Sermons From My Heart

We all have certain core traditions and beliefs that are important to us. They make us who we are, they define our own behaviours and the way we think other people should behave. That is what lies behind the Gospel passage from Mark that we heard a few minutes ago.

As usual, the Pharisees and Jesus were having a difference of opinion. The Pharisees were upset because Jesus and his disciples did not take part in the Jewish hand-washing ritual before they ate. To the Pharisees, Jesus and his disciples committed a “sin”.

The Pharisees were not the only people who get upset when traditions are not followed. We get upset when people do not follow our “traditions”. We sometimes have to part with our traditions, and that is not always easy for us to accept. That is one reason why in recent years some congregations have left the Anglican Church of Canada. They were not able to accept changes such as the introduction of the Book of Alternative Services or the blessing of same-sex unions. To them, the status quo is the only way to go.

One example is the belief that people who go to church have to wear their very best clothes. I can tell you that it is BUNK! Just look around at the people sitting next to you. Some are dressed up, but some are wearing casual, everyday clothes. Some also believe that ministers have to wear clerical suits and collars all of the time, even under their robes on Sunday morning. Well folks, I hate to disappoint you, but I know a lot of ministers who don’t even wear a suit and tie, let alone a clerical suit and collar. Even I don’t wear my “Sunday Best’ clothes under my robes all of the time, especially during the warm summer weather.

We must not think that the Pharisees are completely bad. They were dedicated to obeying and pleasing God, and that desire led to distinctive practices such as kosher food and circumcision. These practices helped them to keep their identity as God’s chosen people in a pagan world. Their traditions grew out of a need to keep their identity.

Even though the Jewish law was quite detailed, it left room for interpretation in many cases. The Pharisees used their desire to obey God to create rules to clarify the law in these situations. Over time these rules became so hard and fast that they became a surrogate law that the Jewish leaders regarded as being equal to Scripture. They lost sight of the difference between God’s law and their opinion. Jesus said that this was their sin. Jesus did not condemn all tradition. He only condemned those traditions that were elevated to sacred status. The church is responsible for preserving tradition, but it must make a clear distinction between essential scriptural teachings and non-essential traditions.

When he responded to the Pharisees’ question, Jesus went right to the heart of the issue. The Pharisees wanted to hold on to human tradition at all costs when they should have been more concerned with teaching God’s deeper requirements of love, compassion and justice. God is more concerned with a spiritual cleansing and purifying. If our hearts have been purified, our prayer and behaviour will be in line with what God wants. If we act out of good hearts we will know how to behave even if we don’t know the exact rule for a particular situation.

While a sense of tradition is desirable and necessary at times, a problem occurs when tradition is substituted for true worship or true faith. When the actions associated with our traditions become more important than the meaning of the traditions, we can get sidetracked. The Pharisees were more concerned with strict observance of Jewish laws than they were about true faith in God. The Pharisees were concerned about keeping God’s people distinct and keeping them from becoming assimilated with the larger culture. This effort to be distinct included rigid observance of rules, but the observance of rules covered up their lack of inward love and devotion. They were concerned about not letting germs and pollution go into their bodies, but Jesus said that they and we should be more concerned about the filth that comes out of our mouths-lying, cheating, etc. The Pharisees were concerned about the letter of the law including their rules and regulations, but Jesus emphasized the spirit of the law. We must beware of Christian leaders who appear to be very religious by their actions, but who are really glorifying themselves instead of glorifying God. We should never honour anyone above God. Only he is truly worthy of our praise.

Each and every one of us has a heart problem, and not just a physical one. The heart is a fountain out of which much that affects our lives flows. If the heart is affected by sin, it becomes deceitful and wicked. Therefore, the heart is a source of most of the evil that defiles man. The world is enticing, but for its pull to work, we have to want what it is offering. We do the stupid stuff that we do because it is our human nature. We have to be aware of our sinful nature. When we give in to temptation, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

What we eat and drink can’t hurt and defile us. Only what comes out of us-ungodly words and actions-can defile us. Jesus wants us and his disciples to see that the core issue always comes down to what is in the heart. Ritual external purity is not necessarily the same as genuine interior piety. We are being hypocrites if we vainly honour God with our lips while our hearts are estranged from him. The source of defilement is more internal than external. It is more about who we are than foods or filth we avoid. Jesus defined true piety as a commitment from the heart totally dedicated to loving service of God and for others. Listening and doing are two different things.

Some people who attend church are like that. They carry their Bibles, they bring their offering, they sing every hymn and they listen to every word the preacher says, but it doesn’t change anything in their hearts. They look good on the outside, but their goodness is only skin deep. Their worship is for appearance only and is not from the heart.

That does mean that we cannot be hurt by what comes into our bodies. The obvious sources are smoke, pollution and poor diet, but we can also be defiled from the outside by the environment that we live in. I’m reminded of the example our former Rector gave in one of his sermons a few years ago. He was talking about a discussion he had with his sons one day about how the choices they make can affect their lives. He said, “You are who you associate with” and that is true. For example, if you live in an area with a high rate of crime, chances are that you will either be seen as criminal or become a criminal if you are not careful.

When God looks at us, the first thing he sees is the state of our heart. God doesn’t care about what we look like on the outside. He’s more concerned about what’s on the inside. He has more sympathy and compassion for a poor beggar in rags who has true faith than he does for rich rulers who wear fine clothes but have rotten hearts and souls. If we don’t take time to have our hearts purified by God once in awhile, we won’t be able to receive his blessings.

Jesus argued that the observance of purity was not needed because the kingdom of God is for everyone-Jews, Gentiles, those who would observe the purity laws and those who could not keep them. Everyone is equal before God.

Those who are ‘holier than thou’ often have the belief that they can judge others. When that attitude is observed from afar, it is not pretty. It reeks of a superficial, survivalistic and hateful attitude. These people are often the same people who on the surface observe sacred rituals. They have no inward disposition towards God-hence Jesus’ reference to the filth that comes from the inside.

Jesus sets us free to look at ourselves and see our internal, sinful nature. We are free to accept the grace to choose God’s mercy, but we can’t admit that we need outside help. We need outside help to take in goodness and bear good fruit. If our hearts belong to God, nothing else matters.

When people equate tradition with the Law, problems come up. The Pharisees have made the Law more important than God’s rules, just like many of us have made our traditions more important than true faith in God. The Protestant reformation was fueled in part by the desire to break free from corrupt Roman Catholic traditions and rules and get back to true worship of God. Jesus argued that not all of the Pharisees’ rules had to be obeyed. All we have to do is love God with our hearts, not our heads.

We have to ask ourselves what the interests of God are, and what does God think about the way we live our lives. Does the way we live our lives reflect a way of life that is in sync with God and his plan for our lives? While our Christianity should shape our behaviour, it runs deeper than our behaviour. It has implications for how we live our lives, but it is also mysticism before it is morality, faith before it is action, the seed of a new life before it is the fruit of that new life.

Those who would serve the interests of God can do so by giving expression to joy in their lives. Those who feel God’s love have much to offer the hurting and disconnected in our world.

Bibliography

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

• Bayless Conley, “Clean and Committed”. Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Les Lamborn, “Lip Service”. Retrieved from www.rbc.org

• Mark D. Roberts “Defiled from the Inside Out”. Retrieved from www.TheHighCalling.org

• Greg Laurie, “Frenemies”. Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Exegesis for Mark 7:10-8, 14-15, 21-23. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com

• Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 22^nd Sunday (B)”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

• Wycliffe Bible Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible Software package.

1. McKenna, D.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 25: Mark (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)
2. The Very Rev. Samuel G. Candler, “Why Don’t You Wash Your Hands?” Retrieved from www.day1.org
3. The Rev. D. Francis Wade, “What Matters to God?” Retrieved from www.day1.org
4. Matt Skinner, “Commentary on Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23”. Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching_print.aspx?commentary_id=1381
5. The Rev. Beth Quick, “Lectionary Notes-Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost” Retrieved from www.bethquick.com/pentecost13bnotes.htm
6. The Rev. Beth Quick, “Being 7 Doing’. Retrieved from www.bethquick.com/sermon8-31-03.htm
7. John Shearman’s Lectionary Resource, Year B, Season after Pentecost, Proper 17 Ordinary 22. Retrieved from http://lectionary.seemslikegod,org/archives/year-b-season-after-pentecost-proper-17-ordinary-22.html
8. Daniel B. Clendenin, PhD, “Religious Faith” Worthless or Faultless?” Retrieved from http://www.journeywithjesus.net/index.shtml?view=print
9. “’Skin Deep’ or from the Heart?” Retrieved from http://sermons4kids.com/skin_deep_print.html

In the passage from James 1:17-27, James talks about the goodness of God. God doesn’t tempt us to do evil things, but he often uses life’s challenges to strengthen and perfect us. In the process we become more like God.

Instead of tempting us to do evil things, God gives us good gifts. The phrase “Father of lights” reminds us of God’s unchanging nature. The God who put the stars, sun and moon in their places faithfully presides over our lives and provides everything good, and we must thank him for these gifts. As the old hymn which we often sing on Thanksgiving Sunday says, “All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above…”

In order to receive every good gift from God, we must prepare ourselves to hear God’s Word, especially in times of trial. When we prepare ourselves to hear God’s Word, it will give us a fresh start in life. We prepare ourselves by concentrating our attention, controlling our tongues, containing our anger and cleansing our lives of sin. Wrath doesn’t promote the work of God or God’s righteousness. In fact, wrath violates God’s standard of conduct for believers.

Sin is not compatible with receiving God’s Word. It prevents God’s Word from reaching a person’s heart. God’s Word should be welcomed in the heart, received with anticipation like a love letter, and read with a desire to put its words and commands into practice. James warns his readers about the dangers of sin and deception. An unbridled tongue makes a person’s testimony useless. God will help us control our tongues and our anger. Our words reveal our true personality. Are we a person of God or a person of evil?

A good example of someone who could not control his tongue is the apostle Peter. He had no problem telling anyone what was on his mind or how he felt. That got him into trouble on more than one occasion. For example , in Matthew 16:17-23, he first spoke for God when he said that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living God, but moments later he spoke for Satan and Jesus had to rebuke him by saying, Get behind me, Satan!”

The world can easily deceive us. Many times when something is presented to us by sources that we believe to be reliable, we will believe it without asking any questions. This is especially true for the lies of Satan, and these lies often lead us into false beliefs. We must not be fooled by what the world says is true. We must focus on what God says is true and trust in him. We must actively study the Scriptures regularly to find God’s truths and then apply these truths to transform our daily lives, especially if we are called on to preach and teach God’s Word. God knows what we need, so when we study the Scriptures he will give us encouragement when we are struggling, rebuke us when we are rebelling, challenge us when we need to step forward in faith and warn us when we are heading down the wrong path.

