We learn in these passages that God has a plan and in the Christmas story, we we see that He shares His plans with us and records our responses and / or tells us how He wants us to respond to His plans. In the book of Luke, we see how Mary, a teenage girl, is told of God's plan to bring Jesus into the world through her. We don't see God asking Mary to approve the plan or to provide imput before He decided how to proceed. On the contrary, the angel, Gabriel was sent to share what was going to happen...(vs. 31) "you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus."
Mary, a teenage girl was faced with the fact that she was going to bare a child out of wedlock in a society that could put her to death for such an act. She was betrothed to Joseph who could save his own reputation by cancelling the marriage and revealing her "sin". Yet God records in His word how Mary responded (vs. 38) "Then Mary said, "Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word."
In the book of Matthew, we see that God instructed Joseph how he wanted him to respond to the plan of Jesus' birth. In Matthew 1: 18-25, God told Joseph what was happening and his role in the plan...(vs. 20-21) "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sin." How did Joseph respond? Verse 24, "When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did what the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife."
The story of Jesus' birth makes it clear that we are born into God's plan. I think that we believe that we are here to give God a plan, but actually we are here to participate in His plan as it unfolds. He asks us to respond, tells us how to respond, and records our responses. As followers of Christ we know that God's plan is the only plan that will lead us to His side for eternity.
Discover and Proclaim the Truth of The Bible which is: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life." (John 3:16 NRSV). Jesus came to humanity to proclaim and give evidence to that love and He has commanded us to do the same. We, who believe, must not merely be followers, but we must be proclaimers of the Gospel Message and we can only do that by being filled with the love of God.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
The Kings of Israel
Our Wednesday night class recapped the sermon series on the Kings of Israel looking for the relevance for today. God, through the prophet Samuel, warned the Israelites that by seeking a king, they were rejecting God. He warned them of the ways that the kings would rule over them (1 Samuel 8) and then instructed Samuel to give them what they wanted.
As we read about all the kings, we find that king after king failed to provide for the nation of Israel. Even David, who repented of his sins and was truly loved by God, did not provide an heir to the throne who served the nation well. Solomon started well but finished badly and the kings following did the same (most didn't even start well).
By studying these kings and their shortcomings, we learn that putting our faith and trust in anyone other than God, will lead us into despair. God wants to be our Lord and He sent us Jesus to be our King for eternity. In Jesus, we have a King who will not take from us as worldly kings, but He will give to us. He gives us love, forgiveness, mercy, grace, and an eternal home with Him in heaven. He is not a King who separates himself from his people...He is a King who lives within the hearts of His people.
As we read about all the kings, we find that king after king failed to provide for the nation of Israel. Even David, who repented of his sins and was truly loved by God, did not provide an heir to the throne who served the nation well. Solomon started well but finished badly and the kings following did the same (most didn't even start well).
By studying these kings and their shortcomings, we learn that putting our faith and trust in anyone other than God, will lead us into despair. God wants to be our Lord and He sent us Jesus to be our King for eternity. In Jesus, we have a King who will not take from us as worldly kings, but He will give to us. He gives us love, forgiveness, mercy, grace, and an eternal home with Him in heaven. He is not a King who separates himself from his people...He is a King who lives within the hearts of His people.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Sermon Replay Class...1 Timothy: 3....Examples for the world!
As we reflected back over the past several weeks studies in the Old Testament, we saw over and over how God would send a prophet to speak to the Jews. The prophet was recognized as being a man of God and the words he spoke were given special attention. God would insert His chosen person into a worldly situation to deliver His truth.
Today, God inserts believers into situations to deliver His truth...the mission of His church...but do we realize that we are the person God is depending on? The world is in need of healing today as it was when God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, as a prescription to heal the world. We are the prescribed medicine today that Jesus sends to continue His work. Just as the prophets in the Old Testament were set apart to bring God's word, we have been set apart to do the same thing.
God wants us to be the Christian in the workplace, the light in times of suffering and despair, and the witness when lies and slander are dominating the conversation. Paul petitioned Timothy (1 Timothy: 3) to be an example for the church. Paul identified the qualities of church leaders so that the world would have examples of the life Christ desires for all people. We are the church today and Christ's qualities have not been changed. We; the church, are the prescription for today's troubled world and if we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, God's truth and love will accomplish all that He sends it to accomplsh (Isaiah 55: 11).
Today, God inserts believers into situations to deliver His truth...the mission of His church...but do we realize that we are the person God is depending on? The world is in need of healing today as it was when God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, as a prescription to heal the world. We are the prescribed medicine today that Jesus sends to continue His work. Just as the prophets in the Old Testament were set apart to bring God's word, we have been set apart to do the same thing.
God wants us to be the Christian in the workplace, the light in times of suffering and despair, and the witness when lies and slander are dominating the conversation. Paul petitioned Timothy (1 Timothy: 3) to be an example for the church. Paul identified the qualities of church leaders so that the world would have examples of the life Christ desires for all people. We are the church today and Christ's qualities have not been changed. We; the church, are the prescription for today's troubled world and if we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, God's truth and love will accomplish all that He sends it to accomplsh (Isaiah 55: 11).
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Sermon Replay Class....October, 26, 2011
Our study this week was 1 Kings 13-14.....reading about kings Rehoboam and Jeroboam. Both men new God and identified themselves with God, yet both set themselves apart from God....until they were in trouble. Sounds familiar. As we read these accounts, it was crucial that we remembered that God is telling us the events through His eyes.
The passages that stirred the most discussion were 1 Kings 1 - 25 where a man of God was sent to Jeroboam to proclaim that God was angry about idol worship and that God was going to tear down the alter. Our discussion focused on this man of God who was very disciplined in carrying out God's instructions until he was deceived by another "prophet". God had instructed that the man was not to eat with the people and he was to leave the land by a different route from where he arrived. He was following God's instructions until the "prophet" said that an angel had told him to bring the man of God back to his house and feed him. The man of God then disobeyed God and ate with "prophet" which led to his death as he continued his journey.
There was a sense of sorrow for the man of God in the class because he was deceived and tricked into disobedience and he didn't deliberately intend to do wrong, but the bottom line is that he knew what God had instructed and nothing that happened change those instructions, except for what another had said. God did not change the instructions; a person did, and that is where the failing was.
We see this same thing in Christians and in the church itself today. God's instructions found in the Bible are very clear and concise, yet we bend them to accommodate our desires, our understanding, or to please others. We assume that God's word is open for interpretation and that He will accept our disobedience if we are bending them for a good reason. Just like the man of God eating with the "prophet", it's hard to see the damage done, yet God saw it as disobedience. If we are wondering why God doesn't seem to blessing us or our church ministries, we may want to look at the disobedience in our daily walks and teachings. God's instructions are clear and have not been change by God!
Something else that we see over and over in the Old Testament scriptures is that God used people (man of God, prophet sent by God, etc.) to deliver messages but also to be an example to the world. The people almost always knew that this person was sent by God. God will put us into situations and people's lives to deliver His word and to be an example, yet I think that far too often we may try to be more pleasing to the people than to God. We participate in the gossip, we nod acceptance to the unacceptable...we fail to be the
man or woman of God.
