Sermons From My Heart

Hello boys and girls!

How many of you have ever eaten something that didn’t taste very good? What did you do to make the food taste better? Did you put any salt on the food?

Improving the taste of food is one of many uses for salt. Salt is used to keep dyes from washing out so our clothes will always look nice. Salt is also used to make leather, and without it we would not have things such as leather belts. Salt is also used to make plastics, and without salt we would not have toys made out of plastic.

Salt has been important throughout history. In fact, at one time people used to be paid with salt. Because salt has been so important it’s not a surprise that Jesus told us in Mark 9:50 that we are to be like salt to the world. In particular he said, “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other.” What he meant is that we should flavour our world with both our love and Christ’s love. The world needs that love because there is a lot of bitterness and hatred in the world today. He also meant that we should allow him to use us to make the world a better place. If we show Jesus’ love in everything we do, we can do much to reduce bitterness and bring peace to our world.

Let’s bow our heads for a moment of prayer. Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus to flavour the world with his love. Help us to add flavour to our world by letting you use us to make the world a better place. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.

Bibliography

1. “A Pinch of Salt.” Retrieved from www.sermons4kids.com/a_pinch_of_salt.print.htm
2. “Pass the Salt, Please.” Retrieved from www.sermons4kids.com/pass_the_salt.htm

“Look!” exclaimed Tyson as he ran into the house. “I found a bird that can’t fly. Can I keep it, Mom? I found this old cage in the garage.”

Tyson’s mother looked closely at the bird. “It’s a sparrow, Tyson,” she said.

“I suppose you can keep it a few days to see if its wing will heal.”

“Okay.” Tyson nodded. “I’ll let it go soon. Do sparrows sing?”

Mom smiled. “Oh, they cheep and twitter,” she replied.

“Well, I’ll put it right next to Biddy’s cage,” Tyson decided. “Biddy has a beautiful song. She can teach the sparrow to sing.”

A few days later, the sparrow’s wing seemed fine. “Good thing,” Tyson told his mother as he took it out to release it. “Instead of this bird learning to sing like a canary, Biddy’s been starting to sound like the sparrow!”

That afternoon, Tyson’s friend Landon called. After hanging up, Tyson went to find his mother. “Can I go to the mall with Landon?” asked Tyson.

Mom frowned. “I don’t think so,” she said. “What would you do there?”

Tyson shrugged. “Oh, just hang around.”

“Why don’t you ask Landon to come over here to play instead?” suggested Mom. “I think that would be a much better idea. I’ve heard reports about kids getting into trouble at the mall recently.”

“But we wouldn’t!” protested Tyson. “Some of the kids sit outside and smoke, and some of them even steal things. But we just want to watch what’s going on. Besides, maybe we can keep some of them from doing those bad things.”

“Just how would you do that?” asked Mom.

Tyson studied his shoes. “Well, ah . . . just by being with them and showing them it’s better not to do that kind of stuff,” he mumbled.

Mom thoughtfully looked at the canary in its cage. “Remember what happened when you put the sparrow and Biddy side by side?” asked Mom. “The same type of thing often happens when so-called good and bad kids spend too much time together. The bad often influences the good rather than the other way around.” Mom shook her head. “Maybe the Lord will want you to spend a lot of time with undisciplined people some day, but I don’t think you’re ready for that yet. But like I said, you may invite Landon over here.”

Life is a journey that offers two roads for us to take-the wide one of the world that leads to sin and death, and the narrow way that leads to eternal life with God. This is clearly shown in Psalm 1. It expresses praise, prophecy, lament and hope. It moves from the way of the righteous to the way of the ungodly and concludes with their final disposition.

In the words of a famous 18th century British preacher, “The righteous carves his name upon the rock, but the wicked writes his remembrance in the wind. The righteous man plows furrows of earth and sows, and has a harvest here, which shall never be fully reaped until he enters the enjoyments of eternity. But as for the wicked, he plows the sea, and though there may seem to be a shining trail behind his keel, yet the waves shall pass over it, and the place that knew him shall know him no more forever.”

This does not mean that we are to completely avoid unbelievers. This doesn’t even mean that we can’t be friends with unbelievers. On the contrary, God’s Word tells us to reach out to unbelievers and show compassion to those who don’t have a relationship with Jesus. Christ set an example by hanging out with outcasts and sinners. We are to be a Christ-like presence by setting ourselves apart so that our presence may be made known.

The word “blessed” means “happy” or “inward joy is theirs”. An exclamation of strong emotion, it results from deep reflection on a subject. The psalmist paints a picture of the gravitational pull of evil. The “counsel of the ungodly” refers to advice that encourages people to live evil lives without concern for righteousness or obedience to God. The ungodly move from counsel to walking on the path to settling into the seat as they embrace an evil way of life.

Heeding the wisdom of the ungodly leads to identification with sinners, which in turn results in being settled and established in the authority of their judgments. This warning is not to stand in the downward spiral. A blessed man is redeemed from this sin-filled world. The right attitude (delight) will lead to the right action (meditation). If we delight with God, we will want to be with Him. If we delight in God’s Law, we will want to meditate on it. That means keeping a disciplined devotional life.

Complete obedience is a choice to follow God regardless of the consequences. It means that we obey God even if our friends choose a different path or when suffering or embarrassment is guaranteed. Our only criteria for making decisions is this: What does God want me to do?

Before we can answer that question, we must take a look at things from God’s viewpoint. We are often caught in the world’s trap of materialism. We put the emphasis on doing: God puts it on being. We put the emphasis on accomplishment: God puts it on character. In God’s eyes, what we are is far more important than what we will ever do. It doesn’t matter if we are the president of a large corporation or a garbage collector. In God’s eyes, being is more important than doing.