Simply listening to God’s Word has no lasting value. When we open the Bible, we must plan to do what it says. The Bible is more than a book to carry to church. It gives its readers a way to follow the heart of God and the footsteps of Jesus. God wants us to go beyond merely hearing the word to obeying the word. Casual hearers simply glance at the highlights of God’s Word and continue on their way like tourists. Careful believers mine God’s Word and find new, life-changing treasures. The Bible must have a continuing effect on the life of a believer.

Many Christians within the church today have the same problem as casual hearers of God’s Word. They are spectators who enjoy hearing the Word of God preached and taught every Sunday. Their heads are filled with biblical knowledge and facts, but they fail to put that knowledge into godly living. Their spiritual heads get fatter and fatter while their spiritual bodies waste away because they are not being used, just like a human body gets flabby or wastes away when it’s not used. These people are spiritual freaks who are of little value to themselves, the church or the world. James refers to them as being deceived. They have deceived themselves by hearing the word but not applying it in their daily lives.

Pure and faultless religion is marked by personal ministry. We must respond to the needs of others as Christ did. Pure and faultless religion is also marked by personal purity. We must not be corrupted by the world. Pure and faultless religion is a delicate balance between the positive and the negative. Genuine faith denies the self, takes risks, loves others and always seeks to please God. Believers are enabled by the Holy Spirit to obey God’s law. They are freed from the bondage of sin and enabled to obey God. They can give thanks to God.

Jesus equates the treatment of people in distress with how people treat him. This is the true test of faith. We must conduct our earthly lives in such a way as to not be ashamed to face the Lord. We must be compassionately involved with the problems of the world while remaining holy at the same time. The world is the ordered system that is under Satan’s control. It is opposed to God’s purposes.

We as Christians must show our love to everyone— not just to those who can benefit us but also to those who can’t help anyone. We will be known for our love to those who have been hurt or who have had their hopes and dreams shattered. Christ’s love should encourage us to love God and love people. Our actions must be motivated by Christ himself and not by what we do, say, think or want. Our attitude towards others shows our true attitude toward God. Our actions speak louder than our words, and a relationship with a living God calls for us to do something. We need to get our hands dirty and get into the filth of human pain and sadness while at the same time not allowing that same filth to contaminate us. Failure to help those who need our help means that we risk becoming defiled and impure. Everyone God sends our way is really seeking his listening, compassionate heart at work through us.

If we want to be help others, we can start by being good listeners. Quick solutions seldom make people feel better. They need solutions that can only come by listening carefully with an open mind and an open heart. We must listen to others in the same way that God listens to us. When we are generous to others, our gifts are not based on the person’s actions. We reflect the love of a God who delights in giving to those he loves.

If we want to know if we are putting God first in our lives, we must ask ourselves where we turn when we have a decision to make, a problem to resolve or we need guidance. Do we turn to other people or our desires first, or do we turn to God, his word and his principles? God speaks of the riches of his mercy as shown through Jesus Christ. God broadcasts his forgiveness and his love. He proclaims the wonder of redemption and calls on us to repent and come near to him. He is available at all times to hear our prayers, to listen to our concerns and to be touched by the nonverbal communication of our feelings. In return, we must be increasingly acquainted with the voice of God. We must follow God each and every day. We are called on to live out God’s love for us and share that love with the world.

Bibliography

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

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

• 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)

• Pastor Ken Klaus, “Draw Us to Thee.” Retrieved from lh_min@lhm.org

• Billy Graham, “Can God Help My Depressed Sister?” Retrieved from www.arcamax.com\

• Pastor Rick Warren, “How to Get Better Reception of God’s Word.” Retrieved from connect@newsletter.purposedriven.com

• Dr. Gary Chapman, “Good Gifts.” Retrieved from Oneplace@crosswalkmail.com

• Dr. Neil Anderson, “Indiscriminate Expression of Emotions.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

• Michael Youssef, Ph.D.,” Dead Faith or Living Faith?” Retrieved from mydevotional@leadingtheway.org

• Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “Becoming Doers of the Word.” Retrieved from mydevotional@leadingtheway.org

• Dr. Neil Anderson, “Modeling Growth.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

• David Jeremiah, “Angry Birds.” Retrieved from turningpoint@davidjeremiah.org

• Bills Graham, “What Would You Tell a Foreigner About Thanksgiving?” Retrieved from www.arcamax.com

• Mike Pohlman, “Being Quick to Listen in a World of Talk.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

• Richard Inness, “Ask Not What God Can Do for You.” Retrieved from acts@actsweb.org

• Mary Southerland, “Do Wrinkles Make You Die?” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com 

Psalm 84 expresses the joy of a pilgrim traveling up to Jerusalem, then up to the temple to celebrate one of the feasts. The pilgrim focuses his attention especially on the thought of being in the very presence of God.

In Old Testament times the pagan gods had their palaces or temples where their lived. Their images could be seen and worshiped there. Their followers would go to these houses to visit them. Their priests cared for them and made certain that proper worship was offered in their temples on behalf of the people.

On the other hand, God didn’t really live in the temple in Jerusalem. He granted the gift of His presence in the temple, but that presence could be removed. Moreover, when Solomon dedicated the temple, he said in 1 Kings 8:27, “But will God indeed dwell on earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of the heavens cannot contain you. How much less this temple which I have built!”

Nevertheless, when the Jews prayed they prayed facing Jerusalem. Jesus called the temple “My Father’s house” in John 2:16. To go to the temple was to seek the presence of God. While it couldn’t contain Him, It was a place where He could be found. The temple was a copy of heaven itself where all who believe will be home forever. Thus the earthly sanctuary reflected the heavenly sanctuary where Jesus went after making the final sacrifice upon the cross for our sins.

It’s inspiring to read a psalm like this that celebrates being in God’s presence. Although we may not always recognize it, we all feel that longing for connection with God. The writer of Psalm 84 longed for God’s house, delighted in God’s house and blessed the pilgrimage to God’s house. The temple was not an end. It was a means to the end of being in the very presence of God. Thus his longing for God’s house became a longing for God. It was a longing for the God who lived there.

Jesus loved the temple, His Father’s house. He was upset and longed for its purity and holiness. At the same time, He spoke harsh words of judgment upon it and knew that His resurrection body would be the living temple through which we would have access to the Father.

The psalmist possessed a deep-seated longing to experience more of God’s glory, more of God’s presence in his life. The phrase, “My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God” is not an artificial excitement but the joyous reality of living in God’s presence.

If the psalmist had only one day to live, he would rather be the lowly doorkeeper in the house of God than enjoy all the wealth and luxury of evil. He would rather be found serving the Lord than serving himself. The psalmist spoke of a set of values that is totally the opposite to the world’s values. The world values success, riches and status. A doorkeeper has none of these. But the psalmist has the joy of serving, pouring out life to help others in God’s name.

The phrase “My God” implies a sense of devotion to God. It is the quality of life before God, rather than the quantity of life, that fulfills us. It isn’t the beauty of the place that attracts the psalmist but the beauty of the person. In this case, the psalmist was attracted to the beauty of God. Similarly we were made for an intimate relationship with God. Anywhere with Him is better than anywhere else without Him. We find deep and ultimate satisfaction only in Him.

God’s blessing and the response of praise are not merely reserved for this life. They characterize heaven too. To be in the temple is to experience God’s blessing. To be on the road to the temple there is to be similarly blessed. The same blessing is given to any one whose strength is in the Lord.

When was the last time you longed to go to church with the same intense desire that the psalmist had to go to the temple and worship God? As the church is being renewed today, Jesus’ grace and glory are especially being experienced in worship. Like Israel of old, as we gather in His name and direct our sustained praises to Him, His Spirit descends and His presence is in our midst. Jesus is here, and we are saved, healed and delivered from our enemies.

The person who trusts in the Lord throws his weight upon Him and rests in Him. To go to the temple, like going to God, is to find our whole selves, soul, heart and flesh, refreshed by the living God. Our true dwelling place is with God. Our homesickness is over. We are safe at last.

What is your default mode when life comes crashing down? What is your automatic response when confronted with a crisis too big to imagine, overwhelming grief or sudden loss? As Christians, our proper response is to go to God in prayer. We don’t belong here on earth. We are on our way to our heavenly home. If we want to reach our destination, we need a road map, a grid through which we push all of our decisions and actions along the way. We need a biblical worldview where we trust that the Bible has all we need to experience the peace and strength of the Lord in our journey. We also need to seek out guides who share our biblical worldview.

Real strength comes from weakness. When we come to God in faith, our hearts are changed. Our perseverance grows. Patience and trust allow us to wait on God. These traits are not created overnight. We become more like Jesus. That should be our measurement, not whether our circumstances are prefect or without pain.

When we repent of our sins and receive God’s forgiveness, we are cleansed and our walk is blameless. God wants to pour His favour and honour on us. If we feel that there is anything in our lives that we need to be cleansed from, we need to go to God today and confess to Him. He will make us new so that we can receive the good things He has in store for us.

God wants to bless us even more that we want to be blessed. Often the reason we pray is because we have a need or a crisis. We need a healing. We need direction. We pray because we are in trouble. God will allow conflict in our lives so we will see our own weaknesses and then see the greatness of God as we depend on Him. It is not as though God simply gives us everything we have ever wanted and our lives are free of problems or conflicts. If He can pour his blessings on us, we can walk in victory all the days of our lives. If we run away from him, we leave our shield. If we walk faithfully under His Lordship, we can’t be taken from the world until He says it’s time.

Do people see a difference in our lives just by looking at us? If we have been touched by the light of Christ, people should be able to tell. No longer do we walk selfishly and in sin. Through Christ, we walk upright, and God shines forth through us.

Would you describe yourselves as being passionate for God? Do our hearts and flesh sing for joy to the living God? Who can we lead to Jesus today? Our sphere of influence may be large or small. It doesn’t matter. What matters is our faithfulness to lead like Jesus where He has placed us. In God’s kingdom, every person matters and every act matters. It is our Christian duty to plant a strong desire in other people-the same desire the psalmist had-the desire to know God and have a close, personal relationship with Him. The Bible tells us to look forward to His coming and to long for His courts. One day we’ll hear an angel call our name and say, “Good to see you here. Welcome home!”

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p.762)
2. Williams, D. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 14: Psalms 73-150 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1989; pp. 101-108)
3. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
4. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
5. “Default Mode.” Retrieved from 9
6. “Unbolted from My Love Affair with This World.” Retrieved from dailytreasure@markinc.org
7. OS Hillman, “Listening to the Father’s Heart-February 3, 2018.” Retrieved from tgif@marketplaceleaders.org
8. Joel Osteen, “He Withholds No Good Thing.” Retrieved from devotional@joelosteen.com
9. “Who Needs You?” Retrieved from support@leadlikejesus.com
10. David Jeremiah, “Welcome Home.” Retrieved from turningpoint@davidjeremiah.org
11. “Passionate for God.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
12. Dr. Ed Young, “You’re Invincible Until You’re Done.” Retrieved from ministry@winningwalk.org
13. John North, “Psalm 84:10.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
14. Pastor Greg Laurie, “Revival in Our Time?” Retrieved from www.harvest.org
15. “Psalm 84:11.” Retrieve from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

In the beginnings of the early church, the disciples saw God move in mighty ways. The disciples found themselves preaching the word of God all over the region. However, practical needs arose among the people that the disciples were tending to. Due to their preaching, these needs were not being met adequately. One of these needs involved food distribution to widows. There became an issue as to whether the needs of all the widows were being cared for. This brought pressure upon the disciples who felt their primary focus must be to preach the gospel. They now realized they could not do both adequately. This led them to appoint seven men whose lives qualified for service as leaders to serve these needs.

