June 19, 2011 “DISPELLING THE DARKNESS”

MATTHEW 8:28-34                                                                                   JUNE 19, 2011

                                                                            

“DISPELLING THE DARKNESS”

C.S. Lewis, the well known author of the Chronicles of Narnia, wrote a book entitled the “Screwtape Letters”. The book contains the satirical and fictional correspondence between a sly older demon giving advice to his younger demonic nephew, Wormwood, on how best to win over the human he has been assigned to torment and bring him over to their master. The following is an excerpt:

My dear Wormwood, I wonder you should ask me whether it is essential to keep the patient in ignorance of your own existence. That question, at least for the present phase of the struggle, has been answered for us by the High Command. Our policy, for the moment, is to conceal ourselves. Of course this has not always been so. We are really faced with a cruel dilemma. When the humans disbelieve in our existence we lose all the pleasing results of direct terrorism and we make no magicians. On the other hand, when they believe in us, we cannot make them materialists and skeptics. …I do not think you will have much difficulty in keeping the patient in the dark. The fact that ‘devils’ are predominantly comic figures in the modern imagination will help you. If any faint suspicion of your existence begins to arise in his mind, suggest to him a picture of something in red tights, and persuade him that since he cannot believe in that (it is an old textbook method of confusing them) he therefore cannot believe in you.

Our culture is currently fascinated with spirits and ghosts. Yet many who are fascinated are blinded to the reality that the spirit world poses. Satan and demons are real and are much more dangerous than the “reality shows” reveal. Demons are always identified in scripture as spiritual beings hostile to God. In this passage in Matthew Jesus encounters two demon-possessed men. The parallel account in Mark 5:1-20 also provides more details. Matthew 8:28 (NIV) “²⁸ When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way.”

Jesus traveled to the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. This portion of the lake is adjacent to a region where Gentiles lived. Remember that Gentiles are all those who are not Jewish. Part of this region is filled with caves that were used as a burial ground. Jews who came in contact with the dead were considered unclean and were unable to participate socially until they went through a ceremonial cleansing conducted by a priest. Thus Jews always sought to avoid contact with anyone who would make them “unclean”. Matthew records that there were two demon possessed men who lived in this region. They were known to attack travelers and they were so strong as to be able to break any chains that bound them. (Mark 5:3-4) The gospel of Mark and Luke only record the presence of the one man, most likely as he was the one most well known. Yet Jesus did not avoid traveling in this region.

The apostle John records the reason why Jesus performed miracles. John 20:30-31 (NIV) “³⁰ Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. ³¹ But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Jesus in performing miracles was revealing himself as God so that the people would acknowledge his authority and thus listen to him and come to repentance and be saved. It is not until after the resurrection of Jesus that the disciples came to understand that Jesus truly was God. Scripture records that most people were blinded and deaf in regards to perceiving the identity of Jesus, but not these two.  The two men immediately challenge Jesus as they know who he is. Their knowledge came from the demons who possessed them. ²⁹ "What do you want with us, Son of God?" they shouted. "Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?"

In the encounter that Jesus had with Satan in the desert, Satan from the beginning clearly identified Jesus. Matthew 4:3 (NIV) “³ The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Satan was trying to make Jesus doubt his own identity. Jesus spoke of the coming of the kingdom of God in Matthew 4:17 (NIV) “¹⁷ From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." In a later conversation with the Pharisees Jesus talked about his authority to cast out demons in Matthew 12:28 (NIV) “²⁸ But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” Christians need to understand that the arrival of the kingdom of God was also the defeat of Satan. The spiritual forces of darkness led by Satan know that judgment day is coming and their destruction will be total and complete. Revelation 20:10 (NIV) “¹⁰ And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.”

The two men possessed by demons wanted to be free until the appointed time for judgment arrives. ³⁰ Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. ³¹ The demons begged Jesus, "If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs." The demons had their own agenda, which is to cause pain and suffering to humans or animals. In Matthew 17:14-20 the demon would cause the child to fall into a fire to be injured. A pig was considered an unclean animal according to the Jewish dietary laws in Leviticus.