The passages that stirred the most discussion were 1 Kings 1 - 25 where a man of God was sent to Jeroboam to proclaim that God was angry about idol worship and that God was going to tear down the alter. Our discussion focused on this man of God who was very disciplined in carrying out God's instructions until he was deceived by another "prophet". God had instructed that the man was not to eat with the people and he was to leave the land by a different route from where he arrived. He was following God's instructions until the "prophet" said that an angel had told him to bring the man of God back to his house and feed him. The man of God then disobeyed God and ate with "prophet" which led to his death as he continued his journey.
There was a sense of sorrow for the man of God in the class because he was deceived and tricked into disobedience and he didn't deliberately intend to do wrong, but the bottom line is that he knew what God had instructed and nothing that happened change those instructions, except for what another had said. God did not change the instructions; a person did, and that is where the failing was.
We see this same thing in Christians and in the church itself today. God's instructions found in the Bible are very clear and concise, yet we bend them to accommodate our desires, our understanding, or to please others. We assume that God's word is open for interpretation and that He will accept our disobedience if we are bending them for a good reason. Just like the man of God eating with the "prophet", it's hard to see the damage done, yet God saw it as disobedience. If we are wondering why God doesn't seem to blessing us or our church ministries, we may want to look at the disobedience in our daily walks and teachings. God's instructions are clear and have not been change by God!
Something else that we see over and over in the Old Testament scriptures is that God used people (man of God, prophet sent by God, etc.) to deliver messages but also to be an example to the world. The people almost always knew that this person was sent by God. God will put us into situations and people's lives to deliver His word and to be an example, yet I think that far too often we may try to be more pleasing to the people than to God. We participate in the gossip, we nod acceptance to the unacceptable...we fail to be the
man or woman of God.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Sermon Replay Class....Oct. 12, 2011
We read scripture from 1 Kings and took a good look at King Solomon...the good and the bad. We saw in the early verses that Solomon recognized and appreciated the relationship that his father, David, had with God. I guess that we could say that he was raised in a Godly home and because of that, he gave God credit for his rise to the King seat over Israel. He knew of God's faithfulness and goodness.
In 1 Kings 3 we read that God asked Solomon what he wanted from God and the Solomon responded in Verse 9: Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people. Verse 10 - 13 is an amazing glimpse of God and how he responds to His children. (10) It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. (11) God said to him, "Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, (12) I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. (13) I give you also what you did not ask for, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you.
Verses 16- 27 relate a story where Solomon used the wisdom God had granted in resolving a conflict between two mothers and then we see in Verse 28: All Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered; and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him, to execute justice. God's blessing set Solomon apart, a place of honor, but also glorified God. God's glory will rest on us when we are pursuing those things that will bring him glory.
We know that Solomon became probably the wealthiest man to ever live and we also know that he fell into a life of sin worshiping many gods and idols and seeking his own pleasures instead of God. But we also see where God kept His promise to Solomon....wisdom, wealth, and honor were his until he died. We even see where the honor God blessed him with lives on today with three books in the Bible written by Solomon....Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. Solomon's humanity did not negate God's righteousness and sovereignty. God's plan and His will was and is accomplished by those who desire to please Him. Solomon's righteous prayer pleased God and God's response is a blessing for all of us today.
In 1 Kings 3 we read that God asked Solomon what he wanted from God and the Solomon responded in Verse 9: Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people. Verse 10 - 13 is an amazing glimpse of God and how he responds to His children. (10) It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. (11) God said to him, "Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, (12) I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. (13) I give you also what you did not ask for, both riches and honor all your life; no other king shall compare with you.
Verses 16- 27 relate a story where Solomon used the wisdom God had granted in resolving a conflict between two mothers and then we see in Verse 28: All Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered; and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him, to execute justice. God's blessing set Solomon apart, a place of honor, but also glorified God. God's glory will rest on us when we are pursuing those things that will bring him glory.
We know that Solomon became probably the wealthiest man to ever live and we also know that he fell into a life of sin worshiping many gods and idols and seeking his own pleasures instead of God. But we also see where God kept His promise to Solomon....wisdom, wealth, and honor were his until he died. We even see where the honor God blessed him with lives on today with three books in the Bible written by Solomon....Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. Solomon's humanity did not negate God's righteousness and sovereignty. God's plan and His will was and is accomplished by those who desire to please Him. Solomon's righteous prayer pleased God and God's response is a blessing for all of us today.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Matthew 14: 26-30...Sermon..."Growing Beyond You Fears"
Fear creates barriers which Satan uses to keep us from God. We find the teachings of "fear not", "be anxious for nothing", and "do not worry" throughout the Bible and in this passage where Peter steps out of the boat and begins walking on water, we see the result of fear. As Peter begins to fear the storm, he begins to sink into the sea. When we live in fear as we encounter the storms of life, the troubles of this world, we begin to sink into depression, hopelessness, and despair. Yet we know as Christians, that we have nothing to fear because Jesus assures us that He will never turn away from us or forsake us.
Fear and worry are temptations which Satan will use to separate us from God. Like all temptations, we need to flee from these as well. To give into worry and fear, is to give control to Satan instead of reaching for the hand of Christ. As Jesus did with Peter, He will immediately lift us out of the sea of doubt and worry. The storms of life will be calmed and we will know that He is our Lord, the Son of God.
As Christians we need to live a fearless life by putting our faith and trust in Jesus. As we become more trusting, we will find that Jesus is putting us in touch with people who need to overcome the fears and worry of life as well. We need to be able to share Christ's message, "FEAR NOT".... a message of hope and promise for all who know Jesus as their Lord and Savior!
Fear and worry are temptations which Satan will use to separate us from God. Like all temptations, we need to flee from these as well. To give into worry and fear, is to give control to Satan instead of reaching for the hand of Christ. As Jesus did with Peter, He will immediately lift us out of the sea of doubt and worry. The storms of life will be calmed and we will know that He is our Lord, the Son of God.
As Christians we need to live a fearless life by putting our faith and trust in Jesus. As we become more trusting, we will find that Jesus is putting us in touch with people who need to overcome the fears and worry of life as well. We need to be able to share Christ's message, "FEAR NOT".... a message of hope and promise for all who know Jesus as their Lord and Savior!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Sermon Replay..."Water Walkers Experience Real Power" Matthew 14: 28-30
The sermon series continued on the text from Matthew 14: 22-33 where Jesus walked on water. In these few verses, Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water toward Jesus, began to sink into the water, and was saved by Jesus. As we discussed the sermon in our Wednesday evening class, we focused on the power that we experience when we "get out of the boat" and join Jesus in service, caring, and glorifying God. Having faith alone does not allow us to experience the power that Jesus supplies when we take those steps in serving Him.
When we step out as servants, we soon discover that we do not have the power, the gifts, to succeed on our own...we need the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit. When we experience His presence and His power with us as we step out, it is exhilarating and rewarding.