The first man named to fill this responsibility was Stephen. He was described as a man full of faith and the Holy Ghost; with a strong faith in Christ. He was full of courage, gifts and graces. He was an extraordinary man and excelled in everything that was good.

Stephen was the first Christian martyr. His remarkable death occurred soon after the events in the passage we heard from Acts chapter six occurred. His death was the first in a series of persecutions against Christians that filled the church with blood and that cost the lives of thousands, perhaps millions, in the great work of establishing the gospel today. This trend continues today, with reports of persecution in countries such as Iran and North Korea.

The world today is largely hostile towards the Gospel. It charges the Gospel with falsehood, oppression, limiting moral freedom, meddling where it doesn’t belong, and much more. Our secular age is the source of lies. It oppresses our generation with false truths that destroy morality in the name of license. It demands to control and rule every area in our lives with help from governments and schools.

Stephen’s name in Greek means “crown.” This crown could be one of regal power or a crown used as a symbol of triumph in the Greek games. Stephen’s parents didn’t know when they gave him that name that he would become a disciple of One who wore a crown of thorns. Through Jesus the deacon won a far greater crown than his given name intended.

Faith, wisdom, grace and power were the personal qualities that equipped Stephen for the ultimate witness he would soon bear. They led him to perform signs and wonders among the people.

Stephen was likely helped by the Holy Spirit. He had a zealous spirit that the Jews could not overcome, because it convinced them that he was right. The evidence of sincerity, honesty and zeal in a public speaker will often go further to convince people than the most able argument that is delivered in a cold and indifferent manner.

During the Babylonian captivity, when Jews were cut off from worship in the temple, they began meeting in groups of 10 or more to read the Scriptures and worship. These meetings developed into synagogues. It was the custom in this particular synagogue in Jerusalem to have debates over religious issues. Stephen went there to tell the Good News of Jesus Christ as Messiah, crucified Saviour, risen Lord and indwelling Spirit. Needless to say this caused more than a pleasant exchange of ideas.

The Jews disagreed with Stephen over the issue of whether Jesus was the Messiah. It was not an angry dispute at first. The discussion likely began as a fair and impartial inquiry. When the Jews were overcome by Stephen’s arguments, they resorted to accusations and violence. Like Jesus, Stephen did not defend himself against his accusers. They found his message offensive because he insisted that a relationship with God depends on repenting from all sin and believing in Jesus Christ for forgiveness and salvation.

In contrast, the Jews believed that a relationship with God depended on one’s heritage, associations, attainments or efforts. Their worship and devotion were misplaced to a place and a set of customs, so they missed a relationship with God through Jesus. Similarly, we can get caught up in religion over a relationship with Jesus. Our devotion can become a place such as the church building and a set of customs rather than a daily and personal walk with Jesus. When this happens, our “religion” is equally as burdensome as the Jewish desire to fulfill the Law. It becomes burdensome both to us and the people around us.

The Jews used Stephen’s own doctrines and teachings against him by perverting them. They coerced some men to make false accusations against Stephen. The accusations brought against Stephen-that he had insulted both Moses and God-had also been brought against Jesus in Matthew 26:59-60. Jesus never spoke against the Mosaic Law. He brought out its true intent and He exposed how the external obedience pushed by the first century Jewish leadership missed God’s intent in the Law.

Such claims, although not true, inflamed the passions of the non-Christian, Jewish people. In their minds, speaking against Moses was blasphemy. If reports are made of what men say, their very words should be reported. We should not report our own explanations of what they actually said.

When Stephen was put on trial, Jesus was also put on trial once again. Stephen was faithful in his witness to the teachings of Jesus. To reject the testimony of Stephen was ultimately to reject Jesus.

A description of what Stephen’s face might have looked like is found in Exodus 34, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai. Those who are filled with the Spirit of God usually reflect something of that reality in their faces. Stephen’s face was pure, calm and unruffled. It reflected the presence of God.

Can we describe our lives as being full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, full of grace and power? Are we people who do great wonders and miraculous things? If not, we must begin asking God today to accomplish these things in our lives. When we start talking about the things of the Lord, do we go along with what other people say, or do we stand against the opponents of the Gospel, radiant and bold and even a bit fearsome as we open our mouths to defend the faith of Christ against the foolishness of unbelief?

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 1497)
2. Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
3. Polhill, J.B.: Acts, Vol. 26 (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers; 1992; pp. 184-186)
4. Ogilvie, L.J. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 28: Acts (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1983; pp. 135-138)
5. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
6. MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
7. Os Hillman, “Stephen: A Marketplace Minister.” Retrieved from tgif@marketplaceleaders.org
8. T. M. Moore, “Guilty, As Charged.” Retrieved from www.ailbe.org/tmmoore
9. T.M. Moore, “The Message, Not the Man, the Offense.” Retrieved from www.ailbe.org/tmmoore
10. Dr. Randy White, “Serving Religion.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
11. Dave Wyrtzen, “False News.” retrieved from www.truthencounter.com
12. Os Hillman, “Stephen: A Marketplace Minister.” Retrieved from tgif@marketplaceleaders.org  

When you were children, did you ever play a game called “Follow the Leader”? Well, for those of you who didn’t, or for those of you who have never heard of the game, let me explain how it is played. First, you choose a leader. Then you follow him wherever he goes and do whatever he does. You stomp through puddles, climb over fences, or swing from a tree—all to stay in the game because no one wants to be a quitter.

The Gospel passage we heard from John 6:56-69 a few minutes ago is an example of people who did not want to play follow the leader. The passage marks the end of the “bread of life” discourse that we have heard for the last several weeks. Today, it reaches its climax. Jesus tells his followers that if they abide in him-that is, live in him and believe in him-he will always be with them. Jesus is the source of our life and our sustenance. We need to stay connected to him to be fruitful. Just as God gives Jesus life, Jesus in turn gives his followers eternal life if they believe in him.

The choice to accept Jesus is a difficult one. Godly people will still face difficulties in life, including persecution. God’s ways are not our ways, and that is why the Gospel message is hard to accept. It is costly because in order for us to accept Christ’s death and resurrection as the way to eternal life, we also have to experience our own form of death and resurrection. We have to die to our worldly way of life and rise to a new life in Christ. There are times when our faith in Christ will be harder than we expected. Each of us must answer the question, “Where can we go?” Jesus promises us eternal life. We face troubles in this life here on earth, but they pale in comparison to the joy of Christ revealed in us as mentioned in Romans 8:18.

Worldly life and godly life are always in conflict because they are so different. Worldly life always tempts us with the sinful desires of greed, envy, jealousy, sex, drugs, alcohol and other things. The Christian life calls us to live godly lives now in exchange for a heavenly life later-even if our present worldly life is full of pain and persecution.

Jesus wasn’t interested in whether he was causing offense or not. That does not mean that he did not care for the people he was talking to. On the contrary, he deeply cared for them. Because he cared for them, he preferred to speak the truth instead of speaking what was pleasing. Jesus wanted his hearers to know that what he is saying is the truth, even though it is hard to hear. In other words, Jesus used tough love, in contrast to some preachers who want to “tickle the ears” of their congregations.

Jesus did not try to talk unwilling disciples into staying with him, nor did he try to make things easier so that they would reconsider their relationship to him. He wants eager followers who understand the cost of following him. The Gospel message is not easy to hear and accept. The church is often tempted to soften the impact of the message by removing the offending parts or by preaching something similar to the Prosperity Gospel. Most people do not want to hear this message because it calls on them to change their way of life. It calls on them to give up the world’s ways in favour of a life that will lead them to heaven. The truth is so confronting and so painful that we are often hell-bent on hanging on to our sinful way of life. That does not mean that everyone will refuse to accept the message. Some, like Peter and the disciples, realize that Jesus is the key to eternal life. In return, he will give us the strength we need to be strong in our walk of faith. That strength will mean taking a stand for Christ and being counted. It will make a difference both in us and in the lives of everyone we come into contact with.

The picture that this portion of John’s Gospel paints is not a pretty one, but it is a realistic one, especially when our Christian walk of faith is difficult. The picture is also one of belief and faith, especially when we keep our eyes on Jesus. It produces love, joy, peace, hope and eternal life.

The purpose of the Gospel message is not to convince detractors or turn the hearts of rebels. That is the job of the Holy Spirit. The Gospel message is the means by which our hearts respond to God. The disciples who left heard what Jesus said as a threat—a threat to their way of life, their accepted notions and their grip on reality. Those who stayed heard what Jesus said as a challenge to their way of life, their accepted notions and their grip on reality.

The disciples who continued on with Jesus might not have completely understood what he said, just like sometimes we can’t completely understand what he says. We, like the disciples, might not even be completely comfortable with it, but we are intrigued by what he said. In the Bible, faith is a verb. It is an action by which we consent and act. It is also a process. Peter and the others, like us, need it to grow stronger.

If the disciples-the great heroes of the faith-had doubts, it should not be surprising that we will have doubts. What we can do is embrace them and take them to the one best source for answers-Jesus. Jesus provides the spiritual power that we need in our lives. Without it, we will be overwhelmed by the spiritual and mental challenges we will face. We will be too tired to serve in ministry and will be too weak to engage in spiritual warfare.

If we have faith in Jesus, we have to spread the Good News. We have to be public witnesses for Christ. Sometimes our witness will be in the form of words, but mostly it will take the form of our actions, especially the choices we make in life. If our actions, words and deeds contradict our Christian faith, we are being hypocrites.

If Jesus walked into your dining room tonight to have dinner with you, how would you answer two questions he might ask?

1. Are your goals in life God-centered goals?
2. Are you putting as much energy into loving others as you do in living for yourself?

The Spirit brings forth spiritual fruit in us, equips and deploys us with gifts in service to others, and gives us strength to witness for Christ every day. Our thoughts, feelings, priorities and daily practices are changed to match what Jesus would feel, think and do if he was in our place. We become like Jesus and in turn we love and serve others as Jesus would.

There will be times when our faith is tried and tested. At times like these we must remember that to abandon the faith of Christ will lead to desolation, ruin and death. We must fall back on our personal experience of a living God in which the truth is wrapped up and made flesh for our benefit.

I’m going to close this message by telling you a story about a little girl named Inga. Inga had two older sisters and the two older sisters were in Girl Scouts. Inga watched her sisters go to Girl Scout meetings and she wished she could go and be a part of that real important stuff that they did. She asked her mother if she could go and her mother said, “But, Inga, you’re not old enough to go.” Inga said, “Well, when will I be old enough to go?” And Inga’s mother said, “Soon.”

