Sermon 12-18-11
Journey of advent- closer to Christmas
Our heart closer to the heart of God
Joseph and Mary journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem
The road goes thru Samaria or around it 70 or 100 miles
Who are the Samaritans
Were not forced to Babylon – undesirables
587-532 BC
New home. Mixed marriages. New religious traditions.
We hold the correct way to worship – mt Gerizim
The Samaritans, however, derive their name not from this geographical designation, but rather from the Hebrew term Shamerim שַמֶרִים, "Keepers [of the Law
Jews said, no, you are wrong.
Which road do you think Joseph took
She is pregnant
The day Scott was born
What road does god take
The baby jesus isn’t just visited by kings
Jesus as an adult is known to run with black sheep
What road do we take
I was hungry and you fed me – Mt 25
We think of this as, oh good. I am ok.
How do you think the poor felt? Happy, someone fed them
Have you ever thought of the joy that others have when they are helped?
Joplin video
Out of sight, out of mind
Do we like to insulate ourselves from the rest of the world
From those less desirable
I want to tell you a story about some people that I have encountered
• I have been to Joplin 3 times
• My visit to csl
• Giving beds to Israel and hido
• Alan and Tonya Ross- I want to help, par t of me wants it to go away
I drive by there all the time
Yes I want to drive by there
The righteous are self unaware
We need to serve
We need to put our lives into perspective
We need to give
Blind side video of michael orer has never had his own bed
I am not talking about feeling guilty
I am not talking about you selling everything and giving to the poor
What will it take for us to start thinking
Is jeff tormenting me
Or it this how god thinks?
Who do we gravitate to The 99 or the one?
When jeff walks the foyer…………coffee w friends or new friends?
As we move toward Christmas.
As we enjoy our holiday traditions.
As we attend the concerts and pageants.
Are there people we are avoiding?
Are there those we leave out?
Who else is on this journey with us?
Who should we include and invite to journey with us?
What would including them look like?
Showing posts with label sermons 2011. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sermons 2011. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Mary & Elizabeth - Spiritual Conncetions Luke 1:39-45 12/11/2011
Sermon 12-11-11 advent 3 – mary and Elizabeth – spiritual connections Luke 1:39-45
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
This sermon is all over the place
The craziness of Christmas has begun
Lights, no lights, shopping. My girls shopped all day. Hurry. Traffic back up to the church to get to the mall
What is the story again?
Background – Zechariah, Elizabeth. Zechariah is dumb. Mary and eliz cousins
Mary is in need of some reinforcement. Some encouragement. She is nervous
Mary and Elizabeth have a connection
God knows it….the angel said to mary……your cousin Elizabeth
36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. With God nothing is impossible.
Who would God send you to visit?
Who is your go to person?
Finding the people that you get. Not everyone gets jeff. Finding those whith who you connect.
Mary needed someone who would believe her
Elizabeth was experiencing her own miracle
We look for those who have walked the same valleys
Who Is Your Mary? Who is Your Elizabeth?
Find them and tell them
The god connection to others
The god connection part one - connected to others
Working with someone that you get…. About the time your brains says u need a 9/16ths you start to open your mouth and they have it in their hand
I am mad at my wife
My wife is mad at me
There is an underlying connectedness that does not allow this to go on for ever.
It is an odd thing. Hard to explain.
Paul dodds – we were neighbors in heaven before we came to earth
Don’t understand it, but it is a thing to celebrate
Mentoring part one
Mary comes looking for help.
You can lead a horse to water but you cant make him drink
Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Elizabeth validates Mary – even after the angel appears
We humans have enormous power to help another or to hurt another
Sacred moments are created when you love on someone else
Jim Bryan, Hubert Neth, Jim Ireland, Bob Tuttle
When you mentor someone, the person who is mentored is blessed but it also blesses the one doing the mentoring. No greater investment in life than to invest in another person
Mentoring part two
Elizabeth is willing to help
imagine a version of this story where Elizabeth does not welcome mary. Go away. Mary sulks on thru the rest of the nativity story…… are you willing to change your schedule to welcome someone else?
Eliz is filled w holy spirit. Unusual. Jesus brings some new things. In him the spirit is given without measure. Disciples rec holy spirit at Pentecost. You receive the holy spirit when you believe. Don’t take this lightly. The holy spirit is the agent that helps you get to know our father. The spirit quickens the word. The spirit opens your eyes. See how eliz receives spirit and then prophecies. If you are a young person, take heart. The spirit works in you too.
The god connection – part 2 connected to God
In Christmas God gives us someone that we can all connect with – himself in the form of his son, jesus Christ
Jesus knows, jesus hears, jesus cares, jesus stands with you.
The baby leaps in her womb
John leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb. Elizabeth prophesies.
Responding to Jesus…how will/do we respond?
And so this journey is not just 2000 years ago, but continues for those who know him, and begins today for those who choose him.
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
This sermon is all over the place
The craziness of Christmas has begun
Lights, no lights, shopping. My girls shopped all day. Hurry. Traffic back up to the church to get to the mall
What is the story again?
Background – Zechariah, Elizabeth. Zechariah is dumb. Mary and eliz cousins
Mary is in need of some reinforcement. Some encouragement. She is nervous
Mary and Elizabeth have a connection
God knows it….the angel said to mary……your cousin Elizabeth
36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. With God nothing is impossible.
Who would God send you to visit?
Who is your go to person?
Finding the people that you get. Not everyone gets jeff. Finding those whith who you connect.
Mary needed someone who would believe her
Elizabeth was experiencing her own miracle
We look for those who have walked the same valleys
Who Is Your Mary? Who is Your Elizabeth?
Find them and tell them
The god connection to others
The god connection part one - connected to others
Working with someone that you get…. About the time your brains says u need a 9/16ths you start to open your mouth and they have it in their hand
I am mad at my wife
My wife is mad at me
There is an underlying connectedness that does not allow this to go on for ever.
It is an odd thing. Hard to explain.
Paul dodds – we were neighbors in heaven before we came to earth
Don’t understand it, but it is a thing to celebrate
Mentoring part one
Mary comes looking for help.