Being blessed or prosperous means more than what we have in our wallets, purses or bank accounts. It can also mean growing up, mature, wholeness or completeness, especially when it comes to faith. A blessed person is described in Psalm 1 as a tree that is planted by the rivers of water. These rivers are like irrigation ditches. As a believer meditates on God’s Word he or she will be continually watered by God’s Word. The tree has attributes of strength, stability and endurance. Supplies of grace drawn from the Word of God are what sustain godly people. They put down roots in Scripture and draw strength from it for their lives. Those who are deeply planted in God’s Word may not be wealthy but they will be fruitful in God’s work, which is true prosperity.

To stand in the judgment of God is a desired outcome here, a symbol of divine approval. The phrase “congregation of the righteous” refers to God’s people-those whose faith is reflected by their delight in God’s Word and who live according to it. On the day of judgment, the wicked will not be left standing with those who love God and strive to obey Him; they will be separated and sentenced to eternal punishment. They will have bitter hopelessness. They will be alienated from both God and believers. They will perish.

Psalm 1 promises blessings for those who follow God’s Word. As I said earlier, this isn’t easy to do. The activities and stimuli of the world seldom stop in our busy lives, and we wonder why we’re so tired. God’s Word will give us the strength we need. We will find this strength when we make God the most important priority in our lives and thoughts and tune out the sights and sounds of the world.

Compromise in life is like what happened after a new city hall and fire station were built on one small town. The residents were proud of the new building, especially since it was a long time coming. Shortly after moving in, strange things began to happen. Several doors wouldn’t close completely and a few windows wouldn’t slide open very easily. Cracks began to appear in the walls. Within a few months the front door couldn’t be locked because the foundation had shifted, and the roof began to leak. After some time the building had to be condemned.

The source of the problem was a controversial coal extraction process called “longwall mining” deep in the earth beneath the foundation. Tons of soil, rock and coal had been removed so that the building sat on a foundation that had no support. Because of this man-made erosion, the building began to sink.

So it is with compromise in life. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, one compromise leads to another, which leads to a series of equally damaging compromises in a life that was once stable, strong and reliable. That was the concern of the writer of Psalm 1. He encourages us to resist even the slightest temptation to compromise our convictions.

God wants us to be fruitful. He wants to change our inner lives so much that a godly way of living flows naturally from what God is doing inside of us. God wants us to replace our old way of thinking. The process starts with mental cleansing, and it begins with reading, studying and memorizing Scripture. The Bible is full of powerful ammunition. For example, Jesus quoted Scripture when He was tempted by Satan in the desert. When we come across statements in Scripture that are meaningful to us, we can personalize them by putting ourselves in the pages of the Bible. When we catch ourselves responding negatively or defensively to situations, we should analyze the situation and ask ourselves why we are bothered by the situation.

God knows that we are easily sidetracked. When we eventually come to God’s Word, we will be delighted when we chew on God’s Word and obey it. Only then will we be blessed. We will be connected to a supply line that will never run dry. The world is not our source of strength-God is. He wants to bless us, and He will bless us if we follow Him and believe in Him.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 707)
2. Williams, D. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 13: Psalms 1-72 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1986; pp. 24-31)
3. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles: 2005)
4. “Song of the Wild.” Retrieved from keys@lists.keysforkids.org
5. “Delighting in Him.” Retrieved from www.dailydisciples.org
6. Victor Robert Farrell, “The Turkish Delight of Listening Obedience.” Retrieved from crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
7. Steve Arterburn, “Priorities.” Retrieved from www.newlife.com
8. Dr. Harold Sala, “The True Mark of a Person.” Retrieved from info@guidelines.org
9. Joel Osteen, “Whatever You Do Will Prosper.” Retrieved from www.joelosteen.com
10. Charles R. Swindoll, “Compromise and Erosion.” Retrieved from www.insightforliving.ca
11. Charles R. Swindoll, “Distinction.” Retrieved from www.insightforliving.ca
12. “A Matter of Maturity.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

1. John North, “Psalm 1:3.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
2. Craig Wexler, “Psalm 1.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu

What is the one human quality that drives us to success while causing all sorts of problems at the same time? It is ambition. Ambition is one of the driving forces in our lives. It propels us to excel in our jobs. It pushes us to reach our goals. It can give us a reason for living. Ambition is one of the tools that the world uses to measure success.

There is another way to measure success-one that is not of this world-and that is the topic of the Gospel reading from Mark 9:30-37. We sometimes think that we can measure success the way the world does. We mistakenly believe that if God receives glory for what we do, then it should be glorious for us also. We must remember God’s faithful servants from the Bible, and we must remember that their situations were far from easy or glamorous. For example:

• Noah built.
• Abraham moved.
• Moses led.
• Josiah restored.
• Rahab protected.
• David conquered.
• Nehemiah repaired.
• Ruth stayed.
• Jeremiah preached.
• The poor widow gave.
• The Apostles went.
• The early church persevered.

Ordinary people did extraordinary things and even though they may have thought their actions were insignificant at the time, the Lord through his word, has allowed us the opportunity to see the role these good people played in the greatest story ever told.

I read a story a few years ago about a couple of school kids. One had gotten into some trouble and was going to have to walk a few laps at recess and wasn’t taking the news very well. Another student who wasn’t even a close friend stepped in to offer encouragement. She informed her peer that she wouldn’t have to walk alone. She would stay by her side, cheering her on the entire time. When the teacher remarked what a wonderful thing she had just done, the student shrugged and replied, “It’s no big deal. It’s what we’re supposed to do.”

Can you image a world if everyone had the same attitude? Can you imagine a church if everyone had that attitude? It’s those Kingdom-minded thinkers who change the world. Those who forgive, love, go the extra mile, and live righteously, not out of a sense of obligation, not because they’re trying to earn their salvation, not to be seen by others, but because that’s what they’re supposed to do.

The Lord might also call us to do simple, humble acts that show compassion toward other people and which display God’s character. These deeds are not done for personal gain. They are done out of an outflow of God’s love in us and for his glory.