Finally the day came and Inga joined Brownies. She got a little brown skirt jumper and a little brown hat with a little brownie and she got little half socks with a little brownie on it. Her mother even bought her some brown shoes and she dressed up and went to her first meeting and it was just wonderful.

Well, much later when she and her mother and father and sister were coming to church, she asked her mother this question: “I heard about belonging to Jesus. How do I know that I belong to Jesus? We don’t have a uniform like the Brownies. I know I belong to the Brownies because I have a uniform. How do I know that I belong to Jesus?”

Her mother replied, “Well, where do you go on Sunday morning?” Inga said, “I go to Sunday school to learn about Jesus.”

Her mother continued, “What’s that book in your hand?” Inga said, “It’s the Bible and the Bible is the stories of Jesus.”

And her mother said, “How else do you know that you belong to Jesus, Inga? What do we do always before we go to bed?” Inga replied, “We talk to Jesus every night before we go to sleep.” “And Inga, where do we go after Sunday school?” “We go to the big church.”” And what do we do in the big church? We learn about God and we sing about Jesus.”

Then Inga got this big smile on her face and she said, “I belong to Jesus.” And her mother said, “That’s right.”

When we come to the Lord’s Table to take part in Holy Communion, we know that we draw near to Jesus when we eat the bread and drink the wine. We, like Inga and her mother, also understand that Christ lives in us in a new way, and that we abide in Christ and he abides in us. The Holy Spirit gives us the assurance that we are believers. As Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God”. Only then can we have the inner conviction and witness of the Holy Spirit that we are children of God.

Bibliography

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

• Swindoll, Charles; Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on John (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Inc.; 2010)

• Exegesis for John 6:56-69. Retrieved from www.sermonwriter.com

• The Rev. Dr. David Lose, “Words of Eternal Life”. Retrieved from www.day1.org

• Dr. Bill Bright, “A Communist Youth”. Retrieved from Insights_with_Bill_Bright@crosswalkmail.com

• Charles H. Spurgeon, “Sustained by Feeding”. Retrieved from www.christianity.com/devotionals/faiths-checkbook-ch-spurgeom

• Berni Dymet, “Believe in Which Jesus?” Retrieved from www.christianity.com/devotionals/christianity-works-berni-dymet

1. Michael Youssef, PhD, “Bearing Fruit”. Retrieved from mydevotional@leadingtheway.org
2. Greg Laurie, “The Witness of the Holy Spirit”. Retrieved from Greg_Laurie_Daily_Devotions@crosswalkmail.com
3. T.M. Moore, “The Holy Spirit & Affections”. Retrieved from www.colsoncenter.org
4. Sergei Sosedkin, “The Right Diet”. Retrieved from today@thisistoday.net
5. Leslie Snyder, “Where Would I Go?” Retrieved from Homeword@crosswalkmail.com
6. Christopher J. Harris, “Power Outages”. Retrieved from www.stramingfaith.org
7. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 21^st Sunday, (B)”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
8. Jim Penner, “Spirit-Filled Living”. Retrieved from positiveminute@hourofpower.cc
9. The Rev. Beth Quick “Offended”. Retrieved from www.bethquick.com
10. The Rev. Charles Hoffacker, “The Flesh God Has Married”. Retrieved from www.sermonwwriter.com
11. Jamieson-Fawcett-Brown Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker 8 Bible software package.
12. “No Turning Back”. Retrieved from www.sermons4kids.com
13. Roland McGregor, “Children’s Sermon for Pentecost 13, 8/26/12”. Retrieved from childpage@mcgregorpage.org

Nov. 11, 2014 was a special day in a special year. It was the day when we paused to remember and give thanks for those who fought in wars past to preserve our freedom and those who still work to protect our freedoms today. We also remembered three significant events in history: the 100^th anniversary of the start of WWI, the 75^th anniversary of the start of WWII and the 70^th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy during WWII.

Anniversaries are times of celebration and reflection. In particular, Remembrance Day is a time to reflect on wars past and present. We live in chaotic times, but the world has been in chaotic times since the beginning of time. We have been fighting wars since the beginning of time, and we are still fighting wars today. Since the end of World War II, there have been more than 250 wars worldwide.

In particular, we are fighting the war on terror, especially the group known as ISIS. We are fighting a hostile enemy in a hostile environment. This enemy will use every weapon at its disposal to try to gain victory-including kidnapping and murdering innocent civilians. This environment, like all environments of war, is hostile. In this environment, conflict is inevitable.

Here in Canada, we might think that we are immune to this. After all, the last time a war was fought on our soil was over 200 years ago during the War of 1812. Unfortunately, having this view is like looking at ourselves through rose-coloured glasses. The 2014 shootings at the National War Memorial and Parliament Hill, the 2014 hit-and-run death of a soldier in Quebec and the recent shootings of two police officers in Fredericton, New Brunswick should serve as reminders that no one is immune from the forces of evil and terror.

No one in his or her right mind wants war. The cost in terms of money, property damage, injuries and death is astronomical, and those of you who have been in battle know what I am talking about. We must love our enemies if at all possible, but sometimes we need to heed the words of an old Irish blessing that goes like this. “May God bless those who love us, and those who do not love us, may He turn their hearts. If he does not turn their hearts, May he turn their ankles so we may know them by their limping.”

Unfortunately, there are times when war is necessary. When I was preparing this message, I came across the message I delivered on Remembrance Day in 2006. In that message, I mentioned that pacifists believe that if we prepare for war, we will get war. In their view, the only way to achieve peace is to eliminate the causes of war, but sometimes this means going to war. Sometimes war is the only way to get rid of dictators and terrorists like Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Hussein, bin Laden and ISIS. The goal of pacifists is admirable and in fact we must try to avoid war if possible, but sometimes war is necessary and inevitable. Sooner or later war destroys those who resort to it, especially with nuclear weapons.

War is hell. It might be necessary at times, but it is not “good”. It is evil. We find strength not in our weapons, but in our faith in God. War is a tragic fact of life in our world. God prefers peace, but he often sends his people into war. He does so under three conditions:

1. To liberate oppressed people.
2. To punish evildoers
3. To defend themselves.

True pacifists believe in fighting with the weapons of the Holy Spirit. The pacifist position has always been a respected minority position among Christians. Jesus was not a pacifist. Just look at what he did to the moneychangers in the temple! He even told his disciples to be armed with swords-not for fighting snakes, but for self-defense. That’s why Peter was able to cut off the soldier’s ear in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before Christ was crucified.

Our spiritual battle plan is similar to a military battle plan. We have objectives, strategies and tactics. Satan and Jesus plan their attacks and direct their forces just like a military general does. We have to put on spiritual armour just like soldiers have to put on battle armor. Our armour is Christ himself. He fights Satan on our behalf just like armed forces fight battles on behalf of their political masters. The real battle in life is against Satan and evil in all of its forms. Our opponents bring evil into our lives just like enemy armies bring evil onto a physical battlefield.

Life is a battleground. Those of you who have fought in times of war know what it is like to be on a real battlefield. You were armed and ready for battle against the forces of evil just like each and every one of us has to be ready to fight the same battle. You had to be watchful, and so do we. We have to watch out for obstacles that will make us stumble on our walk of life, and our veterans had to deal with obstacles such as barriers, barbed wire and mines. Our struggle with evil will result in certain victory because of God’s promise to be with us in good times and in bad times. Our veterans had to keep their minds on their duties in order to improve their odds of success and survival. We as Christians have to increase our chances of success in spiritual warfare by keeping our minds on God’s word. Our veterans had no guarantee that they would win their battles, but they didn’t give up. They persevered in spite of harsh conditions, and so can we because we are bold soldiers in God’s army.

Veterans fought to free people from the bondage of occupation by hostile forces. Spiritual warfare also involves freeing people from bondage-the bondage of sin and evil. There were many times when our veterans cried out in despair for God to protect them. After all, there is an old saying that “there are no atheists in foxholes.” Christian warriors are also encouraged to turn to God in faith. In both cases, evil in all of its forms is resisted. God helps us in our struggles. He will stand with us during the battles of life just like he stood with our veterans in wars past and just like he stands with the members of our armed forces today. He will give us the ammunition and the equipment we need to fight the battle.

So how can we fight the enemies of today and win? The answer is simple. We have to use weapons that are similar in nature to weapons used by soldiers in times of war. These similar weapons were outlined by the apostle Paul in the reading from Ephesians 6:10-20, which we heard a few moments ago. Each piece of this armour of God is an ethical quality which is derived from the character of Christ and which is ours through faith.

First, we have to put on our helmets. Just like a physical helmet protects soldiers in battle, a spiritual helmet protect Christian soldiers. A soldier on the battlefield has confidence that his helmet will protect his head, and a Christian soldier has confidence that nothing can separate him or her from the love of God. As Paul says in Romans 8:31-39, if God is for us, who can be against us?

Next, we are to arm ourselves with weapons. In the case of a soldier on the battlefield, these weapons include guns and grenades. On the spiritual battlefield, the weapon is the truth of the Word of God.

We are to wear a belt. A soldier’s belt allows him to carry his weapons. A spiritual warrior wears the belt of truth-truth about himself or herself, relationships, God and God’s love, our spouses and children and relatives. The belt of truth allows us to live truthfully and not to live a lie. The belt of truth is the best weapon to use for fighting evil.

We are also to arm ourselves with shields of protection. A soldier on the battlefield today or a police officer on duty wears a bulletproof vest and a helmet. Riot police are also equipped with face shields and full-length body shields. A Christian soldier has the resources of the greatest shield of all-Jesus Christ. He stands with us and fights with us and for us against Satan’s attacks.

A good soldier also needs good footwear. Soldiers wear boots that have to meet tough regulations. Christians are to wear the sandals of peace. Just like a soldier’s boots provide traction for every type of terrain, the good spiritual boot called the Gospel gives Christians the stability of sure footing when we face pain and fear. These spiritual boots will allow us to take the gospel anywhere and everywhere, just like a soldier’s boots will allow him to go anywhere and everywhere.

Even the best equipment does not offer a 100% guarantee of safety, survival and victory. On Remembrance Day we remember those who made the supreme sacrifice to ensure victory in wars past. We have heard the list of donations that have been made and wreaths that have been purchased. All of these wreaths and all of the donations are in memory of those who fought and died in battle. To many of us, these people are just names on a sheet of paper or on a cenotaph, but to those who made the donation or purchased the wreath, these people were husbands, fathers, sons and brothers, many of whom went off to war and never came home. They are still remembered and missed by those they left behind. They are remembered on the cenotaphs in communities throughout this country and on the rows of crosses at Normandy, Pusan and thousands of other cemeteries in this nation and around the world. They were people who hated war but made the Supreme Sacrifice.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this message, 2014 marked the 100^th anniversary of the start of WWI, the 75^th anniversary of the start of WWII and the 70^th anniversary of the Allied invasion of Normandy during WWII. Have we as a society learned anything from these events? Have we as a society learned anything from war at all? The answer to both of these questions is both yes and no. Warfare has taught us that it is something to be avoided if at all possible. In the words of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., “The past is prophetic in that it asserts loudly that wars are poor chisels for carving out peaceful tomorrows. One day we must come to see that peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal. We must pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means. How much longer must we play at deadly war games before we heed the plaintive pleas of the unnumbered dead and maimed of past wars?”

