not always in the way they expect because God answers prayer in his own time and in his own way.  

Man has three basic, insatiable needs:

1. To feel significant
2. To feel secure
3. To be loved

The best way to meet these needs is to make God number one in our lives. Everything we do and say, day by day, is of importance to him. Only as we love God can we love our spouse, children, neighbours, siblings and friends in a complete way. Man is formed for nobler pursuits than the desire to be rich. He lives for eternity. Those who do not know God WILL be anxious about the future, but those who do know him may surely trust him for the supply of their wants. If our minds are directed to both earthly and heavenly things, we become distracted, confused and darkened. We can’t serve both God and man. Trusting and serving God will prevent worldly anxieties.

In order to trust God to provide for our daily needs, we must value ourselves and forget ourselves and focus on God. God does not tell us not to work. In fact, he tells us in the Ten Commandments to work six days and rest on the seventh. Those who do not trust God to provide for their needs will not rest in that seventh day. By not worrying about our needs, we are free to serve him, love him and help our fellow man. We have a power stronger than anxiety-the power of God and prayer. We have a peace that outlasts our anxiety and difficulties-the peace of God, which passes all understanding.

God is committed to the gospel of Jesus and to anyone who makes it their first priority. Other than that, we’re on our own. We’ll have to “Fish or cut bait”. God is not obligated to fund our dreams and projects-only his and the ones planted within us through spiritual gifts and divine calling. To strip Christian faith of its unpredictability and risk in order to turn it into a warm velvet limo ride to a perfect world is to destroy it. Those of you who watch the reality program Fear Factor may be disgusted by some of the stunts, but at some level we all know that getting the rewards of life is dependent on conquering and facing our fears, and that is nowhere more true than in our relationship with Jesus Christ and the kingdom he is intent on bringing to this world. He knows how large our fears are and how puny our faith is. It honours him when we trust him. Nothing about us surprises him or makes him loves us any less. To always be seeking the kingdom is to live near the outer edge of predictability, where needs are always greater than resources. Empty hands are not hard to fill, especially when they are lifted to heaven.  

We must always ask ourselves the question, “Is my life a gift from God, and if so can I trust God to sustain it?” There is no more basic question, and our lives each give an answer. Once the basic needs are met, is there anything more? Life without an appetite for God is flat and stale. Our good deeds must not loom high in our own minds. They are to be hidden from us. With one’s goodness looming before one’s eyes, one soon comes to feel that they deserve the recognition and admiration of the people. Jesus tells us not to seek this transient reward.

This does not mean that we have no interest in what others think of us. Sometimes we need to hear what those around us are saying, even if we find it unpleasant. Profiting from this praise is not the same as counting such praise as the supreme good. Jesus invites us to seek the true and lasting reward, not the transient and perishable one. That reward is the companionship of God himself. As Jesus said, “Seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness”. It is not in satisfying our craving to have more and more that we have abundant life. No, it is in serving God and loving others as we love ourselves that abundant life is gained and lived. Possessions on earth are not for accumulating, they are for distributing in ways that Christ is honoured and our joy in heaven is increased. When we give (especially when we give so generously that we have to sell something to have anything to give), we show that Christ is our treasure and that we love others more than we love our own security and comfort.

This coming Sunday-Oct. 7, 2018-Canadians will celebrate the Canadian Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a time when we pause to celebrate and give thanks to God for everything he has given us, and the best way to give thanks to God is to pray. Giving thanks is one of three types of prayer, the other two being supplication and intercessions (which means speaking to God on behalf of someone else). Regardless of the type of prayer we use, we must remember that prayer is not just for our sakes or needs.

Supplications are petitions for certain definite needs. They are humble requests made because of certain situations which God alone can help. When our supplications are granted, we need to give thanks. When we take our concerns to God, God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit.

In the reading we heard from 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Paul tells us to pray for those in authority. Complaining about people in authority is easy, but God also tells us to pray for them. These prayers should include requests for the peaceable and wise rule and prayers for their salvation. Such prayers acknowledge that all authority is ultimately God’s authority and that God is the ultimate King.