Jesus argued that the way to be successful or get ahead in the spiritual world is to become like a child. In Jesus’ time, children and women were seen as little more than property. Little children were considered useless until they were old enough to help with housework. In other words, they were humble and lowly. The child in this passage represents all of God’s people. The greatest people in God’s kingdom are not the rich and the powerful, but the poor and the helpless; not the ones with the most servants, but those who serve others the most. Jesus argued that if we help those who are humble, lowly, poor, or oppressed we will be successful from a heavenly point of view.

The disciples did not realize this. They were still thinking of success in worldly terms. They were concerned with using earthly ambition to get ahead in heaven. Jesus knew that this was what the disciples were talking about, even though they did not answer his question. You see, Jesus knows everything about us-what we think, what we feel, what our thoughts are, etc. He knew what their problem was and he also had the solution. The disciples tried to hide their discussion, but you can’t hide anything from God.

The disciples could not understand the true meaning of power described by Jesus because they were afraid to ask the right questions. Instead of asking how they could better understand and fulfill Jesus’ mission, their main concern was finding out how each of them could become the greatest. The disciples’ attitude was one that Jesus had to address. We have to do the same. If not, we will end up conspiring with sinners to defeat righteousness. God disciplines his children by speaking the truth to power and offering correction. We and the disciples need to learn that the true heavenly power that Jesus inaugurated is in the form of service to others.

It can be difficult for us to let go of our desire to succeed in earthly ways. It is part of our human nature for us to be in control. We want to be independent. We want to be in control of our lives and our goals, and this includes the desire to succeed. We need to let go and let God control our destiny and successes if we want to be first in his eyes. We need to let go of our desire to get ahead and replace it with a desire to serve others, especially the less fortunate.

A good example of this type of success is Franklin Graham. He is the president of Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian relief organization. He got involved with that organization in the 1970s when he was asked by the organization’s founder, Dr. Bob Pierce, to accompany him on relief missions throughout the world. Franklin Graham rose from humble servant to the organization’s president by following God’s path to success. Along the way he became a born-again Christian. Later, he became an associate evangelist with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and eventually President of the Association when his father, The Rev. Billy Graham, stepped down. Franklin Graham once said that God called him to the ditches of the world and his father to the stadiums of the world.

Billy Graham is another example of God’s definition of success. He humbly answered God’s call as a young man and became one of the world’s greatest evangelists, leading untold thousands to Christ while at the same time running the Association and his team of associates in a humble, moral manner.

If Billy Graham and Franklin Graham are examples of God’s definition of success, there is another member of the Graham family who best represents the lowly and suffering people whom God calls us to serve. In her book “In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart”, Billy Graham’s youngest daughter Ruth shares the story of her struggles with two divorces as well as her children’s problems with drugs, rebelliousness, eating disorders and teenage pregnancy. She also shares how all of them were helped by God’s love as shown by concerned friends and family members who were ready, willing and able to help her and her children.

Jesus constantly challenges us to be a servant, to think of others instead of ourselves. If we feel unhappy and unfulfilled in our lives, perhaps it is time to take a long hard look at our lives. We have to ask ourselves if we are I-centered or others-centered, because our decision will affect our eternal destiny. The child in this Gospel passage represents the new birth or new start necessary for real leadership and real life. The road to happiness is the road of service. The way to greatness is not possible without a servant heart, a servant hand, a humble heart and a humble hand. Jesus himself is a good example of the greatness of service and humility. He came to earth as a servant. He humbled himself to the point of death on a cross, and thereby became highly exalted by God.

Some of us might think that serving someone is beneath us or that somehow the act of serving others diminishes us. On the contrary, those who serve the most are the greatest people on earth—and in heaven. Jesus asks us to embrace those who are in need. We are to show concern for the less fortunate. To welcome a child is to welcome one of low status who might not tell anyone else of the welcome or mention the name of the host to others.

Those who would be first must be last. This is the opposite of our ambitious ways, but we have to admit that Jesus was right. Our ambitions are compulsive, suspicious, obsessive, jealous, resentful and full of revenge. The only ambition that truly gives life is the ambition to serve others. In God’s eyes what is important is not what we have to offer, or what we do not have to offer, but who we are. It means relying on God’s strength instead of our own. As God said to Paul in 2 Corinthians 12, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”.

There is an interpretation of Exodus that teaches that Moses not only put the tablets of the law that he received on Mount Sinai into the Ark of the Covenant, but also was commanded by God to add the broken pieces of the first tablets that he broke in anger after seeing the Israelites worshipping a golden calf. The broken and the whole were together in the same ark. Likewise, the broken and the whole are together in the embrace of a loving God. The image of God is upon all of us. If we want to be successful in God’s eyes, we must show the image of a serving, humble God.

Faith is not about a church doctrine or power or privilege. It is about service to others-service to the point of sacrifice. It can be expressed equally through individual actions and experiences as it can be in churchwide attitudes, actions and public declarations. Each and every day we will have the opportunity to show how Christ’s love can bring healing to our hurting world. The only way we can do this clearly is with the greatest humility-just as Jesus did when he set the little child among the disciples.

Bibliography

• Stanley, C.F., The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2009)

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible software package.

• ESV Study Bible. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible software package.