One thing we as society have not learned from war is that we live in a world where the ambitions and greed of a few can cost the lives of thousands. Nazi Germany was a good example. Hitler’s greed for land and his ambition to get rid of the Jews cost millions of lives. Today we can look at ISIS and see how their goal to create an Islamic state is costing lives and the money that is needed by countries such as Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia and others to fight this evil.

Is it even possible to live peaceably with others? In a 2014 newspaper column, Billy Graham was asked why nations can’t get along with each other. He was also asked if warfare could be eliminated if poverty was eliminated. He stated in his reply that “Even if all poverty were somehow eliminated we’d still have conflicts and wars. This is because our real problem is deeper than economic inequality, or other social or economic problem. Our real problem is within ourselves, within our own hearts and minds.”

As long as there is greed and evil in this world, there will be war. War will only cease when we live according to the way God wants us to live, and that will only happen when Christ returns. Until then, there will always be a Remembrance Day, because there will always be a need to remember the lessons of war as well as those who made the Supreme Sacrifice.

Bibliography

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

• Franklin Graham, “Standing Strong in Battle.” Retrieved from www.bgea.org

• Stephen Davey, “Dressed for War.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Dr. David Jeremiah, “The Armor of Righteousness.” Retrieved from www.davidjeremiah.org

• Dr. David Jeremiah, “Christ our Armor.” Retrieved from www.davidjeremiah.org

• Pastor Rick Renner, “Spiritual Warfare is real.” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Dr. Neil Anderson, “Choosing Truth.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com

• Sheri Rose Shepherd, “Stand.” Retrieved from Biblegateway@e.biblegateway.com

• Pastor Rick Renner, “Are You Dressed in the Whole Armor of God?” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com

• Bruce Epperly, “Justice for Veterans and the Vulnerable: A Veterans’ Day Reflection.” Retrieved from www.patheous.com

1. Dunnam, M.D. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 31: Galatians/Ephesians/Philippians/Colossians/Philemon (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1982)
2. Craig Condon, “We Will Remember.” Retrieved from the author’s personal sermon library
3. Billy Graham, “Why Can’t Nations Get Along?” Retrieved from www.arcamax.com

A mother and her young son were at a local swimming pool. The boy was standing at the deep end, his toes curled over the edge. Still unsure of himself in the water, he stood there for what seemed to be a very long time. Hesitating. Meditating. Just when it seemed that he was going to back away from the edge, he looked up to the sky, put his hands together, and said, “O Lord, give me skills or give me gills!” He jumped.

“Give me skills or give me gills.” That pretty much covers the bases, doesn’t it? O Lord give me what I need to overcome what I’m facing, but if you won’t do that, give me what I need to endure it. Give me skills or give me gills.

Solomon likely prayed a similar prayer when he became King of Israel. He was in way over his head. He was only 20 years old. His father was dead. Solomon was now the head of both the family and the nation of Israel. He was grieving and afraid. He was carrying a heavy load. Solomon tried to follow in his father’s footsteps, but it was clear that Solomon was definitely not his father.

Solomon understood that the task before him would not be easy. He confessed his fear, and that confession was a powerful testimony to his own humanity. His entire life as presented in 1 Kings shows the brokenness he shared with all of us. By asking for wisdom, Solomon showed that he already had some wisdom. He was wise enough to know that he was not up to the task at hand, and he was wise enough to ask for help. This is an example of good leadership. Leadership in all forms requires leaders to hold in tension humility and confidence, finitude and limitless capacity, the gifts we have and the gifts we have yet to acquire.

The good thing was that Solomon knew that he was not his father, and when confronted with it, he confessed. Just when he had forgotten or abandoned the way to God, God found him in Gibeon, where he went to make sacrifices and burn incense. This shows that when God calls someone to a task, that call isn’t genuine unless the person who is called protests that they are inadequate for the task. It is a way of saying that the person can only carry out the task with God’s help.

Solomon’s dream was a direct revelation from God, not a symbolic vision needing interpretation. Dreams were frequent channels of revelation in Old Testament times. God came down from heaven to grant the wishes of a young man and put the keys to all His treasures in Solomon’s hands. Solomon could have had anything he wanted-within reason. His answer to God’s question marked his maturity as well as his love for the Lord.

How often in God’s Word are we reminded that every faithful believer has that same privilege? Luke 11:9 states, “And I say unto you, ask, and it will be given to you.” John 15:7 states, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.” Even though we are not kings, every time we come to God through our Mediator Jesus Christ, God says, “Ask! What shall I give you?” The doors to His unlimited blessings are opened to us.

You might be asking yourselves, “If God knows my thoughts, why do I have to come before Him to ask in prayer for what I want? If God knows everything, then He certainly knows what is best for me. Why doesn’t he provide those things without my asking?” The answer is that sometimes He does provide those things without us asking Him, but as a heavenly Father, He wants us to communicate with Him.

God is constantly leading us into places where we are in way over our heads. This story about Solomon gives us hope. It means we can relax. We can stop pretending that we have everything under control. We can stop wasting time and energy on our own personal high places, pretending to be something or someone we’re not.

How often do we ask God for wisdom? How often do we seek His wisdom? God is pleased when, in our hearts, we put others before ourselves. God delights in prospering when prosperity is not our chief aim. When we get it right, and in our hearts we do place others before ourselves, God can and will bless us beyond our wildest dreams.

God will give us wisdom as He did Solomon if we heed His principles. First, we must recognize that wisdom comes from God. If we want wisdom, we must seek it from its proper source, God Himself. Second, we must pray for wisdom. God has promised to give us wisdom if we ask. Then, we must read and meditate on God’s Word. When we know God’s Word, we can apply it in our lives. Also, we must hear and obey the advice of respected people. Wise counselors have been through experiences and endured trials we have not yet encountered. They can look at our situations more objectively and with varied viewpoints. Good Christian discernment means putting ourselves, our decisions and our lives into God’s hands.

Solomon was different from other people. When others would ask for something for themselves, Solomon asked for something that would benefit God’s people and, ultimately, God’s plan. When the typical request would be to ask for health or wisdom, Solomon asked for understanding and wisdom.

Solomon’s not wishing for material things was the reason he got them. People who do not make wealth their priority are the people who can be most safely trusted with it and who, when they receive it, usually enjoy it the most.

God gives sufficiency to the one upon whom He confers responsibility, to the one who doesn’t rush into an office or responsibility but rather is called to the task by God. In Solomon’s case the need God met with His sufficiency was the need for divine wisdom, a wisdom that made Solomon legendary.

Our deepest thoughts are held in our hearts. In Hebrews 4:12, Scripture claims to be “sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” If we walk in close fellowship with God, and His Word is at home in our hearts, then we will pray for things that bring God glory. If we pray for self-indulgent things, then it will be doubtful that we are maintaining a living communion with God and that His Word is at home in our hearts.

The passage from 1 Kings is not a “gospel” of prosperity and success. The Bible does not call us to succeed, to be prosperous, or to be wealthy. God calls us to choose responsibly before God. He calls us to live a lifestyle of integrity and commitment to Him. He calls us to serve Him, first and only.

There is an old saying that “absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Unfortunately, as we will learn later on in Scripture, another side of Solomon emerged. Before the author described the glory of Solomon’s reign, he first pointed to seeds of disobedience that would eventually take down Solomon’s kingdom. Solomon loved God but disobeyed him at the same time by marrying Ammonitish and Egyptian wives. In addition, he began to worship in forbidden places. He also carried out the assassinations David ordered before his death. Solomon built the kingdom of his dreams-a kingdom of wealth, prestige and power-by levying taxes his subjects could not bear. He used forced labour to complete his building projects. He satisfied his desires by assembling a harem of 700 wives and 300 concubines or mistresses. That disobedience led to apostasy and the eventual division of his kingdom. Solomon’s own dreams left God’s dreams in the dust.

Solomon’s life is an example of the superhuman power of evil. If you give it an inch in your life, it will take a mile. If you give it a foothold, it will run rampant, get the upper hand and destroy your life. There are a few lessons we can learn from Solomon’s life:

1. To hunger for wisdom is the beginning of wisdom.
2. It’s possible to lose God’s dream in our dream.
3. It’s possible to “hog” God. Using God to legitimize our own decisions and to satisfy our own desires is dangerous, especially if it denies other people the right to appeal to God.
4. Wealth is not blessing.

The humility of an understanding heart births a spirit that is sensitive to what God says through His word and His people. The word “discern” comes from the same root as the word “between” and refers to the ability to choose between two options. The additional gifts of riches and honour, along with the conditional offer of a long life, signaled God’s pleasure at Solomon’s request.

If we summarize these verses, we will find some very clear and concise principles related to our asking God:

1. God wants us to ask Him to meet all of our needs.
2. God delights in revealing to us His desires and His ways of doing things.
3. We can ask God for all things, including those that relate to the natural world.
4. We are wise to ask in agreement with others.
5. We must always ask in faith and in the name of Jesus.
6. God will respond to our need not in a way that opposes His commandments, but in a way that pleases Him and brings Him glory.
7. We can be assured that whenever we ask God for something, He hears and responds to us, giving us precisely what we need-which may not be what we think we need, but which always benefits us the most.

If you were given Solomon’s opportunity to ask for anything, what would you choose? Would your requests benefit others if God granted them? Ask God for your heart’s desire. Trust in God’s generosity to you.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp. 443,445-446)
2. Dilday, R. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 9: 1,2 Kings (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1987; pp. 58-65)
3. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
4. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010)
5. “Popular Nonsense.” Retrieved from dailyreadings@ransomedheart.com
6. Bayless Conley, “A Prosperous Attitude.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
7. Pastore Greg Laurie, “A Wise Prayer.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
8. Dr. Rick Ezell, “Ask for Wisdom.” Retrieved from rickezell@greerfbc.org
9. The Rev. Dr. Timothy T. Boggess, “Skills or Gills.” Retrieved from www.day1.org
10. Pastor Ken Klaus, “The Wisdom of Discernment.” Retrieved form lh_min@lhm.org
11. Vikki Burke, “From Ordinary to Extraordinary.” Retrieved from dbm@dennisburkeministries.org
12. Cameron R.B. Howard, “Commentary on 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14.” Retrieved from www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=1358
13. Debie Thomas, “A King’s Tale.” Retrieved from www.journeywithjesus.net/essays/324-a-king-s-tale
14. Howard Wallace, “Year B: Pentecost 11, August 16, 2009: 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14.” Retrieved from http://hwallace.unitingchurch.org.au/WebOTcomments/OrdinaryB/Pentecost11.html
15. Dennis Bratcher, “A Lost Future: Reflections on 1 Kings 3:7-15, 11:1-6.” Retrieved from www.crivoice.org/1kng3.html

Jonathan took out his dad’s aftershave lotion and rubbed some on his face before leaving the bathroom. When his mother stepped into his room a little later, she sniffed the air. “What do I smell?” she asked.