One sermon question we focused on was "Is it worth the risk to get out of the boat?" What is the risk when we step out for Christ. When Peter stepped out, we discover that he was not really at risk. Even when he was sinking, Jesus was there to "immediately reach out His hand and catch him..." vs31. That is the reality of serving Christ...stepping into His mission field; we are not at risk. Far too often we are afraid that we are not equipped, knowledgeable, gifted enough to accomplish what He calls us to do so we stay in the security of the boat and miss the exhilaration of experiencing Him with all His Power and Love.
Instead of looking at the risk of getting out of the boat, we should look at the risk of not getting out of the boat. If Peter had stayed in the boat he would not have experienced the saving hand of Jesus. The other disciples, safely in the boat, would not have witnessed the power of Peter's faith (his first successful steps) nor the result of taking his eyes off Jesus (Peter sinking), and the love of Jesus. Verse 33 reveals the reward of responding to Jesus and serving in His Spirit; "And those in the boat worshiped Him, saying "Truly you are the Son of God" Witnessing and experiencing Jesus is how we grow in Him and Him in us.
We get out of the boat so that God will be glorified. We don't do it for our own glory or for our own sense of accomplishment. We do it so the world will see the glory of Jesus, the power of the Spirit, and the Love of God.
When we step out as servants, we soon discover that we do not have the power, the gifts, to succeed on our own...we need the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit. When we experience His presence and His power with us as we step out, it is exhilarating and rewarding.
One sermon question we focused on was "Is it worth the risk to get out of the boat?" What is the risk when we step out for Christ. When Peter stepped out, we discover that he was not really at risk. Even when he was sinking, Jesus was there to "immediately reach out His hand and catch him..." vs31. That is the reality of serving Christ...stepping into His mission field; we are not at risk. Far too often we are afraid that we are not equipped, knowledgeable, gifted enough to accomplish what He calls us to do so we stay in the security of the boat and miss the exhilaration of experiencing Him with all His Power and Love.
Instead of looking at the risk of getting out of the boat, we should look at the risk of not getting out of the boat. If Peter had stayed in the boat he would not have experienced the saving hand of Jesus. The other disciples, safely in the boat, would not have witnessed the power of Peter's faith (his first successful steps) nor the result of taking his eyes off Jesus (Peter sinking), and the love of Jesus. Verse 33 reveals the reward of responding to Jesus and serving in His Spirit; "And those in the boat worshiped Him, saying "Truly you are the Son of God" Witnessing and experiencing Jesus is how we grow in Him and Him in us.
We get out of the boat so that God will be glorified. We don't do it for our own glory or for our own sense of accomplishment. We do it so the world will see the glory of Jesus, the power of the Spirit, and the Love of God.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Sunday Aug. 14, 2011..."Are You A Boat Potato?"
Wednesday evening in our Sermon Replay study we discussed the sermon series based on Matthew 14: 22-33 (Jesus walks on water). Pastor Rawls highlighted three principles in his sermon, that are relevant when we get out of the boat and use the gifts that Jesus gives us as we serve Him.
Principle #1: Jesus is Lord of the gifts. 1 Corinthians 12: 11...All these (gifts) are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. God distributes the spiritual gifts and equips us and directs us in sharing these gifts. They are not to be put on a shelf or claimed as our own, they are God's gifts to be used for His glory. We asked ourselves what gifts God has given us and it was difficult for many to identify them. We too often fail to recognize that talents and personality traits are gifts that God uses to reveal His goodness. Compassion for others is a gift from God. Praying for others is a gift granted by His Spirit. Hospitality, healing, administration, teaching, preaching, reading and sharing Bible teachings are all gifts that we need to recognize and use in service to Him.
Principle #2: Jesus is Lord of the settled accounts. As we share God's gifts, it is His will that will be done, not our will. Failing to accept this or trust in this is one reason we fail to exercise His gifts. We want to see results in our timing and according to our expectations, but God's plans are perfect and always at the right time. As we use the gifts for Him we must be aware that it is for His glory and for His purposes.
Principle #3: Jesus is Lord of the reward. As we serve Him and use His gifts in our daily walk we will grow more aware of His love for us, our faith will grow, and our trust in Him will become stronger. If we are to be the light of the world, we need to enjoy Him and be at peace in the turmoils of this world. We will enjoy the fruits of the Spirit...Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Generosity, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control.
Principle #1: Jesus is Lord of the gifts. 1 Corinthians 12: 11...All these (gifts) are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. God distributes the spiritual gifts and equips us and directs us in sharing these gifts. They are not to be put on a shelf or claimed as our own, they are God's gifts to be used for His glory. We asked ourselves what gifts God has given us and it was difficult for many to identify them. We too often fail to recognize that talents and personality traits are gifts that God uses to reveal His goodness. Compassion for others is a gift from God. Praying for others is a gift granted by His Spirit. Hospitality, healing, administration, teaching, preaching, reading and sharing Bible teachings are all gifts that we need to recognize and use in service to Him.
Principle #2: Jesus is Lord of the settled accounts. As we share God's gifts, it is His will that will be done, not our will. Failing to accept this or trust in this is one reason we fail to exercise His gifts. We want to see results in our timing and according to our expectations, but God's plans are perfect and always at the right time. As we use the gifts for Him we must be aware that it is for His glory and for His purposes.
Principle #3: Jesus is Lord of the reward. As we serve Him and use His gifts in our daily walk we will grow more aware of His love for us, our faith will grow, and our trust in Him will become stronger. If we are to be the light of the world, we need to enjoy Him and be at peace in the turmoils of this world. We will enjoy the fruits of the Spirit...Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Generosity, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
July 31, 2011...Sermon: "Staying In Love With God"
One of my favorite verses in the Bible was referred to in the message this week, Romans 12: 2..."Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God...what is good and acceptable and perfect."
To love and to stay in love with God is to experience Him and we do that by staying in His will, which takes effort. Loving and staying in love with anyone takes effort and desire and that is what Paul is asking us to do with God. If we conform to the world, we will always be giving up on love., giving up on God and people. We lose patience. We lose trust. We lose desire. The bottom line is, if we conform to the world...WE LOSE!
By renewing our minds and being transformed, we will always be discovering and seeing things and people in new ways and if God is doing the transforming, we will see in good and perfect ways. God wants to be the transforming power in our lives and by the Holy Spirit he renews our minds and transforms us by His Word (The Bible), Prayer, Service To Others, Worship, Giving, and Christian Fellowship. It takes effort but the reward is the transformation that opens up a life of experiencing God himself and experiencing what is good and acceptable and perfect.
To love and to stay in love with God is to experience Him and we do that by staying in His will, which takes effort. Loving and staying in love with anyone takes effort and desire and that is what Paul is asking us to do with God. If we conform to the world, we will always be giving up on love., giving up on God and people. We lose patience. We lose trust. We lose desire. The bottom line is, if we conform to the world...WE LOSE!
By renewing our minds and being transformed, we will always be discovering and seeing things and people in new ways and if God is doing the transforming, we will see in good and perfect ways. God wants to be the transforming power in our lives and by the Holy Spirit he renews our minds and transforms us by His Word (The Bible), Prayer, Service To Others, Worship, Giving, and Christian Fellowship. It takes effort but the reward is the transformation that opens up a life of experiencing God himself and experiencing what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
July 17, 2011 Sermon Text...Galatians 5: 13-15
Only three verses, but packed with church building and relationship building guidance! Verse 13, "For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters, only do not use your freedom for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another." I find it interesting that Paul uses freedom as a condition we are in and yet calls us to be slaves. What are we free from, if we are to be slaves?