• Graham, Franklin: Rebel With a Cause: Finally Comfortable Being Graham (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1995)

• Graham, Billy: Just As I Am (Toronto, ON: Harper Collins Publishers Ltd.; 1997)

• The Rev. Stephen Lewis, “Insignificant Greatness”. Retrieved from www.day1.org

• Graham, Ruth: In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Inc.; 2004)

• Jim Burns, “The Road to Happiness”. Retrieved from Crosswwalk@crosswalkmail.com

• Pastor Bob Coy, “Down is up”. Retrieved from www.activeword.org

• T.M. Moore, “Truth in Everyday Relationships”. Retrieved from www.colsoncenter.org

• Berni Dymet, ‘The Guillotine”. Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 23th Sunday (B)”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

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

1. MacArthur, J.: MacArthur Study Bible NASB (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.: 2006;2008)
2. Carl L. Schenck, “Ambition”. Retrieved from www.ministrymatters.com/all/article/entry/3075/ambition
3. Alyce M. McKenzie, “Commentary on Mark 9:30-37”. Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching_Print.aspx?commentary_id=393
4. The Rev. Charles Hoffacker, “The Kid from Capernaum”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
5. Dr. Philip W. McLarty, “The Greatest of the Kingdom”. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
6. Rabbi Marc Gellman, “The Broken and the Whole: God Knows and Loves Us All”. Retrieved from www.arcamax.com/religionandspirituality/godsquad/s-1198200
7. John Shearman’s Lectionary Resource, Year B, Season After Pentecost, Proper 20 Ordinary 25. Retrieved from http://lectionary.seemslikegod.org/archives/year-b-season-after-pentecost-proper-20-ordinary-25.html
8. Wycliffe Bible Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible software package.
9. Jamieson-Fawcett-Brown Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible software package.
10. Paula Harrington, “The Big Deal”. Retrieved from http://forthright.net/2012/09/12/the-big-deal/

I want to take you (especially those of you who are older) on a trip down memory lane for a minute. Some of you may remember a famous comedian named Flip Wilson. He had a TV show in the 1970s, and on this show he had such famous characters as Geraldine Jones and Brother Leroy. He also had some famous lines, including one that ties in nicely with the reading we heard from the Book of James earlier in today’s service. That line was, “The devil made me do it!” The characters in Flip Wilson’s comedy routines often blamed the devil for leading them into trouble, and they were partially right. The devil can’t make anyone do anything, but he can definitely tempt us and influence our choices.

The devil is part of earthly wisdom, and James contrasts earthly wisdom and heavenly wisdom. People’s lives reflect the source of their wisdom. There is “earthly, unspiritual, devilish” wisdom that leads to “envy and selfish ambition” in the individual and “disorder and wickedness of every kind” in society. Against this, there is “wisdom from above” that is “first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits…” Trouble arrives, he tells us, when we act based on earthly wisdom and not out of faithfulness to God.

The Letter of James was controversial for much of Christian history, largely because its emphasis on doing good works seemed to clash with parts of Paul’s writings that emphasized salvation by faith alone and not by works. This passage can help us understand that faith in God and charity towards our neighbor are inseparable. It is our faithful adherence to the “wisdom from above” that spurs us to act gently, justly, and in ways that will yield “good fruits.”

If we have a right relationship with God, we will be understanding people and show concern for others, and therefore we will demonstrate heavenly wisdom. Heavenly wisdom is shown through Jesus, available through the Holy Spirit, written in the Bible and delivered in a steady flow from God to us. Heavenly wisdom is the foundation for our Christian lives. When we draw close to God, he will draw closer to us in response. If we put ourselves under God’s control, we will be open to God’s grace. This will be the ultimate challenge for proud people.

If we trust in God’s wisdom, we will be seen as meek. This is not to be confused with the world’s definition of meekness, which is cowardice and passivity. Earthly wisdom comes from sin and Satan. Earthly wisdom causes chaos, self-ambition and the playing of the “blame game.” Peace is the opposite of selfish ambition. If we bring peace, we will harvest a rich crop of righteousness.

Selfish desires cause people to make war against each other, even in the church. For example, James talks about murder taking place in the church. How could that happen? One possible reason is that the rich were taking the poor to court and basically stripping them of all they owned. Without food or the necessities of life, the result was death. In addition, how many churches have been divided because of selfish desires? Some of us may remember the division in the United Church of Canada several years ago when the Church’s General Council decided to allow the ordination of homosexual clergy. That decision caused several individual churches to leave that denomination.

Another example is people who leave a church because they don’t like the Order of Service or the music or the minister or something else. We don’t come to church because of the Order of Service or the music or the minister. We come to church to worship with both God and fellow believers.

We show earthly, sin-filled wisdom when we are estranged from God. James tells us that if we try to get what we want through our own efforts instead of asking God, we will end up being frustrated. Worldly pleasures never satisfy us. They provide short-term pleasure and long-term pain. External conflict is often a sign of internal conflict, because if we are not at peace with ourselves, we are not likely to be at peace with others, especially within the church.

One of the deepest problems in our world is the problem of the human heart. If there were no greed, jealousy, anger, covetousness or any other sin, the world would be a much better place. If we truly loved one another and treated each other with respect, the world would also be a much better place. Unfortunately, this will be wishful thinking unless and until we put others first instead of ourselves. This will be wishful thinking unless and until we seek God’s will for our lives

Wisdom is more than understanding something intellectually. Wisdom must be demonstrated in our Christian lifestyle. Wisdom must be pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruit, without hypocrisy or partiality, and show true justice. This type of wisdom comes only from God. James is concerned with our ability to understand the truth of God’s Word and live it by faith. We do these things by submitting to God, denying ourselves, taking up our crosses daily and humbling ourselves before God. When we humble ourselves before God, we grow closer to him, and when we grow closer to him, offering forgiveness becomes easier over time, our faith will increase and our concern for the spiritual conditions of others will expand. Heavenly wisdom is full of sacrificial earthly action. We must use our circle of influence or friends to make a difference for God. After all, wisdom is not what we know but what we sow.

The main way we humble ourselves before God is through prayer. God makes us ask for what we want and need, even though he already knows what we need and want. He makes us ask because he wants to have fellowship with us, and the only way he can have fellowship with us is for us to talk to him through prayer. Those who humble themselves before God and trust him to provide for their needs will receive his grace. That grace will give us the desire and ability to obey God and respond in a way that pleases him.

Prayer is the lifeblood of our relationship with God, but sometimes we have questions about its power and effectiveness. We will find the answers to those questions when we take them to God, study the Bible for answers and talk to a trusted spiritual mentor. Some of these answers will cause us to question the motives behind our prayers.