“Jonathan used Dad’s aftershave lotion,” hollered Sophie from her room across the hall. She came to the doorway. “He didn’t take a shower again.”

Mom checked the bathroom. “His towel is damp,” she said.

“Check the soap,” said Sophie. “Lots of times when I shower after him it’s not even wet–he just wets his washcloth and towel and pretends he showered.”

“Is that true, Jonathan?” asked Mom. She went to the shower and picked up the bar of soap. It was bone dry, and she glared at him.

“I just don’t like getting all wet,” Jonathan said defensively.

“You’re so gross,” sputtered Sophie.

“Sh-h-h.” Mom held up a finger. “Jonathan, I’m sure you know that using this” she held up the aftershave, “doesn’t take the place of using soap. When you splash on cologne or lotion instead of washing, you may smell nice for a while, but the dirt remains. And pretty soon people can tell.”

“Yeah,” said Sophie. “That smelly lotion can’t cover up the fact that you’re still as dirty as a pig!”

Mom cast Sophie a warning glance before turning back to Jonathan. “Well, Jonathan is going to take his shower now,” said Mom. She sighed. “It’s important to keep our bodies clean, but we also need to think about something even more important. Just like our skin gets dirty, our lives and hearts and thoughts can get dirty– with sin. Things like pride or an unloving attitude fall into that category, Sophie. And so does deceiving your mother, Jonathan.”

Both Sophie and Jonathan looked at the floor as Mom continued. “We may sometimes try to cover up the wrong things we do and hide them from other people, but there is nothing we can hide from God. We need to confess our sin to Him. He’ll forgive us and wash us clean–as white as snow.”

 God looks at our lives and measures them against a standard of perfect holiness. He does not overlook sins just because we think they are small or insignificant. If we treat sins casually, it will not be long before we find ourselves enslaved to them. If we bring them to the Lord in repentance, He will cleanse us and help us walk in freedom from them.

Psalm 51 is the experience of a sinning saint who comes back to full communion and service. The steps are:

1. Sin thoroughly judged before God.
2. Forgiveness and cleansing through the blood
3. Spirit-filled for joy and power
4. Service
5. Worship
6. The restored saint in fellowship with God.

Cleansing in Scripture consists of three parts:

1. Of a sinner from the guilt of sin
2. Of a saint from the stain of sin
3. Under grace the sinner is purged by the blood of Christ when he or she believes.

There is no renewal without pain. It may come in a moral crisis. It may come when life is broken by illness, economic reversal or broken relationships. It may come when we reflect on the pace with which life passes or upon our need for meaning in our lives. Our sins are extensions of our rebellion against God. All sin is against God and requires His forgiveness.

Sin is always painful. It doesn’t matter if the sin is public or private. Unless we deal with it, the pain will never go away. Integrity is often defined by what we do in secret. Are our actions the same in public as what we do behind closed doors?

When David confessed his sin with Bathsheba, something great and wonderful happened. The word “cleanse” is a technical term for the cleansing of a leper in the Old Testament. David was saying, “Lord, take the leprosy from my soul and make me clean again.”

Purging with hyssop was an Old Testament ritual-a cleansing prescribed in the law-and what an Israelite did after coming in contact with a dead body. Underlying the purging of verse 7 is the concept of sacrificial blood-for example, Jesus’ death on the cross. David’s request is for God to take away his sin. Verse 10 asks for a new self-heart and spirit. Only God can do that.

The deepest renewal is spiritual, and it has a moral base. God is holy and He has given us a conscience. We can’t be renewed until we deal with our moral failure. Psalm 51 is David’s cry for renewal. It was written after he committed adultery with Bathsheba. He asked God for mercy. He asked God to blot out his sin. God wants to change our hearts before He changes our circumstances.

When we take our sins to other people, we are often condemned. When we take our sins to God, there is absolute justice and absolute mercy. In man’s eyes David appeared flawed and foul-unfit for leadership. In God’s eyes David’s messed-up life had potential. Why? Because God sees us not as who we are but as who we can be.

Quite often people say they believe or disbelieve something to be socially acceptable, but when the moment of truth comes and the stark reality of eternity confronts a person, that person suddenly wants to know that God has forgiven him or her. We gloss over our shortcomings, the damage we have done to others and our world, often by accident. Our limited time means limited vision. We have polluted, discriminated, hoarded, degraded and abandoned because our own survival demanded it-or so we tell ourselves.

What God desires, He also provides. Wisdom is God’s gift to us. David committed adultery out of foolishness, but God brought him to repentance through the wisdom found in His Word.

We can never lose our salvation once we come to Christ in faith. but we can lose the joy of our salvation through our sin. Once we accept Christ’s saving work, we are no longer sinners. We are saints. We are heirs to God Himself. We aren’t about to be lost from God because of something so flimsy as our own capacity to lay all our sins before God.

Bibliography

1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Brentwood, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 749)
2. “The Smelly Coverup.” Retrieved from info@keysforkids.org
3. Schofield’s Notes. Part of Wordsearch 11 Bible software package.
4. Williams, D. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 13: Psalms 1-72 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1986; pp. 385-392)
5. Stanley, C.F.: The Charles F. Stanley Life Principles Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Nelson Bibles; 2005)
6. Lucado, M.: The Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson; 2010)
7. Pastor Bobby Schuller, “Change My Heart.” Retrieved from www.hourofpower.org
8. “The Redeemer as Restorer.” Retrieved from Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com
9. Os Hillman, “The Integrity Test.” Retrieved from tgif@marketplaceleaders.org
10. Dr. Harold Sala, “Cleansing for All.” Retrieved from info@guidelines.org
11. Catherine Malotky, “Psalm 51:1-12.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu
12. Alan Wright, “The Pure Heart Prayer.” Retrieved from www.sharingthelight.org
13. Paul Chappell, “The Need for Thorough Cleansing.” Retrieved from daily@dailydevotional.org

Hunger is a powerful motivator. When we are physically hungry, we get something to eat. When we are spiritually hungry, we look for something to satisfy it. Just like there is physical food that can best be described as junk food, there is also spiritual food that can also be described as junk food. Take, for example, some TV evangelists. I know of one who promotes the physical and material blessings you will receive if you call in and order his prayer handkerchief.

God works in us to create spiritual hunger because he loves us and wants us to get to know him and love him in return. He uses the spiritual hunger to convict us of our sin and convince us to turn to him.

Spiritual hunger is the same whether we live in a mansion or a homeless shelter, whether we’re a movie star or a stay-at-home parent, whether we’re a millionaire or an ordinary person. Whoever we are, wherever life has taken us, however much we have or lack, we hunger for more-something richer, deeper, prettier, tastier, faster-something that satisfies. Whichever category we fit into, our need is the same: God. The only way to find God is by surrendering to Him. It might not be easy for us to do, but it’s very simple to do.

We all suffer from spiritual hunger. We all hunger for something more in life. Some people try to satisfy their spiritual hunger through beauty, power, prestige, sex, drugs, alcohol or other worldly means. The world’s way is the way to sorrow and despair. You only have to consider what happened to people such as Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse, Whitney Houston, Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Bakker, and John Belushi to see what happens when people try to satisfy spiritual hunger by worldly means. Jim Bakker lost his ministry and was sent to prison, Jimmy Swaggart lost his ministry in disgrace and the others died from drug and/or alcohol abuse.

The crowd was like the boys who went on a camping trip with their Sunday School class. “When are we going to eat?” Alec asked as he and the others in his Sunday school class hiked down a trail in a national forest. For weeks the class of sixth-grade boys had been planning this outing–a couple days of backpacking, cooking over a campfire, and sleeping under the stars. “My stomach has been growling for an hour,” Alec added.

“Mine, too,” agreed Todd. “I hope we stop soon.”

“It won’t be too long now,” Mr. Larson assured them, and soon they came to the place where they were going to set up camp. “This is it, boys,” said Mr. Larson.

“Good! When do we eat?” Alec asked again.

Mr. Larson smiled. “We’ll start a fire right away, and then we’ll fix supper,” he answered. “You can all help gather wood for the campfire.”

The boys got to work, and soon they were eating beef stew from tin mugs. “Yum! This tastes better out here than it does at home!” declared Todd, and everyone agreed. After supper, they played games and told stories around the fire.

“Do we have any more food?” asked Alec after a while. “I’m hungry again!”

“Me, too,” echoed several other boys.

Mr. Larson nodded. “Okay. We’ll have more to eat,” he said, but he got out his Bible. “Spiritual food–we’ll have devotions. But don’t worry. Before we turn in, we’ll have a snack, too,” he assured the boys with a grin when they looked at him uncertainly. “Okay. Who knows the Bible verses we studied in class the last few months?”

The boys began to recite the verses and were doing fine till someone quoted, “I am the Bread of Life.” Everyone moaned in hunger.

“Okay, okay!” Mr. Larson laughed. “We’ll eat. But while you enjoy eating your snacks, I want you to think about something. How do you think you’ll feel when you wake up in the morning?”

“Hungry!” Several voices gave the same answer.

Mr. Larson nodded. “Always remember,” he said, “that the food we eat satisfies us for only a short time. But when Jesus calls Himself the Bread of Life, He means He can satisfy our spiritual hunger forever.” Then Mr. Larson gave the boys the go-ahead to get out fruit, cookies, and crackers.

Jesus knew that the crowd was only interested in the physical food He provided. He told them, “Stop laboring for the bread that simply fills your stomach. I am the Bread of Life. I want you to focus on spiritual things. I didn’t do that miracle to just feed you that day. I was trying to teach you something more. Don’t labour for the food that perishes.”

People sought Jesus for physical substance, but He was offering them the food which endures- everlasting life. The first gift satisfies for a few hours; the other, for eternity. Jesus responded to the crowd with an indictment. Like the Israelites who wandered in the desert for forty years because they failed to trust God, the crowd failed to trust God. The crowd only wanted physical food. Jesus told them to be more concerned about getting spiritual food. Physical food represents everything that satisfies physical needs such as food, clothing, shelter, medicine or sex. Spiritual food represents the human soul’s need to be sustained by God.

There are many people who know Christ, but spiritual junk food have left them hungry again. The truth is that this wholesome, satisfying bread of life can only come through a daily relationship with Jesus. When we follow Jesus He helps us avoid the potholes of life. He helps us spend our money on the bread that sustains both body and soul. He sustains us with the knowledge that God listens and cares.

Our physical needs will come to an end, but Jesus will remain forever. If our prayers only deal with presenting our requests to God, we miss a great opportunity to get to know the One with whom we’ll spend eternity. There is nothing wrong when we are in need, but Jesus has even more to give us, because our greatest hunger is the hunger we have for God. If we invest time in pursuing intimacy with Christ, we can enjoy the benefits of that relationship forever.