Christ freed us from the legalism that society and churches bind us with. Because he loves us so much, he does not bind us...restrict us...from choosing and pursuing a life that we want. Yet, by His Spirit, He nurtures us and transforms us so that we will want His life for ourselves. He enslaved Himself to us through His Spirit out of love, and as we grow in spirit, we will become enslaved by His Spirit to one another, wanting His life for others as well as ourselves. This can only happen when we love one another as Christ loves us (Verse 14).
I find that I spend a lot of time and effort trying to convince and recruit people to be in agreement with me. I insist that others conform to my way of thinking so that I can be at peace with them. I am enslaving them, asking them to surrender their ideas and ideals, to be in relationship with me. Because Christ loves us, He allows us to surrender our unrighteous ideas and ideals victoriously and joyfully as we journey with Him; not in order to journey with Him.
Verse 15, "If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another." Paul warns us in this verse that if we become legalistic ourselves, we not only cause others not to be free, but we also surrender our freedom to pursue the life that Jesus offers. By enslaving others to our ideals, we are also binding ourselves to a level that is far below the ideals that Christ will reveal in the freedom He grants us. I find that many of my most joyful moments are when I discover (the Spirit reveals) a new way of thinking, a new perspective, patience, or concern for another, that did not exist the moment before.
Christ freed us from the legalism that society and churches bind us with. Because he loves us so much, he does not bind us...restrict us...from choosing and pursuing a life that we want. Yet, by His Spirit, He nurtures us and transforms us so that we will want His life for ourselves. He enslaved Himself to us through His Spirit out of love, and as we grow in spirit, we will become enslaved by His Spirit to one another, wanting His life for others as well as ourselves. This can only happen when we love one another as Christ loves us (Verse 14).
I find that I spend a lot of time and effort trying to convince and recruit people to be in agreement with me. I insist that others conform to my way of thinking so that I can be at peace with them. I am enslaving them, asking them to surrender their ideas and ideals, to be in relationship with me. Because Christ loves us, He allows us to surrender our unrighteous ideas and ideals victoriously and joyfully as we journey with Him; not in order to journey with Him.
Verse 15, "If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another." Paul warns us in this verse that if we become legalistic ourselves, we not only cause others not to be free, but we also surrender our freedom to pursue the life that Jesus offers. By enslaving others to our ideals, we are also binding ourselves to a level that is far below the ideals that Christ will reveal in the freedom He grants us. I find that many of my most joyful moments are when I discover (the Spirit reveals) a new way of thinking, a new perspective, patience, or concern for another, that did not exist the moment before.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Parable of the Sower...Matthew 13:1–9, 18–23
This parable of a sower who scatters seeds on different soils is familiar to us and it usually leads to lots of discussion centered on the sower and the soil. This morning at breakfast, as we talked about this parable, a friend mentioned that the verses 18-23 really focus on the seed, the Word of God, and how we respond to it. Instead of asking if we are fertile soil, this leads us to look how we treat the Word...letting it take root in our hearts so that it produces the fruit it was sent to produce.
Here are the facts....the seeds themselves are good and the sower is not careless in spreading them. How the seeds grow is determined by the opportunity they find to take root. I think of those pesky weeds that grow out of the cracks in my driveway. They obviously found a good place to put down roots because I can't pull them up by the root. I can trim them back, but they are rooted and will grow back within days.
This is what the word of God will do if we let it take root in our hearts. We may receive His word while we are in the thickets of life, overwhelmed with troubles, yet if we let it take root, God will give it room to grow by removing the thickets. But if we hear His word and dismiss it or focus on the briers and brambles of life, instead of desiring for His words to be rooted within us, it will yield nothing.
By focusing on the seeds in this parable, we find that this is really about loving and desiring His Word to be in our lives.
Here are the facts....the seeds themselves are good and the sower is not careless in spreading them. How the seeds grow is determined by the opportunity they find to take root. I think of those pesky weeds that grow out of the cracks in my driveway. They obviously found a good place to put down roots because I can't pull them up by the root. I can trim them back, but they are rooted and will grow back within days.
This is what the word of God will do if we let it take root in our hearts. We may receive His word while we are in the thickets of life, overwhelmed with troubles, yet if we let it take root, God will give it room to grow by removing the thickets. But if we hear His word and dismiss it or focus on the briers and brambles of life, instead of desiring for His words to be rooted within us, it will yield nothing.
By focusing on the seeds in this parable, we find that this is really about loving and desiring His Word to be in our lives.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Parable of the Talents....Matthew 25:14-30
Monday evening we had a Finance Committee Meeting, always the highlight of the month. Church finance meetings usually start off on the right foot...we are here to serve the Lord and His church, but somewhere along the way, the meeting morphs into a business meeting not unlike those of the corporate world. Income is deficient, expenses are too high, and planning for the future is depressing.
This morning I was listening to Moody Radio and Dr. David Jeremiah was giving a message on the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25: 14-30). It was so relevant as I thought back to the previous night's meeting. The Master entrusts us with money and talents and asks us to use what he gives us with an understanding that one day he will return and we will make an accounting of what he has given us. As the parable shows, some of us will invest and put the gifts to work, multiplying and growing while others of us will put the gifts in a hole (a reserve account) so that they are safely preserved for that day the Master returns.
I think that by safely preserving what God gives us, we miss the joy and satisfaction of watching His gifts grow. We can put Him out of our minds and just wait for that day of accountability or we can live each day looking for new ways to invest what He has given us.
Last night in the Finance meeting I am pleased to report that we looked for ways to invest and the discussions included not only money, but also time and talents of our church family. Pastor David Pawls and his wife Michele were with us for the first time and he made a couple of points that I would like to share. He wants Crystal River United Methodist Church to be "relevant" in our community. That caused me to pause because to be relevant is to have significance and bearing on matters at hand. To be Christ's church in a relevant way, we need to care for and about those things Christ cares about...the salvation and caring for the least, the lost, and the last.
Pastor Rawls also stated that he wants worship to be at the center of Crystal River United Methodist Church....the center of our ministries, our fellowship, and our serving. Dr. Jeremiah made the same point regarding the parable. How we handle our talents is a reflection of our worship. If we invest for the Lord, it is measure of our faith, trust, and belief. If we bury our talents it is reveals our fears that we don't trust God to provide, to carry, to enable.
Pastor Rawls made one more point that I believe shows how we can keep worship in the center of all we do. He wants a church full of "Servants" not "Volunteers". The Bible tells us a lot about being a servant while the world tells us never to volunteer. We Serve (worship) A Mighty God!
This morning I was listening to Moody Radio and Dr. David Jeremiah was giving a message on the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25: 14-30). It was so relevant as I thought back to the previous night's meeting. The Master entrusts us with money and talents and asks us to use what he gives us with an understanding that one day he will return and we will make an accounting of what he has given us. As the parable shows, some of us will invest and put the gifts to work, multiplying and growing while others of us will put the gifts in a hole (a reserve account) so that they are safely preserved for that day the Master returns.