God is very concerned with those motives. He’s interested in the state of our hearts. We need to check our motives from time to time. James points out that there are two problems in prayer lives-lack of prayer and wrong motives. Believers don’t get what they ask for when they do not ask or when they ask with selfish motives. Some of us have promised God that we will walk closely with him or that we will spend time in his word only to find that we became busy or tired and therefore broke those promises. We became disappointed with life’s circumstances, so we gave up on the promises we made.

Resisting the devil means that we have submitted to God, and that means going to his word as written in the Bible to counteract our earthly thoughts, feelings and wants. If we obey his word, he will draw near to us, and when that happens, wars will cease. We will not be at war with God, so we will not be at war with ourselves or with others. Prejudice, bitterness, anger and hatred will be uprooted at the foot of the cross. We as Christians must not have any of these things in our hearts because we are all sinners in need of a Saviour in spite of our differences.

Bibliography

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

• David Jeremiah, “Defeating Temptation.” Retrieved from turningpoint@davidjeremiah.org

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

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

• Cedar, P.A. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 34: James/1&2 Peter/ Jude (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1984)

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

• Dr. Charles Stanley, “Spiritually Satisfied.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

• Bayless Conley, “The Motive of Faith.” Retrieved from Christianity.comn@crosswalkmail.com

• Pastor Ed Young, “Make the Most of Your Opportunity.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Coming Back to the Cross.” Retrieved from mydevotional@leadingtheway.org

• Stormie Omartian, “Maturing in Prayer.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

• Dr. Neil Anderson, “Your Position in Christ.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

• Alex Crain, “Not What You Wanted?” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

• Dr. Charles Stanley, “Does Prayer Make a Difference?” Retrieved from Jesus.org@crosswalkmail.com

• Billy Graham, “What is the World’s Greatest Challenge?” Retrieved from www.arcamax.com

• Steve Arterburn, “Fellowship with God.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

Good morning boys and girls! 🙂 It’s been a long time since I’ve seen most of you! How was your summer? Did you do lots of fun stuff?

Did you play lots of sports? How many of you won or were on a team that won? It’s fun to win, isn’t it? Now, who actually lost or was on a team that lost? That wasn’t fun, was it? Everyone likes winning or being first, but no one likes being last or losing.

The disciples felt the same way at times. For example, in Mark 9:30-37, they argued about which one of them would be first in God’s Kingdom. Jesus said that anyone who wants to be first in God’s Kingdom must be last on earth by serving everyone, including the less fortunate.

Do any of you know what an obstacle race is? Well, for those of you who don’t, it’s a race course where at points along the way you have to do things like walk across a log, climb a rope, climb over a wall or run like this through a set of tires.

One day at a church Bible Club party, the teacher announced, “Next we’ll have an obstacle race. Let’s go outside, and I’ll give you the instructions.”

“Cool!” exclaimed Andy. He bolted for the door. “I’m going to win!”

Drew frowned. “Andy always wins,” he muttered. “I never do.”

When everyone was at the starting point, the teacher explained that they all would be following the same course, and they would have to overcome the same obstacles. “At some of them, you’ll find directions that you must follow before you can move on,” the teacher said. Then he blew his whistle, and the kids dashed off.

“I hate crawling,” moaned Drew when he reached a tunnel.

“Me, too,” agreed Tamara. “Guess we’ll be last together.”

“Whoa!” yelled Drew a little later as he slipped off a rail that had to be crossed. “Don’t wait for me. I’m used to being last alone,” he joked.

Drew finally puffed up to the last obstacle–a wall. “Why is everyone just standing here?” he asked when he saw everyone waiting. “What’s the problem?”

Andy frowned and pointed to the directions. “I got here first and have to help everyone over the wall in the opposite order that they got here. You’re the last one, so that means you get to go over the wall first,” he said.

When Andy finally dropped over the wall, all the other kids had already crossed the finish line. He frowned at the teacher. “It’s not fair,” Andy complained. “I was winning, but now I’m last!”

“Hey, Andy, look what I got for coming in first,” said Drew, holding up a trophy. He read aloud the inscription on it. “Many who are first will be last, and the last first.” He grinned. “Thanks for helping me win, Andy.”

The teacher smiled. “You did very well, Andy,” he said, pulling another trophy from a box and handing it to Andy. “This is for your great job at the wall.”

After the kids applauded, Andy read out loud the inscription on his trophy. “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” Andy looked at the teacher. Then he grinned at Drew. “Thanks for helping me win, too, Drew!”

So you see, boys and girls, by helping the other kids during the obstacle race, Andy was a true winner. Jesus would be very proud of him.

Let us bow our heads and close our eyes for a moment of prayer. Dear God, thank you for reminding us that in your eyes, we are first if we help those who need our help. Open our eyes for chances to help other people and show them the love you have for us. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.

Bibliography

1. “No Losers”. Retrieved from keys@lists.cbhministries.org  

Those of us who have been on long trips know that they can wear on us. The longer the trip, the more likely that our patience will grow thin and the more likely it is that we will start complaining about everything. In the case of the reading from Numbers 21:4-9, it was the lack of food and water, and the nature of the food they had that caused the Israelites to complain. The Israelites, upon their escape from Egypt, were in the wilderness between Egypt and God’s promised land. They complained to Moses about the lack of food, water and all the amenities they remembered in Egypt. These memories were false. In reality, the Israelites had to make bricks without straw, while they longed for the food they never really had.

The Israelites were ungrateful. There are only so many ways that quail may be prepared, and although manna is very nice in its way, it presented little variation for the educated tastes of God’s chosen people. They were tired of manna and quail. They wanted something different. We are supposed to side with Moses and God in this matter, but we can also sympathize with the Israelites. If we were on a similar journey with obstacles and that never seemed to end, we would also complain.

Nothing is wrong with being discouraged, but discouragement can lead to something worse. The Israelites first murmured against God and against Moses, and then they began to complain about everything, especially the bread that came from God, and this became outright rebellion. Many Israelites died because of this faithless attitude.