We are also to pray for salvation for lost souls. This puts us at odds with Paul. He argues that although God wants everyone to be saved, that does not mean that God will save everyone. People must either accept the Gospel or reject it. Believers should still pray for everyone, even those who seen unreachable. If we think that some people do not deserve the gift of salvation, then we are not as all-loving as God is. Scripture clearly states that God wants everyone to be saved and know the truth of salvation. There are no exceptions. No one is beyond God’s saving love.

Salvation is available because of the one person who was both man and God and who could represent humanity and reconcile humanity to God. That person is Jesus. Jesus served as a mediator between these two otherwise irreconcilable parties. Jesus is the only way to God.

The cross is the site of the most important transaction in history. Jesus served as a ransom to redeem humanity from slavery. The image is that of a slave market, with human beings as the slaves of sin. The price paid to free them was Jesus’ own death. Jesus substituted his own innocent life for our lives as slaves to sin and dying the death we all deserve and sparing us from the judgment we deserve.

False teachers were probably saying that salvation was restricted to the Jews, prompting Paul to write that Jesus gave himself for the sake of everyone and that God appointed him to teach the Gentiles. Paul’s calling has authority because God gave it to him and because he was faithful to it. Godly obedience makes a Christian’s testimony believable so that unbelievers may hear it and receive it.

We have many gifts from God to be thankful for. These gifts range from the universal offer of the Gospel and salvation to everyone to God’s love for everyone to Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for everyone to a church that is for everyone. The last one is hard to believe when you consider that some churches have allowed the world to control their agendas.

The passage from 1 Timothy links God’s grace with our concern for the church’s conduct in a world that lives by non-Christian customs. Churches that appeal to their own kind are the churches that most often grow in numbers. A church that reflects a culture of affluence and success is more likely to be successful. While God can and does bless people with success, we must remember to give thanks to God for that success. We must use that success to show God’s love to the world. One way we can do this is to pray.

Paul’s desire is for us to have compassion for the lost, to understand the depths of their pain and misery, and to come ultimately to God pleading for their salvation. Paul wants us to come to God on behalf of people who have no standing with him. We are to intercede for the lost.

We must not be “carnal Christians.” We must not live to please and serve ourselves instead of pleasing and serving Christ. It’s so easy for us to get caught up in asking God to provide us with what we need or want that we forget to pray for others. We need to ask God to help us be sensitive to the needs of others. We must take advantage of every opportunity to approach God and lay our concerns at his feet.

Things do not happen in this world because we pray. They happen when we pray. We are changed as we discover that the deepest desires of our hearts and the world are changed in some way because of God, the source of light and life, the ground of our being and the lover of our souls. God is the source of all things. If there is matter, God created it. If there is meaning and purpose to life, God determines it. If there is power, God yields it. These are great gifts from God for us, and we need to keep our sights on God’s kingdom and not on the politics of the day.

Because of the gift of Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension, we have the power to choose what is right. Our love for Jesus motivates us to live for Jesus, and if we live for Jesus, we are to share our faith by praying for people. God loves doing miracles in the lives of people, especially people who are not believers.

The act of praying can involve lifting hands to heaven. This act is a picture of coming before God with clean hands and a pure heart. How can we lift our hands to God if we are not seeking to relate to everyone we meet-people God loves without distinction? We can’t lift our hands to God if we don’t speak and work for the elimination of things that would destroy us. We must raise our hands without anger or doubt.

One of the greatest gifts from God, and one that we truly need to be thankful for, is the leaders in our church. We must pray that God will give them the wisdom they need to lead us in faith. We must also pray that God will give them the wisdom to administer church affairs according to his will. This includes praying for the decisions they have to make.

At God’s Table, which is one of the greatest gifts God can give us, we learn that we need to show an attitude of gratitude. We don’t need to wait until Thanksgiving to give thanks. We need that deep spirit of influence. It keeps us from having an attitude of selfishness. We need to give thanks for all things because there is always something to be thankful for. We can give thanks to God today and every day, and we can be thankful for the one who loved us so much that he paid the ultimate price for our sins-Jesus.