You can lead a horse to water but you cant make him drink
Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Elizabeth validates Mary – even after the angel appears
We humans have enormous power to help another or to hurt another
Sacred moments are created when you love on someone else
Jim Bryan, Hubert Neth, Jim Ireland, Bob Tuttle
When you mentor someone, the person who is mentored is blessed but it also blesses the one doing the mentoring. No greater investment in life than to invest in another person
Mentoring part two
Elizabeth is willing to help
imagine a version of this story where Elizabeth does not welcome mary. Go away. Mary sulks on thru the rest of the nativity story…… are you willing to change your schedule to welcome someone else?
Eliz is filled w holy spirit. Unusual. Jesus brings some new things. In him the spirit is given without measure. Disciples rec holy spirit at Pentecost. You receive the holy spirit when you believe. Don’t take this lightly. The holy spirit is the agent that helps you get to know our father. The spirit quickens the word. The spirit opens your eyes. See how eliz receives spirit and then prophecies. If you are a young person, take heart. The spirit works in you too.
The god connection – part 2 connected to God
In Christmas God gives us someone that we can all connect with – himself in the form of his son, jesus Christ
Jesus knows, jesus hears, jesus cares, jesus stands with you.
The baby leaps in her womb
John leaps for joy in Elizabeth’s womb. Elizabeth prophesies.
Responding to Jesus…how will/do we respond?
And so this journey is not just 2000 years ago, but continues for those who know him, and begins today for those who choose him.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Mary Says Yes To God Luke 1:26-38 11/27/2011
Sermon 11-27-11 Mary says yes to God Luke 1:26-38
26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
The series – the journey
Mary says yes to God
What is the biggest thing that you have ever said yes to God about
Do we say yes to God? Of course we do
Do we ever say no to God?????????
Every time is a generalization. Many times when we are saying yes to our selves, we are saying no to God
Time talent treasure. Our time, talent and treasure, or gifts from God to be used for his purpose?
Let’s be clear, if you are not saying yes to God, you might be saying no
Lots of stories of people who said no to God-
Jonah
The parable of the two sons matthew 21
28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.
David platt’s book, radical
Rich young ruler
Luke 18
18 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’[a]”
21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.
There is something in his life that he is saying no to God about
Do we have such things
Jesus was always looking for those who would do his fathers will - luke 9
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
They were making excuses
Do we have excuses?
Jesus chased this subject a lot - Mt 10
37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
No an invitation to be mean to your in-laws- a realization- - -
There is one most important relationship in life……
There is one creator, from who we came and to whom we will return
What does our Christian life look like?
Sometimes I wonder if - Mostly what we want in life is to not be bothered, - - by the irs, by our employer, bothered by God
Just let me do my thing
In our life are we predominantly saying yes to God or no to God?
In our life are we predominantly saying yes to God or no to God?
There is another alternative
The Christian life is a Journey
Advent is a journey.
Advent is an advent-ure.
Every great adventure begins with a “yes!” Starts with an agreeing to go.
Think of all of the people who said yes to God
Moses. Joshua. Peter. Paul. Noah. Abraham. James, John.
Oh, and a young girl named Mary – in the company of the pillars of the faith; of the great prophets
Every great adventure begins with a “yes!”
What are you being called to this Advent?
To live your life as a Christian
to forgive someone
to help someone
to see or visit someone
To take up a cross
Then there is the ordained ministry thing………
We are all called To fundamentally reorder our lives. That is conversion. God is in the conversion business.
What would our church look like if everyone said yes to God
How would our work places and community be impacted?
The Kingdom coming - on Earth as it is in Heaven
Let the journey – the adventure – begin…continue…say yes to God
26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
The series – the journey
Mary says yes to God
What is the biggest thing that you have ever said yes to God about
Do we say yes to God? Of course we do
Do we ever say no to God?????????
Every time is a generalization. Many times when we are saying yes to our selves, we are saying no to God
Time talent treasure. Our time, talent and treasure, or gifts from God to be used for his purpose?
Let’s be clear, if you are not saying yes to God, you might be saying no
Lots of stories of people who said no to God-
Jonah
The parable of the two sons matthew 21
28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.
David platt’s book, radical
Rich young ruler
Luke 18
18 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’[a]”
21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.
There is something in his life that he is saying no to God about
Do we have such things
Jesus was always looking for those who would do his fathers will - luke 9
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
They were making excuses
Do we have excuses?
Jesus chased this subject a lot - Mt 10
37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
No an invitation to be mean to your in-laws- a realization- - -
There is one most important relationship in life……
There is one creator, from who we came and to whom we will return
What does our Christian life look like?
Sometimes I wonder if - Mostly what we want in life is to not be bothered, - - by the irs, by our employer, bothered by God
Just let me do my thing
In our life are we predominantly saying yes to God or no to God?
In our life are we predominantly saying yes to God or no to God?
There is another alternative
The Christian life is a Journey
Advent is a journey.
Advent is an advent-ure.
Every great adventure begins with a “yes!” Starts with an agreeing to go.
Think of all of the people who said yes to God
Moses. Joshua. Peter. Paul. Noah. Abraham. James, John.
Oh, and a young girl named Mary – in the company of the pillars of the faith; of the great prophets
Every great adventure begins with a “yes!”
What are you being called to this Advent?
To live your life as a Christian
to forgive someone
to help someone
to see or visit someone
To take up a cross
Then there is the ordained ministry thing………
We are all called To fundamentally reorder our lives. That is conversion. God is in the conversion business.
What would our church look like if everyone said yes to God
How would our work places and community be impacted?
The Kingdom coming - on Earth as it is in Heaven
Let the journey – the adventure – begin…continue…say yes to God
Mary Says Yes To God Luke 1:26-38 11/27/2011
Sermon 11-27-11 Mary says yes to God Luke 1:26-38
26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
The series – the journey
Mary says yes to God
What is the biggest thing that you have ever said yes to God about
Do we say yes to God? Of course we do
Do we ever say no to God?????????
Every time is a generalization. Many times when we are saying yes to our selves, we are saying no to God
Time talent treasure. Our time, talent and treasure, or gifts from God to be used for his purpose?
Let’s be clear, if you are not saying yes to God, you might be saying no
Lots of stories of people who said no to God-
Jonah
The parable of the two sons matthew 21
28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.
David platt’s book, radical
Rich young ruler
Luke 18
18 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’[a]”
21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.
There is something in his life that he is saying no to God about
Do we have such things
Jesus was always looking for those who would do his fathers will - luke 9
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
They were making excuses
Do we have excuses?