³² He said to them, "Go!" So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. ³³ Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. ³⁴ Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region. Jesus in healing the two men removed the danger of traveling through that region. Jesus restored these two men providing for them the opportunity to have a decent life. You might think that those who lived nearby would have been thrilled to have these dangerous men no longer able to cause anyone harm? We sometimes forget that not all people are thrilled when someone’s life is changed.

It is interesting to observe the reaction of the Gentiles over the destruction of the herd of pigs from the Gospel of Mark. Mark 5:14-17 (NIV) “¹⁴ Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. ¹⁵ When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. ¹⁶ Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man--and told about the pigs as well. ¹⁷ Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.” The people of that region were more afraid of Jesus affecting their financial prosperity than they were pleased of the healing of the two men. As one commentator described, “all down through the ages the world has been refusing Jesus because it prefers the pigs.” (NIV Application Commentary) We should never be surprised when the people of this world react negatively to people repenting and being healed. I have often observed those who make a change in their life struggle with their old friends who want them to return to the darkness. Their so called friends would rather have their friends remain in the dark with them.

For those of us who trust and believe in Jesus Christ, the power of Satan and his demons has been defeated. The poisonous venom of death has been removed as we have eternal life. Yet a wounded animal can still cause great harm if we deny the reality of the spiritual forces of darkness. Someone sent me the story of a huge boa constrictor that had entered into the home of a missionary. One of the locals killed the snake. When the missionary started to reenter the home, the native believer stopped the missionary saying, “The snake is dead, but his body does not know it yet.” We should not fear Satan, as his end is near. Paul warns us to put on our spiritual armor. Ephesians 6:11-13 (NIV) “¹¹ Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

Satan desires to trip us up, but do not fear as Jesus has defeated Satan and his demons and they will be cast into the eternal lake of fire. Jesus has won the victory.

Let us pray.

June 5, 2011 “THE COST OF FOLLOWING JESUS”

MATTHEW 8:18-22                                                                                   JUNE 5, 2011

                                                                            

“THE COST OF FOLLOWING JESUS”

Our emotions are a gift of God. They are an integral part of who we are. I still remember the thrill of riding a bicycle for the first time, once I figured how not to fall. The sheer joy of my courtship with Frances remains with me to this day. And I will never forget the ecstasy of holding my new-born daughters. However, I also recognize that my emotions should not be the sole criteria in making a decision. Over the past years I have bought items on the spur of the moment, only later to regret my hasty, impulsive decision. The end result of those hasty decisions has led to many things being donated to our trash and treasure sale. And how often have you joined a club or group only to discover that you really do not have the time to do it?

Years ago I attended a Billy Graham crusade at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. It was thrilling to be there with so many people. I watched with joy the throngs who answered the call to make a decision to accept Jesus Christ. I knew of several high school classmates who made decisions that week. Many of them later joined the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and had their picture taken to be in the annual. They never attended the meetings, but they “belonged to the club”. I also observed that several who went forward during the crusade did not make any lasting changes in regard to their behavior. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association put out statistics indicating that only 3% of those who prayed the sinner’s prayer at their crusades were active in a church a year later. As any family of an alcoholic can testify: there is a big difference between people admitting one has a problem with drinking, from one who is willing to make the necessary changes to stop the addictive behavior.

Jesus did not go by the rules, surprising his listeners and his followers. Instead of addressing the crowds who came because of the miraculous healings, he left them. Matthew 8:18 (NIV) ^{18 “}When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.”
Jesus chose to be with his disciples. In this passage in Matthew, Jesus speaks to those individuals who desire to become a disciple, one of his followers.

“¹⁹ Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."  The man who came to Jesus was a scribe. In the time of Jesus few people could read or write. The scribe was one who was specially trained to handle written documents. As a part of his training he learned and taught the scriptures to the people. The scribe was impressed with Jesus and was asking permission to follow him. The scribe intended to become a disciple of Jesus. If the man was willing to follow then why would Jesus say anything that might discourage him?

²⁰ Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Jesus throws up a stop sign on the man’s enthusiasm to learn from him. Jesus indicates that even the wild animals have homes, but not the Son of Man. Jesus used the term Son of Man, which was used mainly in Ezekiel, to speak about his purpose for his ministry. Rabbis were highly esteemed by the people. They would often start their own school centered near a synagogue. However, Jesus did not follow this pattern. Once Jesus began his ministry he did not have a home to which he returned. You might recall that when he was in Capernaum he stayed at Andrew and Peter’s home. Jesus did not establish a business or institution. There would not be a comfortable life awaiting his followers. Jesus forced the scribe to reconsider his decision. Before you become one of my disciples, consider that you will not have a permanent home.