The Israelites needed a sign from God. They needed a reminder that God still cared for them in spite of their wandering in the wilderness. Through the Israelites we see a God who is big enough to hear our prayers and act with mercy, even when we don’t think to bring God into the situation ourselves.

Like the Israelites, when we are tired we are tempted to complain to God and ask, “Why?” The Israelites’ memories were short. They forgot that they were God’s chosen people and the recipients of God’s promise. Something similar happens to us when we find ourselves in hard times with a difficult desert to pass through. We must not forget who God is and what He has done for us, because when we do, we suffer the consequences.

Mark Twain said, “Don’t complain and talk about your problems. Eighty percent of the people won’t care and the other twenty percent will think you deserve them.” But complaining is far worse than just ineffective. It is wrong. Complaining reveals that we are not thankful for the multitude of blessings that we have received. The way God sees complaining is illustrated by the poisonous snakes God sent among the Israelites when they complained. God freed them from slavery, took them across the Red Sea and fed them with manna from heaven, but they still complained.

The dead Israelites and the nasty biting snakes were more than enough to convince people that their demands went too far. They asked Moses to pray to God to take the snakes away from them. When Moses prayed, God told him to make a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. Anyone who was bitten could look at the bronze serpent and live.

The bronze snake had power because God gave it power. The Israelites were healed because by turning to the snake they were also turned in faith to God. They trusted God would continue to care for them. Consequently, they did what they were supposed to do-live in relationship with God.

When I was doing the research for this message, I found out how bronze is made. Bronze is an alloy that consists of about 90% copper and 10% tin. Starting out with added arsenic (which is a poison that can kill), as it is heated in the furnace, the fumes become toxic. When the furnace reaches a certain heat, the copper and the tin become a completely different material. The copper and tin can never be separated again, and bronze is a material that can’t be found naturally.

Copper represents Jesus as the divine Son of God, but that isn’t enough by itself. Tin represents Jesus as the Son of Man, who became sin for us. Jesus endured the furnace of affliction on the cross, and from that moment something changed forever as the ‘copper’ and the ‘tin’ came together. Something eternal happened, symbolized by the ‘bronze’ of Jesus on the cross. When people look to the cross they no longer die as a result of the snake bite of sin.

Jesus was also lifted up on a pole in the midst of the people. It was an offensive sight. It made no sense. The image of death proclaimed the gift of new life. The image of Jesus on a cross became His main purpose. Everything He said and did pointed to the cross and His victory over sin and death. His victory made us right with God and blessed us with new life.

In Jesus, we learn about the heart of God-a heart that is filled with justice and mercy. He calls for our obedience and lavishes us with the gift of forgiveness. From Jesus we receive the call to hold the same purposes at the centre of our lives. Everything we do, say and think becomes a chance for us to point to the cross and proclaim that in this symbol of death and destruction can be found the source of forgiveness, the gift of new life and the hope of eternity.

This story shows two aspects of the nature of sin. On the one hand, in the fact that the Israelites were bitten by serpents, Jesus means to tell us that sin is like the bite of a poisonous serpent. It causes terrible wounds on our souls. Sinners have an urgent need to be healed. With snake bites, time is critical if a life is to be saved. This calls forth the compassion and pity of God and the tender care of the Great Physician. On the other hand, in the fact that the serpents were sent to Israel as a punishment for their murmurings and rebelliousness, Jesus means to tell us that sin is a revolt against God and His good and perfect will.

The snake was a symbol of all that repelled the people of Israel. As such, the bronze serpent on top a pole was a dramatic, horrific symbol. Yet only those who would look at it would live. The serpent on the pole was a symbol both of God’s judgment against the Israelites’ sins and of His loving mercy for all those who repented. Like the cross, the bronze serpent was for all but effective only for those who truly believed in Him. In Jesus, God became the earthly material of flesh. From this earthly material He became the source of our problem (sin). Now, when we look upon this flesh, which had taken on sin to such a degree that He became sin on our behalf, we are healed.

The snake on a pole has the effect of Christ on the cross-visually horrible, but the only means of salvation. Moses kept the bronze figure as a reminder of the people’s sin and God’s provision. Eventually, however, in 2 Kings 18:1-4, Hezekiah destroyed the serpent because the people had turned it into an idol.

Even in the wilderness God responded to the needs of the Israelites. Their protests were answered and their cries were heard. There was a gift of healing where the pain experienced was the sharpest. Deliverance came in the very presence of the enemy. The death-dealing forces of chaos were nailed to the pole.

The bronze serpent was carried to Jerusalem and placed in the temple. The snakes were gradually domesticated. As I mentioned earlier, the pole was destroyed. It had to reappear in another godforsaken place, high on a hill overlooking the holy city. God himself took to the pole. Once for all, so that all those who know that they are dying in the wilderness called sin-filled lives can be healed.

By looking at the bronze serpent, the people lived. They were healed. They were saved. By believing in Jesus, who was lifted up on the cross, we receive eternal life. It isn’t magic. The cross isn’t a totem. Both the bronze serpent and the cross of Jesus are signs of healing. In both cases, the result is life. They bring healing, wholeness and life itself. When we lift our eyes to the cross, we see our salvation. In him, we are healed. In him, we find the source of patience in the midst of challenging times.

Times of trouble may be difficult to bear, but they are temporary. They call for trust that the God who provided in the past is more than able to get us through the times of trouble while we travel to the promised future. The cross reminds us that God is in charge and has a plan for our ultimate well-being. We can trust the God who has made a promise to us. Through the cross He guarantees that this promise will be fulfilled.

We may look down at ourselves and become hopelessly discouraged or choose to look up and live. If we are worried that like the Israelites our promises have been ropes of sand and we’re afraid that God will turn a deaf ear to us because our words of repentance seem hollow, we should remember this Proverb: “Years of repentance are necessary in order to blot out a sin in the eyes of men, but one tear of repentance suffices with God.” All we have to do is “look up and live.”