Jesus chased this subject a lot - Mt 10
37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
No an invitation to be mean to your in-laws- a realization- - -
There is one most important relationship in life……
There is one creator, from who we came and to whom we will return
What does our Christian life look like?
Sometimes I wonder if - Mostly what we want in life is to not be bothered, - - by the irs, by our employer, bothered by God
Just let me do my thing
In our life are we predominantly saying yes to God or no to God?
In our life are we predominantly saying yes to God or no to God?
There is another alternative
The Christian life is a Journey
Advent is a journey.
Advent is an advent-ure.
Every great adventure begins with a “yes!” Starts with an agreeing to go.
Think of all of the people who said yes to God
Moses. Joshua. Peter. Paul. Noah. Abraham. James, John.
Oh, and a young girl named Mary – in the company of the pillars of the faith; of the great prophets
Every great adventure begins with a “yes!”
What are you being called to this Advent?
To live your life as a Christian
to forgive someone
to help someone
to see or visit someone
To take up a cross
Then there is the ordained ministry thing………
We are all called To fundamentally reorder our lives. That is conversion. God is in the conversion business.
What would our church look like if everyone said yes to God
How would our work places and community be impacted?
The Kingdom coming - on Earth as it is in Heaven
Let the journey – the adventure – begin…continue…say yes to God
26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
The series – the journey
Mary says yes to God
What is the biggest thing that you have ever said yes to God about
Do we say yes to God? Of course we do
Do we ever say no to God?????????
Every time is a generalization. Many times when we are saying yes to our selves, we are saying no to God
Time talent treasure. Our time, talent and treasure, or gifts from God to be used for his purpose?
Let’s be clear, if you are not saying yes to God, you might be saying no
Lots of stories of people who said no to God-
Jonah
The parable of the two sons matthew 21
28 “What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ 29 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. 30 “Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go. 31 “Which of the two did what his father wanted?” “The first,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.
David platt’s book, radical
Rich young ruler
Luke 18
18 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’[a]”
21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.
There is something in his life that he is saying no to God about
Do we have such things
Jesus was always looking for those who would do his fathers will - luke 9
57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
They were making excuses
Do we have excuses?
Jesus chased this subject a lot - Mt 10
37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.
No an invitation to be mean to your in-laws- a realization- - -
There is one most important relationship in life……
There is one creator, from who we came and to whom we will return
What does our Christian life look like?
Sometimes I wonder if - Mostly what we want in life is to not be bothered, - - by the irs, by our employer, bothered by God
Just let me do my thing
In our life are we predominantly saying yes to God or no to God?
In our life are we predominantly saying yes to God or no to God?
There is another alternative
The Christian life is a Journey
Advent is a journey.
Advent is an advent-ure.
Every great adventure begins with a “yes!” Starts with an agreeing to go.
Think of all of the people who said yes to God
Moses. Joshua. Peter. Paul. Noah. Abraham. James, John.
Oh, and a young girl named Mary – in the company of the pillars of the faith; of the great prophets
Every great adventure begins with a “yes!”
What are you being called to this Advent?
To live your life as a Christian
to forgive someone
to help someone
to see or visit someone
To take up a cross
Then there is the ordained ministry thing………
We are all called To fundamentally reorder our lives. That is conversion. God is in the conversion business.
What would our church look like if everyone said yes to God
How would our work places and community be impacted?
The Kingdom coming - on Earth as it is in Heaven
Let the journey – the adventure – begin…continue…say yes to God
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
thanksgiving - For The Power To Change John 1:1-12 11/13/2011
Sermon 11-13-11 thanksgiving – for the power to change
John 1:1-12 KJV
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Power for evil and good in the penn state story
Power is important – riding on bud’s boat
Power in faith – sit around, going thru the motions
The story of the firestarter- they had the implements but not the power
Denying the power there of
2 timothy 3
1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
What is Christianity about
Who is this jesus?
Look at jn 1
He is the life. He is the light. To as many received him, he gives the power to become
I am thankful for the power to change
Sometimes change is gradual
15 year battle with something
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; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Keep asking keep seeking, keep knocking
Sometimes change can happen in a moment,
But, it can happen
To stop an old one
To start a new one
For the power to become
Forrest gump video clip
Maybe you are sensing in your life that it is time to change
Biblical stories where God gives people power
David stands to fight Goliath
Elijah Challenges the prophets of Baal
Three men in firey furnace- we don’t know if god will deliver us, but we will not bow down
The woman caught in adultery
Peter steps out to walk on water
Jesus ascends- says to the 12 -go make disciples, lo I am with you
Jacob wrestling with the angel genesis 32
I will not let you go until you bless me
Have you settled into a trajectory of life that has lost the ability to become?
Have you given into negativity and despair
Have you put your family in jeopardy
Maybe its time to get ahold of God and wrestle into the night and do not let go
To those who believe on his name his give the power to become
I am thankful for the power to change
John 1:1-12 KJV
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2The same was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Power for evil and good in the penn state story
Power is important – riding on bud’s boat
Power in faith – sit around, going thru the motions
The story of the firestarter- they had the implements but not the power
Denying the power there of
2 timothy 3
1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
What is Christianity about
Who is this jesus?
Look at jn 1
He is the life. He is the light. To as many received him, he gives the power to become
I am thankful for the power to change
Sometimes change is gradual
15 year battle with something
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; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Keep asking keep seeking, keep knocking
Sometimes change can happen in a moment,
But, it can happen
To stop an old one
To start a new one
For the power to become
Forrest gump video clip
Maybe you are sensing in your life that it is time to change
Biblical stories where God gives people power
David stands to fight Goliath
Elijah Challenges the prophets of Baal
Three men in firey furnace- we don’t know if god will deliver us, but we will not bow down
The woman caught in adultery
Peter steps out to walk on water
Jesus ascends- says to the 12 -go make disciples, lo I am with you
Jacob wrestling with the angel genesis 32
I will not let you go until you bless me
Have you settled into a trajectory of life that has lost the ability to become?
Have you given into negativity and despair
Have you put your family in jeopardy
Maybe its time to get ahold of God and wrestle into the night and do not let go
To those who believe on his name his give the power to become
I am thankful for the power to change
Friday, November 4, 2011
All Saints Day Hebrews 12:1-3 Oct 23, 2011
Sermon Oct 23rd Hebrews 12:1-3 n
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
All saints day
Where did it come from- all hallows eve
How we celebrate it - Song – find us faithful
How are you doing with the race of life
7th grade math- mr willins……everyone did well. There was one F I wont mention his name, just his initials…..jeff brinkman
What grade would you give yourself?