Many people come to Jesus with preconceived ideas of what it means to be a Christian disciple. We pick up these notions from other people, mostly from our families and the traditions we grew up with. Jesus confronted the scribe because he knew that the man was making a decision based on how and what he was expecting from a rabbi. Jesus was not following that pattern. When I was in seminary, I went through a period of six months when I tried to live up to what I thought a minister should be. It was the worst time in my life as I was miserable. I tried to say the right words, and have the right attitudes, and be proper as I thought a minister should be. The problem was that I was using my pre-conceived notions of the role of a pastor, instead of simply following Jesus. When people tell me that I am not like any other pastor they have ever known, I respond with a thank you. A follower of Jesus Christ is one who listens to the words of the Master.

People were coming to Jesus asking to join him without fully understanding what being a disciple meant. There were many who followed Jesus who left him because of what Jesus taught. John 6:60-66 (NIV) “⁶⁰ On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" ⁶¹ Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? ⁶² What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! ⁶³ The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life. ⁶⁴ Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. ⁶⁵ He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him." ⁶⁶ From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.”

Jesus was not finished with his radical call to faith. ^“21 Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." ²² But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."  Burial of the dead was considered to be very important, especially for your immediate family. Burying your parents was seen as being a part of the commandment, to honor your father and mother. Jesus later rebuked the Pharisees for not taking care of parents in Matthew 15:1-9. So what did Jesus mean? “There are three explanations: 1) some think that the man’s father had not yet died, and he wanted to stay with him until then; 2) or perhaps he was returning to fulfill the second stage of burial, which takes place after a year passes and the bones were placed in an ossuary; or 3) Jesus was speaking metaphorically “letting the spiritually dead bury the physically dead.” (NIV Application Commentary) What we do know is that Jesus was most concerned that the call to “follow me” was to be the most important of all allegiances, even before parents.  Jesus went on to say in Matthew 10:37-39 (NIV) ³⁷ “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; ³⁸ and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. ³⁹ Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

John McNeill, a well known Scottish preacher of the 19^th century told of the time when his father died in Scotland. He was in the English midlands, and was advertised to preach at evangelistic services in a city on the day scheduled for his father’s burial. People would have understood if he had sent a message cancelling his speaking engagement. He said, “But I dared not cancel my speaking, for this same Jesus stood by me, and seemed to say, “Now, look, I have you. You go and preach the gospel to those people. Whether would you rather bury the dead or raise the dead? And I went to preach.” (William Barclay’s commentary on Matthew)

Each person who calls himself a Christian must answer the question for themselves: what does it mean to be a disciple. Is your definition based on tradition or is it based on the words of Jesus? Picture Jesus speaking with you. Will he ask you to reconsider your decision because he knows what is in your heart and mind? How will you answer Him if He asks you if you love (fill in the blank) more than me? During communion, ponder the great love Jesus has for you, in dying for you. Jesus does not want his followers to be swept away by a flood of emotions. He desires that you understand what it means to take up the cross and follow him.

Let us pray.

May 29, 2011 “DOING THE UNEXPECTED!”

MATTHEW 8:1-17                                                                                     MAY 29, 2011

                                                                            

“DOING THE UNEXPECTED!”

Our life experiences have taught us to expect children to do the unexpected. Children will run into traffic without noticing that cars are present. Children will often say things that make their parents want to crawl under a table. At our home we had unexpected visitors. Frances hurriedly picked up items and stuffed them into a parson’s bench to straighten the house before we opened the front door. Our foster daughter excitedly told our visitors about our hurried clean up. As children grow older they learn the social mores that informally govern our actions in polite society. We learn that there are certain behaviors that are frowned upon and we learn to behave accordingly. In this passage Jesus does the unexpected and violated his societies’ social mores.