I think that by safely preserving what God gives us, we miss the joy and satisfaction of watching His gifts grow. We can put Him out of our minds and just wait for that day of accountability or we can live each day looking for new ways to invest what He has given us.
Last night in the Finance meeting I am pleased to report that we looked for ways to invest and the discussions included not only money, but also time and talents of our church family. Pastor David Pawls and his wife Michele were with us for the first time and he made a couple of points that I would like to share. He wants Crystal River United Methodist Church to be "relevant" in our community. That caused me to pause because to be relevant is to have significance and bearing on matters at hand. To be Christ's church in a relevant way, we need to care for and about those things Christ cares about...the salvation and caring for the least, the lost, and the last.
Pastor Rawls also stated that he wants worship to be at the center of Crystal River United Methodist Church....the center of our ministries, our fellowship, and our serving. Dr. Jeremiah made the same point regarding the parable. How we handle our talents is a reflection of our worship. If we invest for the Lord, it is measure of our faith, trust, and belief. If we bury our talents it is reveals our fears that we don't trust God to provide, to carry, to enable.
Pastor Rawls made one more point that I believe shows how we can keep worship in the center of all we do. He wants a church full of "Servants" not "Volunteers". The Bible tells us a lot about being a servant while the world tells us never to volunteer. We Serve (worship) A Mighty God!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
May, 18, 2011 Wednesday Night Bible Study...John 14: 1-14
In these passages, Jesus was speaking to (teaching) His disciples at the last supper. We were struck by the number of times Jesus said the words "BELIEVE" and "KNOW". He did not use this time to give His disciples a "To Do" list or a "Survival" checklist. Instead He emphasized the necessity of believing and knowing that He and God were one and He invited them to be one with Him as well.
As we studied these verses, I got a picture of a Bible study group, sitting and listening as the leader of the group teaches. I am sure that we have all been in such a setting. Two of the blessings from these verses are the results of questions that came up in the middle of the study. Two verses, spoken by Jesus, which are the foundation of our Christian beliefs. Thomas was confused about where Jesus was going and how are we to follow, to which Jesus replied in verse 6, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Then Phillip showed that he was having trouble believing and knowing God. In verse 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father....."
Jesus understands our confusion and our struggle to understand and believe. I just find it very encouraging that it was through the questions of these two disciples that we get two such powerful and recognizable verses from Christ. He responds to our questions and our searching. He responds through our prayer time with Him. He shares through our Bible study and in our worship. He gave us the Holy Spirit to overcome our confusion and unbelief, because it is only through believing in Him that we will be saved.
Our group talked about how simple Christ made it. He did not give us a complicated formula or tasks to do in order to share in Him. It is by our belief and knowing that He and God are one that we too are one with them.
As we studied these verses, I got a picture of a Bible study group, sitting and listening as the leader of the group teaches. I am sure that we have all been in such a setting. Two of the blessings from these verses are the results of questions that came up in the middle of the study. Two verses, spoken by Jesus, which are the foundation of our Christian beliefs. Thomas was confused about where Jesus was going and how are we to follow, to which Jesus replied in verse 6, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Then Phillip showed that he was having trouble believing and knowing God. In verse 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father....."
Jesus understands our confusion and our struggle to understand and believe. I just find it very encouraging that it was through the questions of these two disciples that we get two such powerful and recognizable verses from Christ. He responds to our questions and our searching. He responds through our prayer time with Him. He shares through our Bible study and in our worship. He gave us the Holy Spirit to overcome our confusion and unbelief, because it is only through believing in Him that we will be saved.
Our group talked about how simple Christ made it. He did not give us a complicated formula or tasks to do in order to share in Him. It is by our belief and knowing that He and God are one that we too are one with them.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Wednesday Bible Study...John 17 Jesus' Clarity of Mission!
We read John 17 in Wednesday's Bible study. In this Easter season, it was an interesting look into the heart of Christ as he was only hours from His death. The 17th Chapter is a prayer in which Jesus essentially prayers for Himself, His Disciples, and for us who believe that He is the Son of God who was sent for our salvation.
In the first five verses many of the Bibles labeled it "Jesus Prays for Himself". As we look at the verses we see that Jesus does pray for God to glorify Him but only so He can glorify God and He asks to be glorified in the presence of God as He was in glory before He was sent into the world. It is apparent that when Jesus prayed for Himself, it was not for His wants and needs but for His Father's glory.
Verse 4 struck me as well: "I glorified you on earth by finishing the work you sent me to do." I find this interesting that He is speaking in past tense and this is before His crucifixion. What work is He talking about? The answer is in verses 2 & 3... "since you have given him (Jesus) authority over all the people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." The work completed was that His disciples know that He was sent by God for the salvation of all who believe. He considered his work complete at this time and when He prayed for God's will, not His in the Garden of Gethsemane, I believe that God carried Him through the crucifixion, death and resurrection. Jesus surrendered to the will of His Father and God completed the work of salvation for us.
As we continued to study Chapter 17, we see Christ praying for the Discples in verses 6 - 19 and for future believers (us) in verses 20-26. The prayer is essentially for His disciples to know the truth (believe) and by their belief, be glorified in Christ and united through Him with His Father, and by their glory, others come to know and believe and receive the same glory. What Christ really prays for is for us to become equal with Him in glory and unification with God. He wants us to have all that He has and to be with Him in heaven. We do see a stark separation between those who believe (those given to Him by God) and the world (non-believers) and He makes it clear that He is praying for believers to receive that glory and oneness with His Father.
As I try to summarize this beautiful prayer, I am struck by the clarity Jesus had for His mission and purpose... that He make known to us that He was sent by God so that we may know God and be saved. It is that specific. Over and over He mentions that He was sent, that He was given the disciples and us, and that we know, believe, and receive the Truth, united and filled with the love of Christ.
In the first five verses many of the Bibles labeled it "Jesus Prays for Himself". As we look at the verses we see that Jesus does pray for God to glorify Him but only so He can glorify God and He asks to be glorified in the presence of God as He was in glory before He was sent into the world. It is apparent that when Jesus prayed for Himself, it was not for His wants and needs but for His Father's glory.
Verse 4 struck me as well: "I glorified you on earth by finishing the work you sent me to do." I find this interesting that He is speaking in past tense and this is before His crucifixion. What work is He talking about? The answer is in verses 2 & 3... "since you have given him (Jesus) authority over all the people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." The work completed was that His disciples know that He was sent by God for the salvation of all who believe. He considered his work complete at this time and when He prayed for God's will, not His in the Garden of Gethsemane, I believe that God carried Him through the crucifixion, death and resurrection. Jesus surrendered to the will of His Father and God completed the work of salvation for us.
As we continued to study Chapter 17, we see Christ praying for the Discples in verses 6 - 19 and for future believers (us) in verses 20-26. The prayer is essentially for His disciples to know the truth (believe) and by their belief, be glorified in Christ and united through Him with His Father, and by their glory, others come to know and believe and receive the same glory. What Christ really prays for is for us to become equal with Him in glory and unification with God. He wants us to have all that He has and to be with Him in heaven. We do see a stark separation between those who believe (those given to Him by God) and the world (non-believers) and He makes it clear that He is praying for believers to receive that glory and oneness with His Father.