The race of life. Living with or without god
Living with god at the center or with self at the center
Lay aside sin….every weight
Like a robe on a runner
Weight- any inordinate love of a person or thing
Run with patience- there is much to see, much to encounter
Run with perseverance- the race is long
Raise a child, hold a job
Stay the course
Speed less important than endurance
Eccl 9 – the race is not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong
Saints are not the holy, but the dependable, those who persevere
Not the perfect, but the one who seeks to be better than he is
There is something about such people
Saints provide roots
The tree in Lebanon
The role of significant adults in the lives of a child
Roots do not exist of their own accord- they give life to the tree
Roots sustain you
The saints before us. They have lived and they have died
Some good, some bad
I celebrate my parents
You can learn something from everyone
Others made it….they bear witness
To the power and triumph of faith
They did it, so can we
If their testimony is not enough, we have jesus
Blazed the trail was opposed, hated, persecuted
He despised the railings, he gave them no attention
Jesus motivation was the joy in living… the joy in doing the work of God
All saints day is ultimately a time to consider and give thanks for the investments of others, and to consider the investments that we are making.
The cloud of witnesses influence us
Are we allowing ourselves to be a positive influence
What are we giving our voices to?
Nothing greater than to be used by god to effect positive change
We begin to do this when we see the value of a person
The people that shaped us, see us. Value us. Illustration from Glenda A below
Glenda Accardo shared with me a story that she remembered from the upper room 2005 - In Africa, instead of using "hello" as a greeting, they say to each other, "I see you". It means to see all who came before you, shaped you, influenced your life and formed your thinking, is evident to me this moment when we met.
Over the last several years, I have spent significant time in Africa. There, identity with family, group, culture, or heritage comes before individual identity. There, when a friend greets me by saying"I see you," that "I" means the speaker as a member of a family, culture, and tribe sees me and my family, my tribe, and even my ancestors. I look in your eyes ad see your mother's care, your grandfather's teaching. I see that God has been at work in many ways, through many people and over time, preparing us to greet each other
How does god see people? Respond to people? When we remind ourselves to look at others in this broader way, we can respond to them the way Jesus did.
Who are those who have influenced you
Lets talke a moment to name them. To thank god for them.
And to commit to pursue
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
All saints day
Where did it come from- all hallows eve
How we celebrate it - Song – find us faithful
How are you doing with the race of life
7th grade math- mr willins……everyone did well. There was one F I wont mention his name, just his initials…..jeff brinkman
What grade would you give yourself?
The race of life. Living with or without god
Living with god at the center or with self at the center
Lay aside sin….every weight
Like a robe on a runner
Weight- any inordinate love of a person or thing
Run with patience- there is much to see, much to encounter
Run with perseverance- the race is long
Raise a child, hold a job
Stay the course
Speed less important than endurance
Eccl 9 – the race is not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong
Saints are not the holy, but the dependable, those who persevere
Not the perfect, but the one who seeks to be better than he is
There is something about such people
Saints provide roots
The tree in Lebanon
The role of significant adults in the lives of a child
Roots do not exist of their own accord- they give life to the tree
Roots sustain you
The saints before us. They have lived and they have died
Some good, some bad
I celebrate my parents
You can learn something from everyone
Others made it….they bear witness
To the power and triumph of faith
They did it, so can we
If their testimony is not enough, we have jesus
Blazed the trail was opposed, hated, persecuted
He despised the railings, he gave them no attention
Jesus motivation was the joy in living… the joy in doing the work of God
All saints day is ultimately a time to consider and give thanks for the investments of others, and to consider the investments that we are making.
The cloud of witnesses influence us
Are we allowing ourselves to be a positive influence
What are we giving our voices to?
Nothing greater than to be used by god to effect positive change
We begin to do this when we see the value of a person
The people that shaped us, see us. Value us. Illustration from Glenda A below
Glenda Accardo shared with me a story that she remembered from the upper room 2005 - In Africa, instead of using "hello" as a greeting, they say to each other, "I see you". It means to see all who came before you, shaped you, influenced your life and formed your thinking, is evident to me this moment when we met.
Over the last several years, I have spent significant time in Africa. There, identity with family, group, culture, or heritage comes before individual identity. There, when a friend greets me by saying"I see you," that "I" means the speaker as a member of a family, culture, and tribe sees me and my family, my tribe, and even my ancestors. I look in your eyes ad see your mother's care, your grandfather's teaching. I see that God has been at work in many ways, through many people and over time, preparing us to greet each other
How does god see people? Respond to people? When we remind ourselves to look at others in this broader way, we can respond to them the way Jesus did.
Who are those who have influenced you
Lets talke a moment to name them. To thank god for them.
And to commit to pursue
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Worship Part 3 - Living It Out Colossinans 10-16-11
Sermon oct 16 worship pt 3- living it out Colossians 3:1-17
Series sat-539
Prepare your heart
Engage and participate
Living it out
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
What we think about worship………….its here, it sit, I sing, I pray, I listen, I leave. Worship is over
If this is true then the rest of our life belongs to us
This is like a mafia buy off, protection money……..god we do our thing with you, so that I then get to spend the rest of my life doing whatever I want.
There is another choice……instead of living the human way, live for God. This is worship
Set your hearts on things above, not on these so human behaviors
The guilty list
The purpose of the guilty list- was never to guilt you but to point you toward the positive list- we just haven’t spend enough time talking about the positive list
Luke 17 the ten lepers – how many of them stop to say thanks? 1. When we live our worship, we are the one. God thank you for my wife. Thank you for my car. Thank you for my mean boss. Thank you for breath.
whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus
Worship is noT strange. It is the most normal thing that you do. Joy from cooking- thank god. Joy from driving a car? Thank god
Do you ever look at an airplane in flight and wonder wha thtey are doing?
Do you ever fly and look down from 4k feet…….look at the little cars……
He knows more about what we are doing than we know about what he is doing
Is our world dominated by work, shopping, hobbies, hurrying from one place to the next-
How can you do these things to the glory of god?