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 202)
2. Philip, J. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 4: Numbers (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.’ 19897; pp. 215-218)
3. Dr. Randy White, “The Bronze Serpent.” Retrieved from www.randywhiteministries.org
4. Dr. Paul Chappell, “Stop Complaining.” Retrieved from daily@dailyintheword.org
5. Pastor David J. Risendal, “Jesus: A Life of Purpose.” Retrieved from www.OneLittleWord.org
6. “Look Up and Live.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
7. Sarah Bane, “Numbers 21:4-9” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu
8. John C. Holbert, “Of Snakes and Things: Lectionary Reflections on Numbers 21:4-9.” Retrieved from www.patheos.com/progressive-christian/of-snakes-and-things-john-c/holbert
9. Terrence E. Fretheim, “Commentary on Numbers 21:4-9.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=264
10. “The Meaning Behind the Bronze Serpent.” Retrieved form info@seedsofthekingdom.net  

Who likes getting gifts? I certainly do.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“What do you mean?” Dad asked.

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

Dad smiled. “Good thinking,” he approved.

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

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

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

Bibliography

• “The Greatest Gift of All.” Retrieved from www.Sermons4Kids.com

• “Rescued.” Retrieved from newsletter@cbhministries.org.

• Real Life Devotional Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zonderkidz; 2008)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bibliography

• Lectionary Homiletics, Volume XXIII, No. 4 (St. Paul, MN: Luther Seminary; 2012; pp.1-9)

• Craig Condon, “The Three Musketeers-Father, Son and Holy Spirit”. Sermon on John 16:12-15

• Craig Condon, “No Greater Love”. Sermon on John 3:1-17

• Alan Smith, “Both Born and Adopted”. Retrieved from thought-gor-the-day@hub.xc.org

• Gerrit J. Bomhof, “Wind”. Retrieved from today@thisistoday.net

• John Piper, “The Free Will of the Wind”. Retrieved from www.desiringgod.org

• Richard Innes, “Do Good People Go Into Heaven, Part II”. Retrieved from www.actsweb.org

1. 1. Dr. Charles Stanley, “Why Did Jesus Have to Die?” Retrieved from www.intouch.org
   2. Steve Arterburn, “Never Too Late”. Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Anne Graham Lotz, “A Spiritual Implant”. Retrieved from angelmin.info@angelministries.org

1. Pete Briscoe, “Is It About Your Behavior or Your Being?” retrieved from crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
2. The Rev. Dr. Fred R. Anderson, PCUSA, “The Threefold Nature of God”. Retrieved from www.day1.org
3. Exegesis for John 3:1-17. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com
4. Dr. Charles Stanley, “Jesus Christ, the Seeking Savior”. Retrieved from In_Touch_With_Dr_Charles_Stanley@crosswalkmail.com
5. Jim Burns, “New Life”. Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
6. The Rev. Dr. David Lose, ELCA, “Like It or Not”. Retrieved from www.day1.org
7. Wycliffe Bible Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible software package.
8. ESV Study Bible. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible software package.
9. Albert Mohler, “Does Doctrine Matter?” Retrieved from Jesus.org@crosswalkmail.com
10. C.H. Spurgeon, “Spurgeon at the Metropolitan Tabernacle”. Retrieved from Biblegateway@lists.biblegateway.com
11. Daniel Clendenin, PhD, “The Infinite God as Truly Intimate”. Retrieved from www.journeywithjesus.net
12. Roland McGregor, “McGregorPage #820, Trinity Sunday, 6/3/12”. Retrieved from mcgregorpage-bounces@mcgregorpage.org
13. The Rev. Dr. Thomas G. Long, PCUSA, “The Start of the Trail”. Retrieved from www.day1.org/3832-the_start_of_the_trail.print
14. John Shearman’s Lectionary Resource, Year B, Season after Pentecost, Trinity Sunday. Retrieved from http://lectionary.seemslikegod,org

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bibliography

• 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)

1. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NKJV (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
2. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006
3. Paul Estabrooks, “The Cross-Choosing to Follow Jesus.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
4. Rick Warren, “You’re Happiest when You Give Your Life Away.” Retrieved from connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com
5. Exegesis for Mark 8:24-38. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
6. Pastor Ken Klaus, “Let Us Follow Jesus.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org
7. Steve Arterburn, “Will You Have a Ride?” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
8. Pastor Dave Risendal, “What does it mean to be a Christian?” Retrieved from donotreply@wordpress.com 

Have you ever noticed that Jesus often does things that we don’t expect him to do? Take the stories we read in Mark 7:24-37, for example. He does two things that we don’t expect him to do.

First, Jesus gave an uncharacteristically rude and abrupt reply to the woman’s request for her daughter to be healed. Jesus is often portrayed as a gentle, kind and caring person, but in this case he gave a harsh response. The woman made a bold move by approaching Jesus in the first place. At that time, women did not boldly approach men. She was also bold by continuing to engage him when he attempted to dismiss her because she was a Gentile.

There was a reason for his reaction. He wanted to encourage the woman to keep asking him to cast the demons out of her daughter. This should remind us that God doesn’t always answer prayer right away, and sometimes he doesn’t answer prayers in the way we want him to answer them. Sometimes he says, “yes’”, sometimes he says, “no,” sometimes he says “not right now,” and sometimes he says, “no, I have something even better in mind for you.”

The Jews hated the Gentiles and referred to them as “dogs.” In Jewish households at that time, people ate with their fingers and then wiped their hands with a piece of bread, which was given to their pet dogs to eat. Since dogs were considered to be unclean, Gentiles and dogs were on the same level in Jewish society. Dogs also ate any crumbs that were dropped from the table. When the woman referred to dogs eating the crumbs from the table, she meant that the Gentiles would accept any scraps from Jesus’s initial ministry to the Jews. Because of the woman’s faith, Jesus healed her daughter without seeing her or touching her.