Bibliography

• Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worth Publishing; 2013)

• ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.

• 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)

• MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)

• Bayless Conley, “The Prayer of Intercession.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Dr. Tony Evans, “What are Carnal Christians?” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

• Pastor Ken Klaus, “Everybody.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org

• Pastor Bobby Schuller, “Pray for People.” Retrieved from hourofpower@hourofpower.org

• Allan Smith, “Praying for Others.” Retrieved from thought-for-the-day@hub.xc.org

• Rebecca Barlow Jordan, “Mediator.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• A.K.M. Adam, “Commentary on 1 Timothy 2:1-7.” Retrieved from http://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=717

• The Rev. Geoffrey Hoare, “Intercession.” Retrieved from www.day1.org

• Exegesis for 1 Timothy 2:1-7. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

• Dr. Philip W. McLarty, “Honour the Emperor.” Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

• Dr. Philip W. McLarty, “Praying for Others.” Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

1. Billy D. Strayhorn, “Sitting at the Big People Table.” Retrieved from www.esermons.com

In 2012 Dr. Michael Youssef, who is the founder and President of Leading the Way Ministries, wrote an article about a Christian Sunday school teacher who was leading a class of boys. After a conversation with one of the boys, the young man prayed and received Christ. That young man was D.L. Moody, who became one of the greatest evangelists of his time.

On one of his trips to England, D.L. Moody preached at a church pastored by another great evangelist named F.B. Meyer. Moody invited him to come to the United States to preach. At one service, a man named J. Wilbur Chapman gave his life to Christ and became a great evangelist. One of the people he led to Christ became his travelling companion. That companion was evangelist Billy Sunday.

After Billy Sunday preached in Charlotte, North Carolina, a group of farmers asked God to do something great for the world, starting in Charlotte. They invited an evangelist by the name of Mordecai Hamm to preach in Charlotte. During one of his services, three young men came forward to receive Christ. Their names were Billy Graham, Grady Wilson and T.W. Wilson. Billy Graham became one of the most respected evangelists of our time, and the Wilson brothers became administrators with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

While we are on earth we will never understand what God is doing through each and every one of us. We will understand this only when we get to heaven. One lone Sunday school teacher impacted generations of Christians by doing God’s work. If that one Sunday school teacher can have such an impact, just think of how our ministries or our gifts can be used by God to impact the world.

In Mark 9:38-50 we read that in their struggle for position, the disciples were upset to find that an exorcist was casting out demons in Jesus’ name, especially since recently they were not able to heal a demon-possessed child. Every mature Christian can be drawn into “turf wars” in the church. Jesus said that anyone who does God’s work in his name is a partner in ministry, not a threat to ministry. There will be no peace in our world until we have peace in our hearts. God loves us all the same. God’s will is for liberty and justice for everyone. We do not have peace in our lives if we try to protect our turf and destroy the weak among us.

In Jesus’ time, salt both preserved and seasoned food. It also came with impurities that could make it useless. Jesus tells us to get rid of the impurity of selfishness and show the purity of self-sacrifice for the benefit of others. Any little thing we do in Christ’s name will be rewarded. Jesus tells us that if there is nothing distinctive about our lives, it is no good for us to be followers of Jesus. There is no use in following him if we don’t make any real contribution to the life of the world, or if there is no redemptive power flowing through our lives and our actions.

So, what does it mean to be a “salty believer?” Let me give you an example. Legend has it that a missionary was swept overboard while traveling on very high and rough seas and was subsequently washed up on a beach at the edge of a remote village. Nearly dead from exposure and lack of food and fresh water, he was found by the people of the village and nursed back to health. He lived among them for twenty years, quietly adapting to their culture and working alongside them. He preached no sermons and made no personal faith claim. Neither did he read scripture to them.

But, when people were sick, he sat with them, sometimes all night. When people were hungry, he fed them. When people were lonely, he gave a listening ear. He taught the ignorant and always took the side of the one who had been wronged.