I cant always – often like peter in the garden..couldnt you watch w me one hr?
But I can do better, we all can do better at simply paying attention
Being aware, thinking about it.
First experience of worship- moving from kc to calif at age 12. God help me to make a better start, to make some friends. A 12 year old boy took a very mundane moment and made it holy.
To sing- my mom was a singer. Roamed the kitchen singing.
Fernando Ortega
Psalm 100- enter his gates
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his[a]; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
God shows up where ever he is honored, welcomed, loved, acknowledged.
This is really good stuff, but it gets even better when times are tough
Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness-Is 61
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a]
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair
In worship we join the cosmos in praising God. The whole cosmos, every living being sings, the Psalmists insist.
The heavens declare the glory of God…ps 19
Do you like to go fishing, canoing, to the beach? To the redwoods? To burr oak woods? To the lake? To your back yard? Why? Nature declares Gods glory
250 ad pottery shard
May none of gods wonderful works Keep silence, night or morning.
Bright stars, high mountains, the depths of the seas, Sources of rushing rivers,
May all these break into song as we sing To father, son and holy spirit
May all the angels in the heavens reply- Amen, amen, amen
Power, praise, honour, eternal glory-To god the only giver of grace,
Amen, amen, amen
Harold and Maude -Maude describes the imprisonment of Alfred Dreyfus on Devil’s Island, where he was “thrilled to watch the ‘most beautiful birds’.
“Later on in Brittany,” she said, “he realized they had only been seagulls.” The Cat Stevens music swells a bit, and then Maude explains to Harold, “for me they will always be glorious birds.”
conclusion
The giants of spiritual life are not so designed by the great moments of their life, but in the small routine seemingly begnin moments. Its not that oral roberts built a unitersity, its not that 30 k go to hear joel Osteen preach, its that you and me, we are stopping to acknowledge God
To take an act of your free will and turn yourself towards god, this is an act of worship
God is involved in changing the world, in changing our world. That begins when you notice that what you do, and how you do it matters. I am no longer doing something, I am doing something as unto the lord.
And life is filled with love and joy, and god is celebrated, and we live the life so intended for us.
We all have a deep hunger. What do we hunger for- the presence of God. How do we find it? Acknowledge him
Series sat-539
Prepare your heart
Engage and participate
Living it out
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your[a] life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.[b] 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
What we think about worship………….its here, it sit, I sing, I pray, I listen, I leave. Worship is over
If this is true then the rest of our life belongs to us
This is like a mafia buy off, protection money……..god we do our thing with you, so that I then get to spend the rest of my life doing whatever I want.
There is another choice……instead of living the human way, live for God. This is worship
Set your hearts on things above, not on these so human behaviors
The guilty list
The purpose of the guilty list- was never to guilt you but to point you toward the positive list- we just haven’t spend enough time talking about the positive list
Luke 17 the ten lepers – how many of them stop to say thanks? 1. When we live our worship, we are the one. God thank you for my wife. Thank you for my car. Thank you for my mean boss. Thank you for breath.
whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus
Worship is noT strange. It is the most normal thing that you do. Joy from cooking- thank god. Joy from driving a car? Thank god
Do you ever look at an airplane in flight and wonder wha thtey are doing?
Do you ever fly and look down from 4k feet…….look at the little cars……
He knows more about what we are doing than we know about what he is doing
Is our world dominated by work, shopping, hobbies, hurrying from one place to the next-
How can you do these things to the glory of god?
I cant always – often like peter in the garden..couldnt you watch w me one hr?
But I can do better, we all can do better at simply paying attention
Being aware, thinking about it.
First experience of worship- moving from kc to calif at age 12. God help me to make a better start, to make some friends. A 12 year old boy took a very mundane moment and made it holy.
To sing- my mom was a singer. Roamed the kitchen singing.
Fernando Ortega
Psalm 100- enter his gates
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his[a]; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
God shows up where ever he is honored, welcomed, loved, acknowledged.
This is really good stuff, but it gets even better when times are tough
Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness-Is 61
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a]
2 to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair
In worship we join the cosmos in praising God. The whole cosmos, every living being sings, the Psalmists insist.
The heavens declare the glory of God…ps 19
Do you like to go fishing, canoing, to the beach? To the redwoods? To burr oak woods? To the lake? To your back yard? Why? Nature declares Gods glory
250 ad pottery shard
May none of gods wonderful works Keep silence, night or morning.
Bright stars, high mountains, the depths of the seas, Sources of rushing rivers,
May all these break into song as we sing To father, son and holy spirit
May all the angels in the heavens reply- Amen, amen, amen
Power, praise, honour, eternal glory-To god the only giver of grace,
Amen, amen, amen
Harold and Maude -Maude describes the imprisonment of Alfred Dreyfus on Devil’s Island, where he was “thrilled to watch the ‘most beautiful birds’.
“Later on in Brittany,” she said, “he realized they had only been seagulls.” The Cat Stevens music swells a bit, and then Maude explains to Harold, “for me they will always be glorious birds.”
conclusion
The giants of spiritual life are not so designed by the great moments of their life, but in the small routine seemingly begnin moments. Its not that oral roberts built a unitersity, its not that 30 k go to hear joel Osteen preach, its that you and me, we are stopping to acknowledge God
To take an act of your free will and turn yourself towards god, this is an act of worship
God is involved in changing the world, in changing our world. That begins when you notice that what you do, and how you do it matters. I am no longer doing something, I am doing something as unto the lord.
And life is filled with love and joy, and god is celebrated, and we live the life so intended for us.
We all have a deep hunger. What do we hunger for- the presence of God. How do we find it? Acknowledge him
Friday, October 7, 2011
Prepare Your Heart Worship Part 1 Psalm 51:10-17 10/2/11
Oct 2 prepare your heart Psalm 51:10-17 worship part 1b
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is[b] a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.
New series- worship
1. Preparing for worship
2. Engaging in worship
3. Living it out
Take you to the door of the sanctuary- to the countdown
Worship is about meeting with God
Worship is the giving of one’s heart and soul
William Temple [bishop of cantebury 1881-1944] made this clear in his masterful definition of worship:
For worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness; the nourishment of mind with His truth; the purifying of imagination by His beauty; the opening of the heart to His love; the surrender of will to His purpose -- and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable and therefore the chief remedy for that self-centeredness which is our original sin and the source of all actual sin.