Jesus was right when he told the woman that he was sent to minister first to the people of Israel, but there would come a time when his ministry of God’s salvation would be extended to the whole world. After all, Jesus was in Gentile territory, and even in Gentile territory his fame preceded him, so he could not move about in anonymity.

The woman with the demon-possessed daughter knew that Jesus’ first earthly ministry was to the Jews. She was willing to accept this, and she was willing to be called a dog, but her love for her daughter was so great that she was willing to endure Jesus’ harsh remarks. She did not give up, and neither should we. When we persist in spite of harsh treatment and ridicule, Jesus will meet us at our point of need and bless us richly. Everyone who accepts Jesus as Lord will never be turned away.

God sometimes tests our faith for various reasons, just like Jesus tested the woman’s faith with his rude reply. The reasons for these tests range from strengthening our faith to teaching us something. When Jesus was abrupt with the woman, he was testing her faith. Jesus and life can be hard teachers at times. They give the test first and then they teach the lesson. Our response to their tests influences our character, faith and future. By the way, the woman passed her test with flying colours!

Sometimes the life of faith doesn’t turn out the way we want it to. When this happens, we must continue to believe not only because we want to, but because we have to. Jesus is the only one we can rely on in our deepest sadness. Jesus is the only one we can hope in when all hope is lost. Jesus is the only one we can seek out, fall at his feet and ask for even just a small amount of help. Jesus can take our belief and call it faith.

Another way Jesus surprised the people was by healing the deaf man who had a speech impediment. He healed the man in a very personal way-by touching him. Such a miracle was expected of the Messiah, but the fact that this miracle would be done for a Gentile was a complete surprise. By healing the deaf man, Jesus’ popularity reached a new high. He told both the man and the crowd not to tell anyone about what happened (because it was not time for his ministry to be extended to the Gentiles), but they disobeyed him.

In Jesus’ time, sickness was thought to be the result of sin. When Jesus touched the deaf man, he touched someone whom many people considered to be a sinner. Jesus came a long way physically, religiously and socially to get to this man, open his ears and loosen his tongue. By healing the deaf man and the woman’s daughter, Jesus reached out to people who were eager to hear him.

Jesus is for everyone, but what really matters is our relationship with God. Part of that relationship includes regular prayer time with God. How we pray does not matter. For example, it is the custom today for people to close their eyes and bow their heads when they pray, but when Jesus healed the deaf man, he looked to heaven when he prayed. There are no standards or postures for prayer. Prayer is about a person’s heart.

Heaven was the source of Jesus’ power. If we want to see God’s presence at work, we must look at the power behind a miracle, and that power is God. All miracles are God’s blessings. If we meet the needs of other people, we can be a part of God’s miracles in their lives.

Jesus took the deaf man aside as an act of common courtesy. He does not want to embarrass anyone. People’s feelings were important to him. He was sensitive to the deaf man, just like he is sensitive to the cues of everyone he deals with. He reads the situation and acts accordingly. We need to follow his example when we deal with hurting people in our world.

When the deaf man was healed, the people saw God at work in Jesus. They confessed that Jesus was the Messiah. Mark uses this to lead us to the point where we will also confess that Jesus is the Son of God and his Gospel is the Good News of salvation for everyone.

There are a lot of similarities between the deaf man and the disciples. The man could not hear or speak properly, and the disciples could not understand what Jesus was telling them. Because they could not understand what Jesus said and did, their proclamation of the Good News was hampered. They needed Jesus’ touch so that they could see, hear and understand.

We also need Jesus’ touch so we can understand. The church often experiences the same failings. For example, many preachers proclaim the Prosperity Gospel by telling people that all they have to do to become rich is believe when they really need to tell the people to take up their cross and follow Jesus. The church also tolerates any divisions within its midst because crossing these dividing lines makes people uncomfortable. Jesus crossed all sorts of racial, religious and other boundaries during his ministry, and he calls on us to cross those same boundaries today. Jesus’ commitment to enter Gentile territory shows his commitment to those who are different, and he calls on us to share that same commitment.

Our worship agenda is too often “what we get out of it.” In other words, we are concerned more with God serving us that we are with us serving God. We need to recover our ability to be astonished, especially our ability to be astonished by the wonderful things Jesus does in our lives today. The miracles we read about in the Bible seem to be so remote to us, but Jesus still works miracles and changes lives. We need to open our eyes, ears and hearts to the wondrous things of God that are happening all around us. Then, we need to bring a friend to Jesus either in person or in our prayers.

The deaf man represents each and every one of us, and the miracle of his healing applies to each and every one of us. Just as Jesus opened the ears of the deaf man to hear physical sound, he opens our ears to hear the gospel message. Just as he opened the eyes of the blind, he opens our spiritual eyes to see by the light of faith. Just as he cast out demons, he casts out anything that would hinder our Christian journey. We are often deaf to the pleas of those around us, especially the pleas of the poor, the hungry, and the oppressed. We have to open our lives to everyone and listen carefully to what they have to tell us. Listening means that we do not plan our answers while they are talking. Listening means hearing them out without the obligation to give advice or provide them with a solution. When we hear God’s Word we must speak it plainly to a world that has turned a deaf ear to Christianity. When we do, we might just be pleasantly surprised by the reaction we will get.

Bibliography

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

1. Fr. John Boll, “First Impressions, 23 Sunday (B).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
2. ESV Study Bible. Part of Wordsearch 10 Bible software package.
3. McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 25: Mark (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)
4. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible, NKJV (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
5. Macarthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible, NASV (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
6. Lucado, M: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 2010)
7. Exegesis for Mark 7:24-37. Retrieved from www.lectionary.org.
8. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 23^rd Sunday of Ordinary Time (B).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
9. The Rev. Janet Hatt, “A Young Man Named Pablo and the Syrophoenician Woman.” Retrieved from http://dancingwiththeword.com/
10. The Rev. Dr. Charlene Han Powell, “Desperate Belief.” Retrieved from http://day1.0rg/6783-desperate_belief.print.