In Leviticus 13-14, are purity laws detailing with what to do when someone has a skin disease. All skin diseases at that time were considered leprosy. Once a person was declared to have leprosy he/she was required to wear torn clothes and shout out “unclean, unclean” and have the lower part of their face covered. Skin diseases were considered to be highly contagious. Thus to maintain the physical purity of the nation the infected person was cut off from society and shunned. Jesus knew the purity laws but consider his actions. Matthew 8:1-17 (NIV) “¹ When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. ² A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." ³ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy. ⁴ Then Jesus said to him, "See that you don't tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."

Jesus came to tell the people about the new kingdom and he would do so. Jesus did not violate the law as he healed him. Only God can heal so Jesus is making a statement about himself. Notice that Jesus told the man after healing to go to the priest as required in Leviticus as a testimony to the priesthood. Some have thought it strange that Jesus told the man to keep quiet. Consider, how people will react as the man tells his story to all. Jesus wanted the people to also hear the good news of God’s forgiveness instead of focusing solely on the physical healing. Jesus wanted the people to realize the spiritual impact of his miracles. The lepers were estranged from their society in the same way that our sins keep us estranged from a holy God and we need spiritual cleansing even more than we need physical healing.

Jews at the time of Jesus were extremely prejudiced against everyone who was not a Jew. They despised their next door neighbors, the Samaritans, and the Romans, the Greeks, the Egyptians, and so on. They knew they were God’s chosen people and they thought that everyone else was inferior to them. Jews would not even allow non-Jews (Gentiles) to enter their homes nor for them to enter the home of a non-Jew. Entering the home of a Gentile by a Jew would “defile” them and make them unclean. The Romans were also despised as they were the occupying army that controlled the Jewish state.

“⁵ When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. ⁶ "Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering." ⁷ Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him." ⁸ The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. ⁹ For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."  A centurion was the commanding officer over one hundred soldiers. Recent archaeological discoveries indicate that here was a Roman garrison next to the town of Capernaum, which was where Jesus’ home base was located.  Thus, it is understandable that the Roman officer would have known of the previous healings. The officer put two and two together and rightly understood the significance that Jesus had the authority and power to heal. He asked with humility for the healing of his servant. This is one of the few times that scripture indicates that Jesus was amazed.

¹⁰ When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. ¹¹ I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. ¹² But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." ¹³ Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.” The Roman centurion had recognized Jesus as the promised Messiah, the deliverer of Israel. Jesus praises the man for his understanding based on faith. Jesus declares that God’s chosen people had not shown as much insight as this Gentile. Jesus then condemns the people for their lack of faith and insight. The time had arrived Jesus says, that the kingdom of God is now open to all nations, all peoples, from east to west. Those who do not believe in Jesus, even if they are born Jews, will be condemned. The servant of the Roman centurion is healed as the soldier responded with faith to the message of Jesus.

There was another group of people who were considered inferior by Jewish males. The role of women at the time of Jesus was very limited. Women, as a group, were often seen as second class citizens. In polite society, women were often not recognized. Jesus did not allow these attitudes to prevent him from seeking them out. ¹⁴ When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. ¹⁵ He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him. Jesus did not ignore the woman as of no account, instead he healed her. In gratitude Peter’s mother-in-law began immediately to then look after the needs of Jesus. She was the first that evening to be healed.

The Sabbath was over and people could travel freely. The sick and demon-possessed began to show up at the door.¹⁶ When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. ¹⁷ This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases." All sickness and death are a result of the fall in the Garden of Eden, where sin took hold of the human race. Jesus in fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah begins to heal the people, physically and spiritually. These acts of healing point to Jesus as being God, the source of all healing. In the upper room Jesus told the disciples in Matthew 26:27-28 (NIV) “²⁷ Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸ This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” The purpose of Jesus was to present the way to a relationship with the Almighty God by the forgiveness of sins.

Matthew provides these three scenes to show how Jesus did the unexpected and crossed the social barriers of his day to reach out to all people, even the ones who were on the fringes of “acceptable folk”. Jesus calls us to still reach out to those on the fringes of society. “Jesus broke down the purity, the ethnic, and gender boundaries so that all may respond to the kingdom of heaven.” (NIV Application Commentary)  We must reach out with the good news of God’s offer of forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ. We are called to reach out to all people: the Muslim, the illegal immigrants, the homosexuals, the addicts, and ex-cons, and any other subgroup you can name.