Do we need to prepare? What happens if we don’t?
-We get more out of the things that we prepare for
-We think harder about why we are here
Ultimately - We cant wait until jeff opens his mouth to try and worship
If we do, it is too late
Something should happen when I drive onto the property
Lakeland church – dangers of this age – consumerism and individualism
It begins with what we offer to God, not with what we think we got out of it
When you give yourself to God, you do get something out of worship
Zan W. Holmes, Jr., tells why, returning to an African American adage, "If you don't put anything in, you won't get anything out. " In terms of worship, says Holmes, that means "you have to bring something to the sermon to get something out of it." He then goes on to tell the story of a "young college student who returned home for the holidays and accompanied his mother to church one Sunday. Afterward the young man said, 'The preacher was not too good today.' His mother said, 'Well, maybe not.' He said, 'I noticed that the choir was not too good today.' His mother said, "Well, maybe not.' Then she said to him, 'Well, son, tell me, how good were you today?"'
Steps to prepare
1. Understand that your relationship with God is the most important thing
-this seems a little odd
-until you understand that your breath is a gift from him
-who will you call on in a time of trouble
-who will you look to when you are on your death bed?
2. Clear space in your heart and mind
-get rid of your cell phone
-don’t fight in the car on the way here
-Don’t make the grocery list in church
3. Begin to offer self
a. Quiet time
b. Centering prayer
c. Breathing- breath prayers
d. The labrynth
e. Find the one thing- Rick Taylor
How do pastors prepare
Worry, work, take care of what needs to be done.
Pray- God where am I , where are you?
Connecting your heart and Gods heart with this sermon
God this is the best that I have, please add your holy spirit, touch the people
In psalm 51 david is getting to the bottom of it
Post david and Bathsheba
A broken and contrite heart is what God is looking for.
Describe contrite – God I am here for you
The carol reads "O Come, let us adore Him;" not "O Come, let us ignore Him."
If we get this part right, everything else will follow
This is what I love about communion, Preparing to come to the Lords table
World communion Sunday
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is[b] a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.
New series- worship
1. Preparing for worship
2. Engaging in worship
3. Living it out
Take you to the door of the sanctuary- to the countdown
Worship is about meeting with God
Worship is the giving of one’s heart and soul
William Temple [bishop of cantebury 1881-1944] made this clear in his masterful definition of worship:
For worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness; the nourishment of mind with His truth; the purifying of imagination by His beauty; the opening of the heart to His love; the surrender of will to His purpose -- and all of this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable and therefore the chief remedy for that self-centeredness which is our original sin and the source of all actual sin.
Do we need to prepare? What happens if we don’t?
-We get more out of the things that we prepare for
-We think harder about why we are here
Ultimately - We cant wait until jeff opens his mouth to try and worship
If we do, it is too late
Something should happen when I drive onto the property
Lakeland church – dangers of this age – consumerism and individualism
It begins with what we offer to God, not with what we think we got out of it
When you give yourself to God, you do get something out of worship
Zan W. Holmes, Jr., tells why, returning to an African American adage, "If you don't put anything in, you won't get anything out. " In terms of worship, says Holmes, that means "you have to bring something to the sermon to get something out of it." He then goes on to tell the story of a "young college student who returned home for the holidays and accompanied his mother to church one Sunday. Afterward the young man said, 'The preacher was not too good today.' His mother said, 'Well, maybe not.' He said, 'I noticed that the choir was not too good today.' His mother said, "Well, maybe not.' Then she said to him, 'Well, son, tell me, how good were you today?"'
Steps to prepare
1. Understand that your relationship with God is the most important thing
-this seems a little odd
-until you understand that your breath is a gift from him
-who will you call on in a time of trouble
-who will you look to when you are on your death bed?
2. Clear space in your heart and mind
-get rid of your cell phone
-don’t fight in the car on the way here
-Don’t make the grocery list in church
3. Begin to offer self
a. Quiet time
b. Centering prayer
c. Breathing- breath prayers
d. The labrynth
e. Find the one thing- Rick Taylor
How do pastors prepare
Worry, work, take care of what needs to be done.
Pray- God where am I , where are you?
Connecting your heart and Gods heart with this sermon
God this is the best that I have, please add your holy spirit, touch the people
In psalm 51 david is getting to the bottom of it
Post david and Bathsheba
A broken and contrite heart is what God is looking for.
Describe contrite – God I am here for you
The carol reads "O Come, let us adore Him;" not "O Come, let us ignore Him."
If we get this part right, everything else will follow
This is what I love about communion, Preparing to come to the Lords table
World communion Sunday
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Job Part 4 - God Answers - Job 38-41
Week 4. Sermon title – Job part 4 - God answers Job 38-41- sat 1121am
The series ends
Our problems don’t
Ways we hope to address problems
Human wisdom
Job wants answers. (we want answers)
Finally God speaks.
• Highlights His unlimited wisdom/power.
• Highlights Job’s limited wisdom/power.
Are we really as smart as we think
1500 Copernicus put an end to the age of the flat earth
The earth as the center of the solar system
Issac Newton 1700 – laws of physics
An object at rest…….
Einstein in the 40s and 50s broke new ground
Newton’s laws don’t explain it all
Theory of relativity
Father of modern physics-opened the door to quantum physics
An international team of scientists said on Thursday that they had recorded sub atomic particles traveling faster than light- a finding that could overturn one of Einstein’s long accepted fundamental laws of the universe. That the speed of light is a constant and nothing moves faster..
The end of the age of Einstein
Human wisdom is never going to manage or control this world
So some opt for option two
A god that fixes everything
Is really a god of human wisdom
If god loves us he will fix everything, he will save us from pain
Noted religious leader on tv a few weeks ago. The problems in America point to the end of time. To Jesus return
We don’t want to live thru problems. We want god to save us from them.
Part of us wants to worship at the home of the god of easy answers
Ultimately this god is a god of our own making
Some suggest that the answer to our problems is to stop asking questions
Sometimes the church demands that we have blind faith
Don’t ask questions
Don’t question anything
Don’t challenge the pastor
Don’t challenge the word- whose interpretation?
This is tough on our brains – we don’t want to be crushed
It feels manipulative
It feels like the inquisition
The world is rejecting this form of Christianity
God is not offended by our questions
As an answer to our questions, god offers himself
God offers himself.