As I try to summarize this beautiful prayer, I am struck by the clarity Jesus had for His mission and purpose... that He make known to us that He was sent by God so that we may know God and be saved. It is that specific. Over and over He mentions that He was sent, that He was given the disciples and us, and that we know, believe, and receive the Truth, united and filled with the love of Christ.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Sunday May 1, 2011 Preview...Sermon Text John 20: 19-31
The first 5 verses are when Jesus appeared to the disciples, minus Thomas, the evening of his resurrection and He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." That confused us. If we refuse to forgive people, are their sins not forgiven? I think that what Christ did was make the disciples aware that they were to continue his work and that with the help of the Holy Spirit, by spreading the good news of forgiveness through Christ, all sins are forgiven and salvation is available to all. If we are Spirit filled and Spirit led, we will be filled with Christ's love for all and like Him, will forgive the sins of all so that they may be saved. Not forgiving is not loving and that is contrary to the Holy Spirit. The Grace of God lives within each Christian in His Spirit, loving, caring, and forgiving.
The following 8 verses revealed doubting Thomas and I believe reveals how difficult, yet vital it is to truly believe. We agreed that we are all like Thomas to some degree. We believe, yet we put limits on our belief. Christ says that we must die to ourselves, which means that we need to surrender our ways of thinking, our plans, our desires, and our fears so that our trust and faith in Jesus reflect our belief in Him. Our lack of faith is lack of belief. Our lack of trust, is a lack of belief. Our worrying about what others may think is a lack of belief. Jesus knows how hard it is to believe, therefore, just like he did with Thomas, He will show Himself to each one of us personally. He will help us overcome our disbelief. Jesus, our Savior, loves us individually and will touch us all in ways that will draw us closer to Him. What Jesus did during these encounters with His apostles was equip them to go out, filled with the Holy Spirit, to love and offer salvation through Him. We introduce Jesus to unbelievers so that when He touches them, they will recognize Him and receive the forgiveness He offers.
The following 8 verses revealed doubting Thomas and I believe reveals how difficult, yet vital it is to truly believe. We agreed that we are all like Thomas to some degree. We believe, yet we put limits on our belief. Christ says that we must die to ourselves, which means that we need to surrender our ways of thinking, our plans, our desires, and our fears so that our trust and faith in Jesus reflect our belief in Him. Our lack of faith is lack of belief. Our lack of trust, is a lack of belief. Our worrying about what others may think is a lack of belief. Jesus knows how hard it is to believe, therefore, just like he did with Thomas, He will show Himself to each one of us personally. He will help us overcome our disbelief. Jesus, our Savior, loves us individually and will touch us all in ways that will draw us closer to Him. What Jesus did during these encounters with His apostles was equip them to go out, filled with the Holy Spirit, to love and offer salvation through Him. We introduce Jesus to unbelievers so that when He touches them, they will recognize Him and receive the forgiveness He offers.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Sunday, April 10th...Sermon Text: John 11: 3-45 Raising Lazarus From Death
This is a familiar text and as I think about it and summarize what it is about I guess I would mention how it shows us Christ's compassion and emotion in a new way, and God's power to heal even the dead. But that is the problem I have with familiar scriptures...I tend to summarize and reduce the words to "what it is about". God's words are not limited to telling a story or a "how to" book. The Bible, God's Holy Scripture, is about power.
This scripture begins with friends of Jesus reaching out to Him for the healing of Lazarus. But Jesus delayed going to Lazarus for two days, because He knew that through this crisis, God would be glorified. We find this same outlook from Christ in John 9: 3 when He explained to His disciples that a man was born blind "so that the works of God might be displayed in him." Do we see God at work in the troubles around us?
Tuesday evening, at the Bethel Chapel evening prayer, a mother came to the chapel for the first time. She came to pray for her son who is going through a divorce and child custody fight. As we prayed together, it became so clear that God is involved and that His love is being revealed through the heart of this mother. I can just imagine that the tears of Christ are mixed with her tears as they fall down her cheeks. Jesus is that close to our heartaches.
What God has revealed in these passages about Lazarus, Martha , and Mary is how close He truly is to us, through His son Jesus. He hears us and responds to us. He weeps with us. He shows up. Every time I find myself in a position to pray with another who is suffering, I become acutely aware of God's glory and love. As God's word becomes more of a power source instead of a knowledge source, I pray that His love and glory will become more readily experienced and empower me to share His love with those I encounter daily.
This scripture begins with friends of Jesus reaching out to Him for the healing of Lazarus. But Jesus delayed going to Lazarus for two days, because He knew that through this crisis, God would be glorified. We find this same outlook from Christ in John 9: 3 when He explained to His disciples that a man was born blind "so that the works of God might be displayed in him." Do we see God at work in the troubles around us?
Tuesday evening, at the Bethel Chapel evening prayer, a mother came to the chapel for the first time. She came to pray for her son who is going through a divorce and child custody fight. As we prayed together, it became so clear that God is involved and that His love is being revealed through the heart of this mother. I can just imagine that the tears of Christ are mixed with her tears as they fall down her cheeks. Jesus is that close to our heartaches.
What God has revealed in these passages about Lazarus, Martha , and Mary is how close He truly is to us, through His son Jesus. He hears us and responds to us. He weeps with us. He shows up. Every time I find myself in a position to pray with another who is suffering, I become acutely aware of God's glory and love. As God's word becomes more of a power source instead of a knowledge source, I pray that His love and glory will become more readily experienced and empower me to share His love with those I encounter daily.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Colossians 3:2 ... Where is my mind?
Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
With 24 hours/ day news, families in turmoil, finances dictating our "wellness", and the vastness of our world, the universe and beyond seemingly becoming smaller because of the knowledge we think we have obtained, we seek to secure our happiness and security by looking for answers around us. We sieze onto glimmers of hope...unemployment down...stock market up...the war is ending...I found a job and these things become our strength to keep on keeping on.What did Jesus hold onto and where did he find His strength to keep going? He knew that this world would offer Him nothing but death. He was born to suffer. Wars would not end. There would always be poor among us (John 12:8). There were the sick before He came and they remained after He died. He awoke every day knowing that this world could not offer Him what he needed and sought. Yet He kept on teaching, healing, loving and caring. He kept His mind on the things from above. He trusted and sought His Father's will right to the very end of His life. He gave us two wonderful gifts in words He spoke in those final hours... "Your will be done" and "Father forgive them". These words show us clearly where His mind was. He didn't ask His Father to keep us from illness, poverty, violence, sadness, and despair. He prayed for God's will to be done and for our salvation. Heavenly and Glorious Things from Above!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Sneak Peak at Feb. 27th Sermon...Luke 8: 4-18
This is a familiar passage...The Parable of the Sower...which we could have quickly read through and felt that we understood. Good soil produces fruit and bad soil does not. God's word takes root in good hearts and does not in hard hearts. But as we paused and questioned our understanding, we found instruction in His words and not just a statement of fact.