Satan also wants to throw up barriers in our society so that we won’t share the good news of the Gospel. Our society frowns upon praying in the name of Jesus, as well as praying in public. What are some of the other rules of society that would hinder a Christian from sharing the gospel?  ………………………….

May we follow our Savior and to the unexpected by sharing our faith, regardless what our society says is in appropriate. We can only have one master. May we choose well.

Let us pray.

May 22, 2011 “THE WAY IS HARD THAT LEADS TO LIFE”

MATTHEW 7:13-29                                                                                   MAY 22, 2011

                                                                            

“THE WAY IS HARD THAT LEADS TO LIFE”

One of the musical icons of the nineteenth century was the Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind. She came to New York City in 1851 at the height of her popularity. During her visit she attended a worship service and heard Pastor Olaf Hedstrom. At the conclusion of the meeting she went to talk with the minister because she felt the weight of her sins was pressing down upon her. The pastor presented the Gospel message to Ms. Lind She knelt down in tears and called on the name of the Lord, and accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior. Pastor Hedstrom received several letters from Ms Lind expressing her appreciation. She relayed to him of her desire to leave the theater forever. The news of her decision created a sensation, and much bitterness from her fans. Yet, she did not change her mind and retired to pursue her calling as a Christian disciple.

One day a friend found the former celebrity sitting on the beach with her Bible open on her lap. After they talked for a while, the conversation came around to the question, “How did you decide to abandon the stage at the very height of your success?” She sat quietly for a moment then said with deep feeling, “With each passing day, show business made me think less of my Bible and hardly anything at all of what lays beyond this life- so what else could I do?”

This passage concludes the Sermon on the Mount with a series of warnings. Jesus was speaking to his disciples, knowing that the crowds and the religious leaders were also listening. Jesus issues a warning to his disciples. One might think it strange that his first warning was to those who already had decided to follow him, those who were already listening to his teaching. Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV) ¹³ "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” The wide gate opens onto an equally wide road. These terms also evoke the sense of an easy and comfortable journey. Traveling on this wide road is easy and as a result, is the way most people take in life. However, there is a major problem with this route: it leads to destruction. This road leads to hell.

Jesus tells his disciples that the correct path begins with a narrow gate and equally narrow path. As a result of this narrow opening few people find it. Jesus is talking about himself. In John 10:9 (NIV) Jesus said “⁹ I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” A majority of Americans still mistakenly think that being good is what determines entrance into heaven. They’re missing the narrow entrance which is faith in Christ alone. A mega church pastor recently created a sensation by publishing a book which implied that God will save everyone. Francis Bacon said, “people prefer to believe what they prefer to be true”. Jesus said “small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Each person must choose which path they will take. Don’t take the broad and easy path, without realizing the eternal consequences of a wrong choice.  The narrow gate and narrow path is a hard path, but it leads to life, not destruction.

Once a person decides to enter through the narrow gate Jesus warns that there will be self seeking preachers and teachers who will try to mislead you. Follow along in your bible as I read from the Message. “Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don’t be impressed with charisma; look for character. Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say. A genuine leader will never exploit your emotions or your pocketbook. These diseased trees with their bad apples are going to be chopped down and burned.”

Jesus tells his followers to become fruit inspectors. Matthew 7:18-20 (NIV) “¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” Do you understand that Jesus is commanding us to practice discernment with all teachers? I was at a presbytery meeting in our former denomination and heard a minister teach on why we should not address God as Father. The preacher never mentioned any scripture. (not surprising!, as there are none!) I was stunned and I realized that the speaker was a false teacher and that I had a choice to make: stay or leave. False teachers will always seem to be genuine and sincere. A person can be genuine and be sincerely wrong. Jesus teaches that true repentance in the heart will produce a repentant life that rejects sin and endeavors to be faithful to the word of God. Judgment is coming on those who teach falsehoods.

Jesus then delivered the third warning. From the CEV, “Not everyone who calls me their Lord will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only the ones who obey my Father in heaven will get in. On the day of judgment many will call me their Lord. They will say, “We preached in your name, and in your name we forced out demons, and worked many miracles.” But I will tell them, “I will have nothing to do with you! Get out of my sight, you evil people!” It is not enough to claim we are Christian; the name belongs only to those who actually obey the commands of God. (God’s will) Jesus demands our inward allegiance. Only God can see the heart and knows those who truly believe in Him. We are called only to see if others are producing fruit- not condemn them.