Not the god of easy answers
Not the god who does not take questions
But the amazing giant, mysterious God
The get lost in the wonder god… the fall into his arms god
In the presence of god we humans melt
Paul on the road
Isaiah in the throne room
Moses before the burning bush
There is a place where we go and we are with something so much bigger than we are, that our questions are swallowed up
Parents comfort their children, god puts his arms around you
Going to have lunch with my dad
At 70, he wanted to go sit at his parents table
God is Transcendent:
God knows everything about each one of His creations.
He is with them all. The raven, the lion, the mountain goat, the ostrich, etc.
He knows when they eat and when they sleep. He knows where they live and when they give birth.
He knows us.
Does not mean that we won’t suffer, but that God is with us.
Shawn f quote - When we come to the end of ourselves, it is not the end.
Psalm 16- in your presence there is fullness of joy
16:11 you make known to me the path of life. You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Wendy to close with testimony
The series ends
Our problems don’t
Ways we hope to address problems
Human wisdom
Job wants answers. (we want answers)
Finally God speaks.
• Highlights His unlimited wisdom/power.
• Highlights Job’s limited wisdom/power.
Are we really as smart as we think
1500 Copernicus put an end to the age of the flat earth
The earth as the center of the solar system
Issac Newton 1700 – laws of physics
An object at rest…….
Einstein in the 40s and 50s broke new ground
Newton’s laws don’t explain it all
Theory of relativity
Father of modern physics-opened the door to quantum physics
An international team of scientists said on Thursday that they had recorded sub atomic particles traveling faster than light- a finding that could overturn one of Einstein’s long accepted fundamental laws of the universe. That the speed of light is a constant and nothing moves faster..
The end of the age of Einstein
Human wisdom is never going to manage or control this world
So some opt for option two
A god that fixes everything
Is really a god of human wisdom
If god loves us he will fix everything, he will save us from pain
Noted religious leader on tv a few weeks ago. The problems in America point to the end of time. To Jesus return
We don’t want to live thru problems. We want god to save us from them.
Part of us wants to worship at the home of the god of easy answers
Ultimately this god is a god of our own making
Some suggest that the answer to our problems is to stop asking questions
Sometimes the church demands that we have blind faith
Don’t ask questions
Don’t question anything
Don’t challenge the pastor
Don’t challenge the word- whose interpretation?
This is tough on our brains – we don’t want to be crushed
It feels manipulative
It feels like the inquisition
The world is rejecting this form of Christianity
God is not offended by our questions
As an answer to our questions, god offers himself
God offers himself.
Not the god of easy answers
Not the god who does not take questions
But the amazing giant, mysterious God
The get lost in the wonder god… the fall into his arms god
In the presence of god we humans melt
Paul on the road
Isaiah in the throne room
Moses before the burning bush
There is a place where we go and we are with something so much bigger than we are, that our questions are swallowed up
Parents comfort their children, god puts his arms around you
Going to have lunch with my dad
At 70, he wanted to go sit at his parents table
God is Transcendent:
God knows everything about each one of His creations.
He is with them all. The raven, the lion, the mountain goat, the ostrich, etc.
He knows when they eat and when they sleep. He knows where they live and when they give birth.
He knows us.
Does not mean that we won’t suffer, but that God is with us.
Shawn f quote - When we come to the end of ourselves, it is not the end.
Psalm 16- in your presence there is fullness of joy
16:11 you make known to me the path of life. You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Wendy to close with testimony
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Responses to Suffering - Your Only Human Job 3:11-26 9-18-2011
Sermon 9-18-11 responses to suffering – you’re only human Job 3:11-26
11 “Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb? 12 Why were there knees to receive me and breasts that I might be nursed? 13 For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest 14 with kings and rulers of the earth, who built for themselves places now lying in ruins,-- 15 with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver. 16 Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child, like an infant who never saw the light of day? 17 There the wicked cease from turmoil, and there the weary are at rest. 18 Captives also enjoy their ease; they no longer hear the slave driver’s shout. 19 The small and the great are there, and the slaves are freed from their owners. 20 “Why is light given to those in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, 21 to those who long for death that does not come, who search for it more than for hidden treasure,-- 22 who are filled with gladness and rejoice when they reach the grave? 23 Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? 24 For sighing has become my daily food; my groans pour out like water. 25 What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. 26 I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.”
Job the series
Last week – Im sorry, I love you, I stand with you.
Today- our responses to suffering
Job is depressed- no peace, only turmoil
Large suffering or small, this is our story
1. Anger from job’s wife – 2:9
9 His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” 10 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish[b] woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”
2. Some people fall into self pity
Self pity itself can destroy you
Seeing yourself as a victim
Some people never live again
Becoming embittered so that the love in us is soured into envy and hate
3. Some live in denial and refuse to face reality
If I shut my eyes long enough
I don’t want to talk about it
numb
Drown sorrows in self medication
You never face the pain
You never learn from the pain
Your rob yourself of your life –life is good
4. Some people bargain with God and demand a miracle ...
god I have been faithful, pls fix this.
Quote scriptures and scripture promise books
God I have done this for you, so you must do this for me
God if you fix this, I will do such and such
5. Lose your faith
"I cry to you and you give me no answer; I stand before you but you take no notice" (Job 30:20).
As long as we expect God to make life easy, we are going to respond to suffering in ways that show the worst of us. There is another way……
Learning
Our tragedy is not that we suffer, but that we waste suffering
Anthony Bloom, a doctor before becoming a priest, spoke of a young woman who was dying of cancer. Despite great pain, she refused to take drugs to alleviate her suffering. She said that the time had not yet come. Then one day she called him and said she was now ready for the drugs. She had now learned everything that pain had to teach her, and she could go in peace.
Our culture has a great desire to escape suffering
• We need to understand tho that suffering like everything else, is related to our journey towards God.
• When we escape suffering we may lose a chance to understand something of great importance for ourselves and, consequently, for others.
Suffering can help our relationship with God.
C.S. Lewis wrote that pain is God's megaphone to arouse us from our deafness. It is only when we are afraid or bewildered, aware of our own helplessness, that we turn to God. If we are to be re-made, re-born, turned around, we must be first broken into pieces:
Think of people that have come to Jesus. How did you come to him?