When Jesus claimed to be the bread of life, He was saying that He is the staple needed by everybody. He was saying that He is the most important part of life. He was saying that He is the is the food that never perishes and the bread that never grows stale. Just as eating and drinking are necessary for physical life, belief in Jesus’s death and resurrection is necessary for eternal life.

Jesus offers to fill us with his love. Only he can save our souls, change our tomorrows and grant us peace and joy for today. Jesus takes the initiative in our salvation, even if we confess him as our Lord and Saviour. He creates a longing within us. His love and presence and the difficulties he allows to enter into our lives force us to open up to him. Jesus takes the initiative and we choose to cooperate with him. That is the very definition of the Christian life.

There are parallels between the manna God gave to the Israelites in the desert and Jesus. The manna came at night, and Jesus comes into our spiritual darkness. Manna was God’s gift to the Israelites, and Jesus is God’s gift to us. All we have to do is claim it for ourselves, and we will never be spiritually hungry again. The manna from heaven was associated in the minds of the Jews with the giving of divine teaching, and Jesus sees his own teaching as being just as essential as our daily bread. Manna was God’s gift to the Israelites. All they had to do was receive it. Jesus is God’s gift to us, and even better than manna, He provides life, not measly existence.

As manna sustained them, so Jesus offered himself as our nourishment. He is the Word of God which nourishes and sustains our entire beings. When we come to Him, and, by listening to Him, take His life into ourselves, we enter into a whole new way of being, a whole new quality of life. It is when we listen to God’s voice that we are drawn to Jesus and find life in Him. God’s invitation is always being proclaimed throughout the world to anyone who will listen-through creation, through other people, through the Scriptures, and through our inner voice.

The crowd’s logic appeared to be that Jesus’ miraculous feeding of the 5,000 was a small miracle compared to what Moses did. In order for them to believe in Him, they would need to see Him feed the nation of Israel on the same scale that God did when He sent manna to the Israelites in the wilderness. They wanted Jesus to outdo Moses before they would believe in Him.

We need to receive Jesus’ spiritual food on a regular basis, just like the Israelites needed to receive the manna and quail from God every day. Without it, we will always be spiritually hungry. We can’t get enough spiritual food by going to church only at Christmas or Easter or on special occasions such as weddings, funerals, baptisms or confirmations. Our spiritual hunger can only be satisfied by regularly studying God’s Word and applying it to our lives. This means regular attendance at Sunday worship services.

In order to live with Christ, we have to die to our worldly way of life and take up his life-a life of forgiveness, goodness, trust and service. If we are grounded in Christ’s unconditional love, we are free to lead like Jesus and love and serve others. It will not be easy, but God has drawn us to faith in him, and that faith will sustain us.

The Christian life requires a lot from us. It asks for our very lives. Before we can do anything we are reminded that God has a key role to play in our lives. God sent the Word made flesh, Jesus, to us. God draws us to Him and through Him to Himself.

The people asked for signs and continued talking about food, when the One who would meet their deepest needs was standing before them. Jesus’ miracles were not for display but as signs to demonstrate His identity as the Son of God.

The crowd’s response showed a breakdown of communication. They were so concerned by physical concerns they couldn’t understand Jesus’ figurative language. They asked, “What shall we do to work the works of God?” They were spiritually blind. They didn’t realize that the only “work” required is belief in Jesus, which involves no work at all.

The crowd asked for a sign. Jesus associated the provision of manna with God’s grace, the largest portion of which was the provision of His Word. This is a metaphor for God’s provision of His Word in human flesh, Jesus Christ. Jesus linked the concepts of belief, bread, eternal life and Himself.

The ancient Jews misunderstood the purpose of the Saviour’s coming. They wanted political freedom from Roman rule, but Jesus came to set them free spiritually. Jesus presented a different view of the relationship between “signs” and belief. Faith responds to God when He reveals Himself.

Just like the Israelites complained about the food (or lack of it) in the wilderness, the crowd didn’t accept the truth of Jesus’ coming from heaven. The people saw Jesus during His childhood and thought they knew all about His roots.

The bread that is eaten and the blood that is drunk are separate realities, signs of Jesus’ life and death. It was through His flesh that Jesus lived out a life of holy obedience. In eating His flesh we take part of this life of surrender and begin to manifest His life in all those fleshly places where we are called-at sales conventions, on used car lots, at work, washing our clothes, making love and bearing children, watching TV and even going to church.

Jesus is the bread of eternal life in heaven, not just the source of abundant life here on earth. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He was the sacrifice of atonement. He would pay the penalty of sin on behalf of the whole world. Only those who believe in Him receive this gift and then apply it to their sins will benefit. The first Passover illustrated this truth. Those who didn’t apply the blood to their doorposts lost their firstborn sons. Those who did were spared.

Jesus reassured authentic believers when He said, “I will raise him up on the last day.” If not for the Last Supper and Jesus’ subsequent sacrifice on the cross-commemorated by the taking of Communion, the words “eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood” would seem as strange to us as they did to the Jewish leaders. They are Jesus’ instructions to rely on Him as the source of life, fully committed to Him, and they are contained in the words of the hymn which I will sing in a minute, but first, an explanation.

In the Anglican Church of Canada, when it is time for people to receive Communion, the priest and those who are going to give the choir and congregation the bread and wine receive the bread and wine first. Next, the choir and organist receive them, and then the members of the congregation receive. While the congregation is receiving Communion, the choir and congregation sing one or more hymns. This hymn is one of them:

Hymn: “The Bread of Life

I am the bread, the bread of life

who comes to me will never hunger.

I am the bread, the bread of heaven;

who feeds on me will never die.

And as you eat, remember me—

my body broken on the tree:

my life was given to set you free,

and I’m alive for evermore.

I am the vine, the living vine;

apart from me you can do nothing.

I am the vine, the real vine;

abide in me and I in you.

And as you drink, remember me—

my blood was shed upon the tree:

my life was given to set you free,

and I’m alive for evermore.

So eat this bread, and drink this wine,

and as you do, receive this life of mine.

All that I am, I give to you,

that you may live for evermore.

(Text: Brian R Hoare (1935-) © 1988 Hope Publishing Company)

Perhaps you have seen yourselves as too dirty, or unworthy, or flawed to hope for forgiveness and healing and salvation. But Jesus promises eternal life to everyone who believes in Him-no matter what family you come from, what mistakes you have made, or how low you may feel.

Life in God’s kingdom won’t be easy. There will be crises and conflicts because God’s ways conflict with the world’s ways. We must remember, though, that joy and fulfillment in this life can only be found in one place-God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Do we want to experience God’s life in us and have a deeper relationship with God? That’s the bread that Jesus offering us. We are on a journey and we don’t know how long it will last. Some sections of the trip may be dangerous, faith-testing, exhausting and disorienting. We will need the food that only Jesus can provide.

Jesus also wants us to share this bread with others. Who do we know who is traveling through the desert these days? How can we “break bread” with them? What specific “bread” do they need-the bread of compassion, understanding, encouragement, etc.? Do they need the physical bread of food, housing, job, protection, etc.? How can we provide that “bread of life” for them?

Bibliography

 Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp.1450-1452)

• Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on John (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2010; pp. 137-150)

1. Fredrikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985; pp. 121-137)

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

1. Nelson, Inc.; 2009)
2. The Rev. Ken Klaus, “Bread of Life”. Retrieved from www.lhm.org
3. Steve Arterburn, “Soul Hunger”. Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
4. Online Devotional-Day 167. Retrieved from www.leadlikejesus.com
5. Billy Graham, “How Do I Begin to Give God a Chance?” Retrieved from www.arcamax.com/news/billygraham/s-533004-396571
6. Billy Graham, “Who or What is the Holy Spirit?” Retrieved from www.arcamax.com/news/billygraham/s-841447-120453
7. Dr. Ed Young, “A Daily Word” Retrieved from Christianity.com@crosswalkmail.com
8. Jude Siciliano, O.P., “First Impressions, 19^th Sunday (B)”. Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org.
9. Matthew Henry Concise Commentary. Part of Lessonmaker Bible software package.
10. John Kenrick, O.P., “Do Not Waver, Hold Fast”. Retrieved from http://torch.op.org/preaching_sermon_item.php?sermon=5697
11. Pastor Greg Laurie, “Lasting Value.” Retrieved from www.harvest.org
12. Os Hillman, “Listening to the Father’s Heart, Aug. 1, 2017.” Retrieved from tgif@marketplaceleaders.org
13. Dr. Rick Ezell, “Satisfy Your Spiritual Hunger.” Retrieved from drrickezell@gmail.com
14. Dr. Ed Young, “Eat the Bread of Life,” Retrieved from ministry@winningwalk.org
15. Dr. Charles Stanley, “Selfish Christianity.” Retrieved from www.intouch.org
16. Steve Arterburn, “Soul Hunger.” Retrieved from www.newlife.com
17. Michael Youssef, Ph.D., “The Bread of Life.” Retrieved from mydevotional@leadingtheway.org
18. Dick Donovan, “Thanksgiving Sermon: John 6:25-35.” Retrieved from www.lectionary.org
19. Dick Donovan, “Exegesis for John 6:25-35.” Retrieved form www.lectionary.org
20. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, 18^th Sunday (B).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org
21. Br. Luke Ditewig, “Nurtured and Sustained by Love.” Retrieved from friends@ssje.org
22. “Hungry Again?” retrieved from newsletter@sbhministries.org.
23. Jude Siciliano, OP, “First Impressions, 20^th Sunday (B).” Retrieved from www.preacherexchange.org

Although the story of the feeding of the 5,000 appears in all four Gospels, John’s version has a slightly different meaning. In fact, John includes only seven of Jesus’ miracles in his Gospel, and in each miracle the believer is brought closer to God. Each miracle invites us to reflect on what the miracle says about Jesus.

John most likely included this version of the feeding of the 5,000 to provide additional information that was not recorded in the other three Gospels. For the early Christians, this story got to the heart of something they knew was important about Jesus, about who he was, what he was up to, and what he found to be important. John’s recording of this miracle showed the creative power of Christ and set the stage for Jesus’ talk about the “bread of life” in the remaining verses of Chapter 6. The purpose of John’s Gospel is to show that Jesus is the mind of God in human form, so the signs in John’s version of the feeding of the 5,000 are designed to show God at work in the lives of his people.

The miracle, like all of the miracles recorded in the Gospels, is all about who Jesus is. He is the new Moses, the Messiah, again supplying manna in the wilderness. John makes this connection explicit as he goes on to mention Jesus speech about the bread of life, which I will talk about next time. In an indirect sense, the story of the feeding of the 5,000 has something to teach us about multiplying resources, and I will come back to that point in a few minutes.

This miracle took place shortly after Jesus learned that his cousin John the Baptist was executed by Herod. It’s quite likely that Jesus was filled with grief and a sense of loneliness as He prayed to God. John the Baptist’s faithfulness and courage cost him his life. It’s quite likely that Jesus wondered about His approaching death.