The fourth warning is a call to be wise in how we choose to live our lives. The main issue is not how often you come to church or participate in church activities. It is whether or not you daily follow Christ, doing what He says. From the Message verses 24-27, “These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter- who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit- but nothing moved the house. It was fixed to the rock. But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards.” The wise person who daily follows Jesus, seeking to faithfully follow the commands of scripture will discover the joy of heaven awaiting them. Following Christ can be hard, yet we will also discover the joy of being in communion with our Lord, who will help us along the way, providing what we need and the strength to do it.  

Jesus taught with authority as he is the Son of God. God has been gracious and provided His Word to be the guide to life. We ignore his words of warning at our peril. I appreciate hearing from you that I preached a good sermon. I remind myself though, that every false teacher has probably heard the same words. What I hope for as your pastor, is whether or not you are producing the fruit that comes from a changed and repentant heart. Build your life upon the solid foundation, Jesus Christ, he is the narrow gate and road that leads to life eternal.

Let us pray.

MAY 15, 2011 “CHRISTIAN MANNERS”

MATTHEW 7:1-12                                                                                     MAY 15, 2011

                                                                            

“CHRISTIAN MANNERS”

How many of you remember the newspaper column on manners by Emily Post?  Her name is now synonymous with good manners and etiquette. I am grateful to my parents and to my sister who taught me manners. I was constantly reminded: to say please and thank you, close my mouth while chewing, use my napkin and my handkerchief instead of my shirt sleeve, to show respect to all adults, etc… My sister taught me those manners which as a young teenage male, I was clueless in how to act around the opposite sex. She taught me to open car doors and any other door and to allow the woman to go first. She also taught me to hold the woman’s elbow to assist a woman in high heels to go up stairs. Most importantly she taught me to listen. Unfortunately manners must be taught and learned as they are not a part of our DNA. Another example of this was from a comment by a local kindergarten teacher of many years. She informed me that her task was to civilize young boys and girls so that they might have the tools to begin to learn. Each child at school has to learn: to raise their hand before speaking, to stand in line, listen to the teacher, stay in their seats, etc… Jesus taught the disciples the manners every believer needs to know. This portion of Matthew 7:1-12 I have entitled Christian manners.

Jesus often condemned the spiritual leaders of his day for their hypocrisy and their failure to live by the ethical demands of the scriptures. Jesus warned his own disciples to not follow the pattern set by the Pharisees and Sadducees. Matthew 7:1-2 (NIV) ¹ "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” The verb translated as “judge” has several slightly different meanings. In this context Jesus states that we are not to pronounce someone as guilty or to indicate that they stand condemned by God. James 4:12 (NIV) “¹² There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you--who are you to judge your neighbor?” Only God has the authority to send someone to hell. We may think we know where someone is going but that is not our call.

This condemning attitude is the opposite of Jesus teaching us to be merciful in the Beatitudes. Matthew 5:7 (NIV) “⁷ Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” And remember that He taught us to pray, “forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors”. When a Christian falls into this type of condemning behavior we are in effect setting ourselves as the standard of how one is to live. This critical condemning attitude is an indication that love is missing from our relationships. This absence of love is a sign that we may not have truly experienced God’s mercy and forgiveness.

Jesus uses an illustration showing a contrast between an insignificant problem in comparison to a major difficulty that the accuser has in their own life. From the Message, “It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your won. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you’, when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.” This condemning attitude of others usually surfaces when we are being blind, unaware of our own self-righteous pride in ourselves. The primary example of a hypocrite is Judas Iscariot. Judas traveled with Jesus for three years seeing all of the miracles, hearing every lesson, and yet he never truly believed. Pointing out the sins of others should only be done after we have done a self examination, and then only with humility and love.