The day came when some missionaries entered the same village and began talking to the people about a man named Jesus. After listening for a while to their story, the native people began insisting that Jesus had already been living in their village for many years. “Come,” one of them said, “We’ll introduce you to him.” The missionaries were led to a hut where they found their long-lost companion.

All sacrifices we make to serve Jesus are accompanied by hardships, suffering or persecution, so we should not be surprised when these things happen. Believers are purified through suffering and persecution.

Jesus was not commanding self-mutilation when he said that if your tongue, foot, hand or any other body part causes you to sin, cut it off. He was talking about the importance of doing whatever it takes to actively oppose sin. For example, if an addiction to pornography causes you to sin, cancel your Internet service and stop buying adult magazines.

Professing Jesus’ name means living the life that Jesus lived. This means driving out the demons of intolerance, injustice, strife, grudges and poverty, to name just a few. We as Christian disciples are to focus on what we are to do in Jesus’ name and not be quick to criticize others who also follow Christ but who do not belong to our church, church group or denomination. We must not fault people or churches who do things differently than we do. We must assume that what they do is “in His name.” There are many different ways to do things for God, and if someone chooses to do something that is different from the way we do things, we are not to stop them from doing it their way.

We are not to be like the lady who cornered my father in the local post office one day and asked him which church he belonged to. He did not belong to either of the two churches in the community. When he told her which church he belonged to, she replied, “Well! That’s what I was afraid of!” She turned around and walked right out of the post office.

We must not look for labels or titles. We must look for attitudes, actions and spirit. Jesus rejoices when he sees mercy, justice and compassion in our lives, because when he sees them he sees God at work in our world. How we live the life Jesus lived is more important than having the right documents or the right membership cards. Jesus has invited us to join his eternal family. The invitation means that he lives through us so that our words and deeds might be a loving response to his grace.

Jesus’ love knows no limits. His compassion never runs out and it isn’t limited to a select group of people with the right credentials or disposition. There is plenty of his love for everyone. Jesus is the face of the God we can’t see; the God who wants to forgive all sinners, and not just a few; the God who wants to reach out and heal everyone who is sick physically and/or spiritually, not just a select few.

We must be very careful about how the example we set influences other people. Every person is a role model for either good or evil. The best way to show love for the children of God is by loving God and keeping his commandments. Our commitment to Christ affects how we live our lives. Our lives are enhanced when we follow Christ. Our lives will be more effective and have more impact. Christ will give us the strength we need to fight our sinful nature. The burden of our sin runs away at the foot of the cross. The Kingdom of God is a treasure that is worth giving up everything to get.

Bibliography

• Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible, NKJV (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013)

• ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.

• McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 25: Mark (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)

• Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 26^th Sunday (B).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

• Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “A Powerful Perspective.” Retrieved from mydevotional@leadingtheway.org

• King Duncan, “The Ultimate Solution for Sin.” Retrieved from www.esermons.com

• King Duncan, “Losing Favor or Losing Flavor?” Retrieved from www.esermons.com

• King Duncan, “About Other Denominations.” Retrieved from www.esermons.com

• King Duncan, “Can’t We All Just Get Along?” Retrieved from www.esermons.com

• Brett C. Blair, “Be At Peace with One Another.” Retrieved from www.esermons.com

• King Duncan, “Choices.” Retrieved from www.esermons.com

• Thomas Peterson, “The Needle’s Eye.” Retrieved from www.esermons.com

• Donald Strobe, “Radical Surgery.” Retrieved from www.esermons.com

• Exegesis for Mark 9:38-50. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

• Dr. Keith Wagner, “Salty Believers.” Retrieved from www.lectionary.org

• Pastor Dave Risendal, “Do No Harm.” Retrieved from http://onelittleword.org/?p=7337

• Jude Siciliano, O. P., “First Impressions, 26^th Sunday (B), September 27, 2015.” Retrieved from firstimpressions@lists.opsouth.org