After sharing the parable with the crowd Jesus called out (vs. 8), "Let anyone with ears to hear listen." This told us that there was more here than a casual reading would reveal. Jesus challenges us to open ourselves up to receive instruction and understanding even in those situations that at first seem to be so normal. Anyone who has ever planted a seed knows that the soil condition is critical to the success of plant growth, but here Christ is telling us that there is more to the story.
In verses 9 & 10, Jesus explained to his disciples that he spoke in parables so that those who did not understand would seek the meaning. Parables were intended to cause people to ask what the meaning was and to look deeper and seek understanding...listen and learn.
He then went on to explain in verses 11-15 what the parable meant. The seed is the word of God for those who would hear it and the devil takes the word from their hearts so that they may not believe and be save. So that word is planted in our hearts so that we may believe and be saved, and the devil will be trying to keep that word from taking root in our hearts. Satan will harden our hearts, the hard path, to keep the word from entering our hearts. If we receive the word he will do all he can to keep it from taking root, temptation, worries, pleasures so that the roots are not nourished and growth does not happen. But when the word is planted in an honest and good heart, it will bear fruit with patience and endurance.
Verses 16-18 went on with Jesus talking about lighting a lamp, not to put it under a jar, but to put it on a lampstand so that enter may see the light. Then in verse 18 he once again talks about listening, "Pay attention to how you listen...". Jesus, apparently wants us to receive the word of God, listening and being fed by the word so that we may beieve and be save. Also, he wants us to use the word to bring light so others may see and believe.
As we were coming to an end of the study we talked about Jesus himself, being the sower, the seed, and the light and that as we grow in Him, we also will be sowers of the word but as well be the seeds that die to self so that we can bear fruit in Him, so that others will come to believe and find salvation. Jesus is making us aware that it is by our listening, seeking His teachinng and leading, that we can endure our season of growth and maturation..beaingr fruit for Him.
After sharing the parable with the crowd Jesus called out (vs. 8), "Let anyone with ears to hear listen." This told us that there was more here than a casual reading would reveal. Jesus challenges us to open ourselves up to receive instruction and understanding even in those situations that at first seem to be so normal. Anyone who has ever planted a seed knows that the soil condition is critical to the success of plant growth, but here Christ is telling us that there is more to the story.
In verses 9 & 10, Jesus explained to his disciples that he spoke in parables so that those who did not understand would seek the meaning. Parables were intended to cause people to ask what the meaning was and to look deeper and seek understanding...listen and learn.
He then went on to explain in verses 11-15 what the parable meant. The seed is the word of God for those who would hear it and the devil takes the word from their hearts so that they may not believe and be save. So that word is planted in our hearts so that we may believe and be saved, and the devil will be trying to keep that word from taking root in our hearts. Satan will harden our hearts, the hard path, to keep the word from entering our hearts. If we receive the word he will do all he can to keep it from taking root, temptation, worries, pleasures so that the roots are not nourished and growth does not happen. But when the word is planted in an honest and good heart, it will bear fruit with patience and endurance.
Verses 16-18 went on with Jesus talking about lighting a lamp, not to put it under a jar, but to put it on a lampstand so that enter may see the light. Then in verse 18 he once again talks about listening, "Pay attention to how you listen...". Jesus, apparently wants us to receive the word of God, listening and being fed by the word so that we may beieve and be save. Also, he wants us to use the word to bring light so others may see and believe.
As we were coming to an end of the study we talked about Jesus himself, being the sower, the seed, and the light and that as we grow in Him, we also will be sowers of the word but as well be the seeds that die to self so that we can bear fruit in Him, so that others will come to believe and find salvation. Jesus is making us aware that it is by our listening, seeking His teachinng and leading, that we can endure our season of growth and maturation..beaingr fruit for Him.
Friday, February 11, 2011
God in the Midst...Praise Him!...Acts 16: 16-35 (Sunday Feb. 13, 2011 Text)
What a good class and discussion Wed. In these passages we see God revealing His love for the saved and the unsaved through what we call persecution. Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into jail for casting out a "spirit of divination" from a slave girl who was used to raise money for fortune telling. Paul was annoyed when the girl cried out (vs. 17) "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation." We questioned why Paul would be annoyed by a statement of truth and we determined that he was annoyed, because the truth was not spoken to glorify God, but was being used for profiting evil people. Paul was so in love with Christ, that he could not stand silently by when the gospel message was used for evil gain. Of course the crowd, probably incited by the slave owners, were upset because Paul was disrupting their way of behavior and commerce..."disturbing our city" (vs.20). This reminded us of the reception Jesus got when he overturned the tables in the temple in Jerusalem. He also could not stand by and ignore evil gain, instead of glorifying God.
As we moved through verses 25-35, we see how loving God is and how He orchestrates all things in order to redeem us and reveal His love for us. Paul and Silas, having been beaten and in jail, locked in the stocks, were worshiping God in the midst of their persecution. They had no doubt that God deserved their praise and worship even then. God's response to their circumstance was awesome...an earthquake, all the prisoners set free, and the jailer seeking salvation. The prisoners, although free, chose to remain; a testimony to their faith and hunger for God. Paul and Silas witnessed to the jailer...(vs. 31) "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.", and through baptism the jailer and his family were welcomed into the family of God.
After all this, the next day the magistrates set Paul and Silas free. God transformed what we label persecution, to actually be an act of love. Paul and Silas shared their love with those around them and God revealed His love by His words which were delivered through these followers, to save the lost.
As we moved through verses 25-35, we see how loving God is and how He orchestrates all things in order to redeem us and reveal His love for us. Paul and Silas, having been beaten and in jail, locked in the stocks, were worshiping God in the midst of their persecution. They had no doubt that God deserved their praise and worship even then. God's response to their circumstance was awesome...an earthquake, all the prisoners set free, and the jailer seeking salvation. The prisoners, although free, chose to remain; a testimony to their faith and hunger for God. Paul and Silas witnessed to the jailer...(vs. 31) "Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.", and through baptism the jailer and his family were welcomed into the family of God.
After all this, the next day the magistrates set Paul and Silas free. God transformed what we label persecution, to actually be an act of love. Paul and Silas shared their love with those around them and God revealed His love by His words which were delivered through these followers, to save the lost.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
The Beatitudes...Matthew 5: 1-12
Great class Wednesday night. What I thought would be a quick read/ discussion of very familiar verses, became a very blessed time of study. As we learn in verse 1, this was a teaching moment. These words were spoken to open our eyes and minds, words of instruction for the disciples and us. It was pointed out that each verse reveals a human condition that mirrors Jesus, and then the blessing from God for that condition.
Blessed are:
The "poor in spirit" , an awareness of our human condition, our spiritual poverty, our neediness, and sinfulness. That awareness makes the kingdom of heaven available to us.
Those who "mourn" will be comforted. If we care about the things God cares about...sin, hopelessness, sadness, temptation, etc. we will receive comfort and become comforters to others.
The "meek" will inherit the earth...be blessed with sustaining abundance. The meek man is one who submits, not to his own will or to the will of the world, but to will of God. Not prideful.