⁶ "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.” This verse some have thought was thrown in as an afterthought. Yet in this verse Jesus addresses a problem if a person goes to the opposite extreme of judging. Instead of hypocritical judgment, is one who is naïve in continuing to present the message of God’s love and acceptance with one who continuously mocks and ridicules the good news of the gospel. In the first century dogs were mostly wild scavengers. I have experimented in talking with intoxicated persons and with those who are high on drugs. I have tired ignoring them and that doesn’t work. I have attempted to reason with them only to be greatly frustrated. I no longer attempt to reason with impaired individuals. I attempt to show love and concern and often that doesn’t work either. Someone who is so single minded like a wild dog or pig makes it unadvisable to attempt to share the precious truths of God’s love and forgiveness. If a pig can knock you down, they will attempt to eat any body part that is near them. I once made the mistake going to feed the hogs barefooted. They tried to eat my toes. I had to throw the slop bucket down and jump over the fence.

Jesus in this passage is finishing the sermon on the Mount providing us with how we are to apply the principles of holy living. It is not easy to be both merciful and forgiving and yet wisely discern when we should guard ourselves from those who make a mockery of the faith. In the same way when one tries to learn a new task, it is advisable to seek out the instruction manual and then ask one who knows what to do, and to not give up. Jesus in the same way tells us what to do and how to approach God: we are to ask, seek, and knock. ⁷ "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Each of these words; ask, seek, knock; are words indicating prayer. These three words indicate a rising scale or ladder approach. When we go to God in prayer we are humbly asking for his assistance. Seeking indicates when we are needing to know God’s will as in what job to take or in seeking out a helpmate (who to marry). Knocking is being persistent and persevering in our prayers. Jesus consistently spent time in prayer with his Father. Jesus is very aware that we need help and so he provides us a framework of how to ask.

My children can still recite the words I told them numerous times. “I never mind you asking for anything as long as you don’t mind being told no.”  God answers every prayer. God does not ignore us. Jesus uses an illustration of earthly fathers and then asks us if God will not then take care of us. From the Message, “Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn’t some cat and mouse, hide and seek game we’re in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn’t think of such a thing. You’re at least decent to your own children. So don’t you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better? God answers our prayers. Remember how children sometimes react when they receive a reply they don’t know want to hear. They will either ignore your words or go ask the other parent. This doesn’t work with God either. We may not be listening when we receive an answer we don’t want to hear.

Jesus then summarizes his teaching in what we now call the Golden Rule. This rule was a Jewish saying but it was said in the negative. “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor.” Jesus turned it around and said it positively. ¹² So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Living our faith is not simply following a list of rules and regulations. Being faithful to Christ means daily asking for help and discernment from our Father in knowing how best to respond. May we be wise and ask God for assistance, seek out His will for us, and be patient and persevering in waiting for his reply.

Let us pray.

MAY 8, 2011 “SETTING PRIORITIES”

MATTHEW 6:19-34                                                                                   MAY 8, 2011

                                                                            

“SETTING PRIORITIES”

In my freshman year at Jacksonville State University I was a manager on the football team. I worked with the offensive backs. Our quarterback was Ralph Dieter Brock. He was the first player from our 1a school to play in the senior bowl in Mobile, AL. He went on to play Canadian football for several years before playing for the Los Angeles Rams for two years. Dieter gave me one of his jerseys. I treasured it for years. Every couple of years I would wear it; then carefully wash it and put it away. One day I took out my treasured jersey and was dismayed to discover it had deteriorated and was filled with holes. I kept it for a few more years before I was forced to admit, it needed to be thrown away. Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV) ¹⁹ "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

In this portion of the Sermon on the Mount Jesus focuses on what type of person a disciple is to be on the inside. The focus here is not on what we do but on who we are. “Material wealth was important to the people of Israel since it was often seen as a sign of God’s blessings.” (NIV Application Commentary, Michael Wilkins) Yet scripture also taught the Israelites to be careful of greed and coveting. A treasure is what each individual considers to be valuable. A moth is a tiny insect but it can destroy the finest clothing. Rust encompasses anything that destroys, including crops as well as metals. Jesus indicates a contrast between a treasure on earth and a treasure in heaven. “²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Jesus is talking about values. Jesus tells his disciples that it is important to make the right choices if we desire to love and serve God the Father. So how do we make the right choice?

Matthew 6:22-23 (NIV) ²² "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” Jesus is not talking about needing glasses or contacts, or even having a diseased eye. From the Message, “Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have! What is the main focus of our lives? A bad eye is making bad moral choices. This is the real meaning of having an “evil eye”. If our eyes are good we will be filled with the light of God’s treasure. We will be filled with the love of God and our greatest desire will be to return that love for Abba and will love others as Abba loves.