Unlike the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, John’s Gospel doesn’t include the institution of the Last Supper on the night before Jesus’ death. The feeding of the 5,000 is John’s version of the Last Supper. Just like the Last Supper and Jesus’ death give us hope for the future, the feeding of the 5,000 was a sign of that later eating and drinking that would be God’s saving provision for our salvation. Holy Communion is a community meal, and we are reminded that it is not just about our personal salvation. We are saved and fed as a community, and as a community we are called to feed others.

The feeding of the 5,000, Samuel’s anointing of David as King of Israel and the parable of the mustard seed are examples of the old saying, “Big things come in small packages.” What seemed like a little became so much. God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things, including the little boy and his lunch. Little is much when God is in it, and little is much when placed in God’s hands. The feeding of the 5,000 is a demonstration of grace: God doing in and through us things we could not do through our own efforts. God moves mountains when we have faith the size of a grain of mustard seed.

Jesus used this opportunity to test the disciples. He saw an opportunity to let them fail so that He could teach them a lesson and strengthen them. We see the reactions of two of the disciples to Jesus’ instruction. Philip saw the need for a miracle and calculated the odds. He tried to prove that it could not be done. How many times are we like Philip? How often do we fail to see what God is doing because we are focused on our selfish desires and needs? Philip looked at the problem in terms of meeting the minimum requirements. If “a little” for each person was impossible, the abundance was not even worth considering. Pessimists think like that.

Andrew, on the other hand, set out to try to solve the problem, and the solution he found is the key to the first part of this story. He considered the possibility that the people might provide for themselves with a little leadership. He searched for food among the people, but he found only one small boy with a small lunch that seemed inadequate for the task at hand. We have to give credit to Andrew for at least trying to find a solution to the problem.

Barley was a staple part of the diet for the poor. The loaves were small, flat wafers.  The fish were the size of sardines. The meal was barely enough for one little boy, let alone sufficient to satisfy the appetite of a grown man. When Jesus accepted the boy’s gift, he blessed it, and in the blessing the small became great. There was suddenly enough bread because Jesus saw the people and wanted them to be fed, just like Jesus saw the fear in his disciples on the sea. He loved the disciples and the crowd and gave both groups the peace of his presence.

The boy wasn’t just armed with the food Jesus needed to feed others. He also had a humble heart and generous spirit. He was best positioned to give because someone empowered him to do so. His mother not only packed his lunch, she also taught him some good manners as well. In the end, it resulted in many being nourished.

How did He accomplish the miracle? He used a simple formula:

1. The disciples gave it all.
2. Jesus took it all.
3. God blessed it all.
4. Jesus broke it all.
5. The disciples gave it all.
6. And the entire multitude was fed.

The miracle of giving is that it produces a ministry of giving. Money is a miracle because it increases when we give it away, especially when we give it away to God so he can use it to do his work in our world. Jesus gives us ample resources, but we have to receive them before we can share them with others. This story has to do with faith in Jesus rather than His compassion. It is also about God’s ability to take too little and change it into more than enough.

Jesus intended for his miracle to point people to God. That included his disciples and everyone he met. The people realized that the food they had eaten was a sign from God and that they might believe in Jesus, and they did. They realized he was the long-promised Messiah, but he wasn’t the type of Messiah they were looking for. They were following Jesus for the spectacle, not because of who he was. They were enamored with his words and what he might do for them. Coming to God on the mountain was a fearful experience, yet it was full of expectation at the same time. Why? Because God was seen at this time in history as a mighty and exalted God.

Jesus told the disciples to collect the leftovers in wicker baskets. Each basket was big enough to carry one person’s provisions for a journey of two or three days, and there was one basket for each of the disciples. The disciples should have learned a lesson. Nothing is impossible with God, but we often think in terms of what we have to offer and what we can accomplish through human means. The disciples failed to understand what they saw or heard, but they chose to believe God in Jesus.  

Jesus tested the disciples in this passage, and He often tests us. What are the tests we face? Do we face the needs of family, friends, church, and the world and feel overwhelmed or crowded by them? How can we meet their needs? The answer is to turn them and our resources over to God and let Him go to work.

As long as we think we have to come up with the solution, we will be anxious, stressed, irritable and frantic. Once we realize that we aren’t adequate for the task, that Jesus will have to step in, and we turn to Him, then we have peace as we wait for His plan to unfold.

When Jesus sets before us a task that seems to be impossible, He knows what He is going to do. He watches us and tests us to see how we will react-in fear, confusion or faith. Jesus offers us enough resources to do His work in our world, but we have to receive them from Him in order to give them to other people. God starts with what we have. We can give God everything in our lives-our hearts, our reputations, our pasts, our presents and our futures.

Jesus demonstrated His power to meet spiritual and physical needs. If we want to have eternal life, we have to be fed with His Word, drawn to Him and be united with Him. These are the most important spiritual needs that we have. Abiding in Christ means making His love our home. What are your expectations of how God will meet you in your life?

A colossal testing often follows a colossal success. The real proof of discipleship is how closely a person follows Christ when his or her needs are not immediately satisfied and the winds start to blow. Jesus watched the disciples put all of their strength against the oars, but the wind resisted them for hours. After He walked on the water and stepped into the boat, they arrived in Capernaum. By telling the disciples, “It is I; do not be afraid,” Jesus was identifying Himself as the Great I AM. He comes to all His followers in their storms and reminds them of the same.

The point is clear. Jesus once again brought His power to the rescue of human inadequacy. He turned an impossible situation into an opportunity to teach and strengthen the confidence of His believers. Can we trust Jesus even when the circumstances seem impossible? Will we give to Him all we have so that He can do big things in our lives? When we show that we are willing to trust Him and not hold back, He will do great things in our lives.

This story shows the difference between two types of churches-missional and maintenance. Missional churches welcome all situations and see the potential while acknowledging the challenges these situations create. Maintenance churches focus on creating committees that make decisions and not disciples. Maintenance churches distance themselves from problems because they are too busy having committee meetings. Maintenance churches are filled with tension because the members don’t know what’s going to happen or how to respond. They do just enough to get by. Missional churches look for things to do, even when their members are already doing things. They believe that because God is in what they are doing, God will provide everything that they will need. Maintenance churches are paralyzed by the size and scope of the task before them, but missional churches break the task down into manageable parts. They do not try to do everything all at once because they know they can’t be everything to everyone all of the time. Jesus accepts their limitations and only expects them to work with what they have and with the next people they meet. Which type of church would we prefer to be?

The great multitude was following Jesus for the spectacle, not because of who He was. They were enamored with His words and, more specifically, with what He might do for them. He felt compassion for them even when they became a nuisance. Because of Jesus’ miracle-working power, many wanted to make Him their king. They thought that if Jesus could provide their daily bread, He could set them free from Roman rule. Jesus rejected this in favour of His purpose of purifying and dying for us. He knew the people were motivated by their stomachs rather than their hearts.

The crowd only saw Jesus as a provider for their earthly needs. They did not see the signs as indications that God would provide for their heavenly needs and their spiritual needs. Jesus wanted the people to live in Him and partake of His spiritual food, but the people wanted Jesus to stay with them so they could continue to enjoy the physical food that He offered.

The story of the disciples in the storm is a picture of our lives. We often face problems that don’t seem to have any human solutions, relationships that have broken down, and violence and anger that are becoming the rule instead of the exception. Everything seems to be out of control. It’s a dark, stormy night in the sea of life, and there doesn’t seem to be anyone in the boat who can save us.

How often do the needs in front of us loom so much larger that our available resources? Is the stack of bills you owe standing taller than your chequebook balance? Does keeping both family and job going require more wisdom and stamina than you have? Welcome to reality! It’s tough!

Jesus entered our reality. His response to a tough situation was to stop and give thanks. He lifted His attention to what God provided, even if it seemed to be insignificant. When we stop and give thanks to God for what He has given, we’re reminded that He is for is, not against us. When Jesus gave thanks and then went on to feed the 5,000, we saw that God cares about our needs. Reality is tough, but gratitude opens our eyes to Jesus’ extravagant love.

The feeding of the 5,000 reminds us that when we have faith in Jesus we have resources beyond belief. Five loaves and two fish can feed a multitude. Divine multiplication brings abundance from what we see as scarcity. What would happen to us and our congregations if we anticipated God’s blessings? What would happen if we believed that our generosity could be multiplied to help others? Our gifts and bounty, dedicated to God’s vision, bring results beyond our expectation.

Day-to-day heartache is our routine and problems seem to have a permanent place in our lives, but we hold on to both our faith and God’s faithfulness. What God is doing to us is what Jesus did with the loaves and fish. Jesus broke the bread and out of the brokenness He multiplied the blessing so that thousands were fed.

It hurts to be broken, but sometimes that’s part of God’s plan, especially if He wants to feed us and bless us. It’s a way for our faithfulness to grow. Out of our brokenness, the blessing can be bestowed on more than we ever dreamed possible.

When we have a problem that challenges God’s work, we must consider the following steps:

1. Acknowledge our inadequacy and the Lord’s omnipotence.
2. Be certain the challenge before us glorifies the Lord, obeys one of his commands from Scripture, or helps to fulfill a spiritual mandate.
3. Give the challenge back to the Lord as a chance for him to accomplish it on our behalf and receive glory for the victory.
4. Do what we can, supply what we have, put forward our effort, then let God multiply it at his discretion.

The two parts of this story are linked by Jesus’ doing something totally unexpected, and it changes the lives of those around him. This story tells us that there are things in life that will catch us off guard, but nothing will catch God off guard. God sends the storms of life that we face. These storms have been engineered to strengthen us, teach us something and cause us to grow deeper in our faith. God knows what we are dealing with before it happens. He also knows how we are going to get out of the situation. He still allows the trial to happen because it will be for our benefit. When we face the storms of life, we must remember the words of the hymn, “Will Your Anchor Hold?”

Will your anchor hold in the storms of life,

When the clouds unfold their wings of strife?

When the strong tides lift and the cables strain,

Will your anchor drift, or firm remain?

We have an anchor that keeps the soul
Stedfast and sure while the billows roll,
Fastened to the Rock which cannot move,
Grounded firm and deep in the Savior’s love.

Jesus is the “bread of life’ and can satisfy our deepest hungers. He walked on the water once, but he continues to calm our fears and enable us to have compassion for other people who are still burdened by sin, ignorance and confusion.

Bibliography

1. 1. Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; pp.1450-1452)

• Swindoll, Charles R.: Swindoll’s New Testament Insights on John (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan; 2010; pp. 137-150)

1. 1. Fredrikson, R.L. & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 27: John (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1985; pp. 121-137)

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

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

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

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• Anne Graham Lotz, “Receiving His Resources.” Retrieved from info@angelministries.org

• Karen Ehman, “Will You Help Us Pack Her lunch?” Retrieved from www.proverbs31.org

1. Joel Osteen, “Nothing Wasted.” Retrieved from devotional@joelosteen.com
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