Those who "hunger and thirst for righteousness sake" will be filled. We will have a full life when we live in accordance with the will of God. Allowing His Spirit to lead us will eliminate all the confusion of life.
The "merciful" will receive mercy. Having a heart of gentleness, tenderness, compassion...the heart of Christ.
The "pure in heart" for they will see God. Here we discussed and acknowledge that we can never have a pure heart and that is why we need a Savior. The only way to a pure heart is to invite Christ into our lives, repenting and acknowledging our need for His blood to wash away our sins. Christ's blood is the only way to see God.
The "peacemakers" for they will be called children of God. Ours deeds, our words, our reasoning, our behavior needs to be evidence that we are Christians. God rejoices when we are identified with him and not the world. We need to be examples for others, not blend in with everyone else.
Those who are "persecuted for righteousness' sake" for theirs is the kingdom heaven. People today will turn against us for not conforming, just as they did against Christ.
Jesus said, "Blessed are you when people revile and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account."
As we look at these passages we see the nature of Christ and we also noticed how these verses highlighted His ministry. He began His ministry by baptism, being fill by the Holy Spirit. Then he walked with his disciples, meek and merciful, caring for the lost, the sick, and the poor. Always speaking the truth and not conforming to the false teachings of the world. He showed us how to be witnesses for His Father. And then the persecution and suffering that he underwent for our sakes and for the glory of His Father.
Blessed are:
The "poor in spirit" , an awareness of our human condition, our spiritual poverty, our neediness, and sinfulness. That awareness makes the kingdom of heaven available to us.
Those who "mourn" will be comforted. If we care about the things God cares about...sin, hopelessness, sadness, temptation, etc. we will receive comfort and become comforters to others.
The "meek" will inherit the earth...be blessed with sustaining abundance. The meek man is one who submits, not to his own will or to the will of the world, but to will of God. Not prideful.
Those who "hunger and thirst for righteousness sake" will be filled. We will have a full life when we live in accordance with the will of God. Allowing His Spirit to lead us will eliminate all the confusion of life.
The "merciful" will receive mercy. Having a heart of gentleness, tenderness, compassion...the heart of Christ.
The "pure in heart" for they will see God. Here we discussed and acknowledge that we can never have a pure heart and that is why we need a Savior. The only way to a pure heart is to invite Christ into our lives, repenting and acknowledging our need for His blood to wash away our sins. Christ's blood is the only way to see God.
The "peacemakers" for they will be called children of God. Ours deeds, our words, our reasoning, our behavior needs to be evidence that we are Christians. God rejoices when we are identified with him and not the world. We need to be examples for others, not blend in with everyone else.
Those who are "persecuted for righteousness' sake" for theirs is the kingdom heaven. People today will turn against us for not conforming, just as they did against Christ.
Jesus said, "Blessed are you when people revile and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account."
As we look at these passages we see the nature of Christ and we also noticed how these verses highlighted His ministry. He began His ministry by baptism, being fill by the Holy Spirit. Then he walked with his disciples, meek and merciful, caring for the lost, the sick, and the poor. Always speaking the truth and not conforming to the false teachings of the world. He showed us how to be witnesses for His Father. And then the persecution and suffering that he underwent for our sakes and for the glory of His Father.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Sunday Jan. 23, 2011...Scripture: Titus: 3
Sneak Preview Class
Paul's message to Titus was to remind the followers of Christ who they were and what Christ had done by His sacrifice and grace. We need to remember that we are saved by His blood and not by our righteousness. This chapter also sends a strong message of how we are to confront those who don't share in our faith...vs.2: "to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone." This led to a discussion about slander, speaking evil of others, and how we, as Christians, are not to do it. In 2nd Peter 2: 11, Peter points out that even the angels do not speak slanderously of the unrighteous in the presence of the Lord.
Paul knows that we can only be effective witnesses by being obedient to the Holy Spirit's leading. As we talked about it, we came to the conclusion that we must "walk the talk and not just talk the talk". Paul is frequently pointing out the example that he is and his encouragement in his letters is that we need to be examples to those who are not saved. Confrontations, quarrels, dissension are described by Paul as unprofitable and worthless.
The Holy Spirit will lead us in love and to be lovers of all....to see people as worthy of our respect, our love, our generosity, our care, just as Jesus loved us when we were yet sinners and unrighteous.
Paul's message to Titus was to remind the followers of Christ who they were and what Christ had done by His sacrifice and grace. We need to remember that we are saved by His blood and not by our righteousness. This chapter also sends a strong message of how we are to confront those who don't share in our faith...vs.2: "to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show every courtesy to everyone." This led to a discussion about slander, speaking evil of others, and how we, as Christians, are not to do it. In 2nd Peter 2: 11, Peter points out that even the angels do not speak slanderously of the unrighteous in the presence of the Lord.
Paul knows that we can only be effective witnesses by being obedient to the Holy Spirit's leading. As we talked about it, we came to the conclusion that we must "walk the talk and not just talk the talk". Paul is frequently pointing out the example that he is and his encouragement in his letters is that we need to be examples to those who are not saved. Confrontations, quarrels, dissension are described by Paul as unprofitable and worthless.
The Holy Spirit will lead us in love and to be lovers of all....to see people as worthy of our respect, our love, our generosity, our care, just as Jesus loved us when we were yet sinners and unrighteous.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
1 Corinthians 12: 1-11 Spiritual Gifts
I sometimes confuse Spiritual Gifts and Spiritual Fruit (Galatians 5: 22-23). I tend to look for the Fruit before I unwrap the Gifts. I want to be like Christ and I want to receive the "warm fuzzies" of seeing the results of my discipleship, but I honestly get to the point where I am just tired and unenthused because the results I am looking for do not materialize.
We cannot produce fruit until we unwrap the Gifts of the Spirit. Paul names them; the utterance of wisdom, the utterance of knowledge, faith, the gift of healing, the working of miracles, prophesy, the discernment of spirits, and the speaking in tongues and the interpretation of tongues.
As I look at these gifts I do not see attributes which I can claim as my own, they are all of the Holy Spirit and His working through us. It is also clear that He will work through us specifically and individually as He wills. We cannot pick and choose the gift we want because they are not for us to possess. The unwrapping of the Gifts of the Spirit is done by Him and in His timing. As we surrender ourselves to Him through prayer, study, obedience, and worship we become His living body and His Gifts to mankind. The fruits of His work will not only be evidenced in those around us but will also be a transformation of our very being.
We cannot produce fruit until we unwrap the Gifts of the Spirit. Paul names them; the utterance of wisdom, the utterance of knowledge, faith, the gift of healing, the working of miracles, prophesy, the discernment of spirits, and the speaking in tongues and the interpretation of tongues.
As I look at these gifts I do not see attributes which I can claim as my own, they are all of the Holy Spirit and His working through us. It is also clear that He will work through us specifically and individually as He wills. We cannot pick and choose the gift we want because they are not for us to possess. The unwrapping of the Gifts of the Spirit is done by Him and in His timing. As we surrender ourselves to Him through prayer, study, obedience, and worship we become His living body and His Gifts to mankind. The fruits of His work will not only be evidenced in those around us but will also be a transformation of our very being.
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