Matthew 6:24 (NIV) ²⁴ "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” It is now time to choose between two masters. The word serve indicates the work of a slave and not of an employee. Each of us can choose to quit our job. However, once we have chosen to follow Christ, it is to be a lifelong commitment. Love and hate are not simply emotional responses. Our good or bad choices reveal either our love for God or our hatred (rejection) of God. We can’t have it both ways.

Did you notice the 2-2-2 choice? There are two types of treasure, two different eyes, and two masters. Every day we make a choice between two treasures, what we choose to see, and who we will serve. We must not have divided loyalties. Divided loyalties will produce neither peace nor joy but only dissatisfaction and turmoil. Joshua told the Israelites to make a choice, either to love and serve the Lord wholeheartedly or choose other gods. He told them there would be consequences if they failed to abide by their sacred vow to love and serve God. Loving God is a choice we make each and every day of our lives. Ignoring God or doing nothing is a rejection of Him, regardless of how we seek to explain it. The main principle we are to live by is found in Matthew 6:33 (NIV) “³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.”

Jesus anticipated the next response. If we choose to serve God and put him first, then how will life work itself out on a daily basis? We start worrying about what may happen? When our first child was born I discovered a whole new set of concerns. I began worrying about “what if”? The first disciples for the most part were not wealthy men and lived “hand to mouth”. If they did not work they did not eat? They were concerned about providing for their daily needs. Jesus had taught them to ask God for their daily needs. But this was something out of their experience and they naturally began to wonder and have concerns. Matthew 6:25 (NIV) ²⁵ "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” We, like the disciples, are supposed to answer the question that Jesus asked with an affirmative reply. Worry indicates a lack of trust. Jesus was talking to country folks, like us, who saw the birds that Jesus pointed out. They knew, and so do we, that birds don’t worry. They go about their daily tasks without being hampered with “what if”. The country folk also saw the beautiful flowers in the fields surrounding Jesus. If God produces the glorious splendor of flowers to grace His creation then surely God will take care of all of our needs. We need to trust Him.

The central issue is whether or not we trust God. Matthew 6:30-32 (NIV) “O you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” When we accept Jesus Christ by faith it is the beginning of a covenant agreement. Remember that there are two sides to every covenant agreement. We tend to focus solely on our side of the covenant vow to follow Christ. The other side of the agreement with God is that God takes care of us. Jesus is saying we are faith deficient. When we worry we are acting as if we do not even have faith!

We must get our priorities in alignment with who we are in Christ. Matthew 6:33-34 (NIV) “³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” As Christians we are to have a totally different set of values. We are not pursuing salvation as Christians that is done. We are to pursue our love for our Father that will naturally produce doing those acts of kindness, our good deeds.

Jesus returns to the topic of worry as he knows our struggles with trusting anyone but our selves. We are to meet the problems we face today with the strength God gives us today. Remember we are to pray for “our daily bread”, not tomorrow’s. He will provide us with the strength we need each day. We are to trust Him. As we learn to trust we will discover the peace and joy that is the fruit that God provides for His children.

Years ago the evangelist George Gardner was holding evangelistic meetings in a community. God was blessing these meeting. Mr. Gardner’s only income came from his speaking engagements. He had several unpaid bills. He was trusting God to take care of his needs. At the final service the leader announced that the entire offering that night would be given to the evangelist as a love offering. The plates were passed and the people gave generously. After the meeting one of the ushers showed Mr. Gardner the total amount from the adding machine tape. When the leader in charge gave the guest preacher a check, it was for one-half of the offering collected that night. That night back at the motel the evangelist could not sleep. He kept thinking about what had occurred. In the early morning hours he finally got up and began reading the bible where it fell open. From Psalm 37:1-2 (NIV) “¹ Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; ² for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.” The evangelist put the bible down and prayed, “Lord, what a fool I’ve been! Forgive me. Keep the other fellow awake – I’m going to get some sleep!” In the weeks that followed God provided the finances he needed.

Thanks be to God, our Father, who takes care of his children.

Let us pray.