Suffering gets us in touch with our soul
It is the source of great poetry, music, art and the great discoveries of life.It is in sorrow that we can look into ourselves and find God.
Suffering can help our relationships with others
We can only gain from suffering if we use the opportunity to grow in compassion and understanding, to become more sensitive to the needs of others.
Are we here for pleasure, or to care for one another, love one another, and comfort one another?
"Help carry one another's burdens; in that way you will fulfill the law of Christ" (Gal 6:2).
2cor 1:3-
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
That there is some therapeutic value in suffering is obvious. When our own need is great, to whom do we turn? To the person for whom life has always been easy? Or to the one who has been buffeted by more than one storm?
Choices
When do you pray for something to get better and when do you choose to accept it as a part of the world that is yours to deal with?
We cannot choose to not suffer
But we can choose to let tribulation have its work James
Human beings can be carried to the height of redemption only after passing through the valley of despair.
We do not suffer in order to become other than who we are, but to become the real persons lying dormant within us.
It all depends on ourselves. The suffering that produced a Beethoven or a Helen Keller could also produce a snivelling weakling riddled with self-pity.
Two people suffer the same anguish: one is destroyed, the other enriched!
One is caught in one's own turmoil and withers; the other searches more deeply and finds profound meaning –
Woman in the wheelchair
Having broken her neck, she was completely paralyzed, without feeling or skin sensation from the shoulders down. She looked after herself in her own flat (it took her two hours to get dressed), drove across London each day and did a nine to five-thirty job, after which she was too exhausted to do anything but sleep. She rejoiced in her independence, "For me it is the most wonderful and unbelievable thing. Every morning when I wake up, I think, another day! I've made it!" To find hope and joy in the midst of affliction, -- that is the ultimate achievement of faith.
Something amazing about those who have learned not just to endure, but to grow thru suffering…..
Among many of the survivors of the camps, one meets this tremendous inner strength, this indestructible human spirit. Such survivors seem to have passed beyond hatred and bitterness because they saw where the hatred and bitterness led. They are linked together by a powerful bond and mutual compassion. I shall never forget the woman I met in Warsaw at a party for survivors of Auschwitz and Buchenwald. Suddenly she turned to me and said sadly, "I wasn't there; but I wish to God I had been. I'm on the outside. Do you understand?"
found on the body of a dead child at Ravensbruck camp where 92,000 women and children died:
O God, remember not only the men and women of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not remember all the suffering they have inflicted upon us; remember the fruits we have bought, thanks to this suffering -- our comradeship, our loyalty, our humility, our courage, our generosity, the greatness of heart which has grown out of all this, and when they come to the judgment let all the fruits that we have borne be their forgiveness.
Natural responses. Anger, fear, self pity, denial.
All of this is ok, all of this is normal. God is not offended by our humanness.
But he also invites us to aspire to rise above our humanness
The cross points the way
At the centre of all that God is offering us, the cross stands as a commentary -- the historical sign that Jesus fully shared our human situation.
"I, if I be lifted up, will draw all people to myself" (Jn 12:32).
If we stand in spirit at the foot of the cross, we can see that all the sorrow in the world is gathered together into one sorrow; and there, in the moment of seeming utter defeat, the victory over sorrow is complete.
In your suffering I turn you away from your feelings. Away from your self. Away from magical answers to the pain and I turn you toward Jesus. The man of the cross. And together we join hands, one with another……
11 “Why did I not perish at birth, and die as I came from the womb? 12 Why were there knees to receive me and breasts that I might be nursed? 13 For now I would be lying down in peace; I would be asleep and at rest 14 with kings and rulers of the earth, who built for themselves places now lying in ruins,-- 15 with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver. 16 Or why was I not hidden away in the ground like a stillborn child, like an infant who never saw the light of day? 17 There the wicked cease from turmoil, and there the weary are at rest. 18 Captives also enjoy their ease; they no longer hear the slave driver’s shout. 19 The small and the great are there, and the slaves are freed from their owners. 20 “Why is light given to those in misery, and life to the bitter of soul, 21 to those who long for death that does not come, who search for it more than for hidden treasure,-- 22 who are filled with gladness and rejoice when they reach the grave? 23 Why is life given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in? 24 For sighing has become my daily food; my groans pour out like water. 25 What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. 26 I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.”
Job the series
Last week – Im sorry, I love you, I stand with you.
Today- our responses to suffering
Job is depressed- no peace, only turmoil
Large suffering or small, this is our story
1. Anger from job’s wife – 2:9
9 His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” 10 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish[b] woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”
2. Some people fall into self pity
Self pity itself can destroy you
Seeing yourself as a victim
Some people never live again
Becoming embittered so that the love in us is soured into envy and hate
3. Some live in denial and refuse to face reality
If I shut my eyes long enough
I don’t want to talk about it
numb
Drown sorrows in self medication
You never face the pain
You never learn from the pain
Your rob yourself of your life –life is good
4. Some people bargain with God and demand a miracle ...
god I have been faithful, pls fix this.
Quote scriptures and scripture promise books
God I have done this for you, so you must do this for me
God if you fix this, I will do such and such
5. Lose your faith
"I cry to you and you give me no answer; I stand before you but you take no notice" (Job 30:20).
As long as we expect God to make life easy, we are going to respond to suffering in ways that show the worst of us. There is another way……
Learning
Our tragedy is not that we suffer, but that we waste suffering
Anthony Bloom, a doctor before becoming a priest, spoke of a young woman who was dying of cancer. Despite great pain, she refused to take drugs to alleviate her suffering. She said that the time had not yet come. Then one day she called him and said she was now ready for the drugs. She had now learned everything that pain had to teach her, and she could go in peace.
Our culture has a great desire to escape suffering
• We need to understand tho that suffering like everything else, is related to our journey towards God.
• When we escape suffering we may lose a chance to understand something of great importance for ourselves and, consequently, for others.
Suffering can help our relationship with God.
C.S. Lewis wrote that pain is God's megaphone to arouse us from our deafness. It is only when we are afraid or bewildered, aware of our own helplessness, that we turn to God. If we are to be re-made, re-born, turned around, we must be first broken into pieces:
Think of people that have come to Jesus. How did you come to him?
Suffering gets us in touch with our soul
It is the source of great poetry, music, art and the great discoveries of life.It is in sorrow that we can look into ourselves and find God.
Suffering can help our relationships with others
We can only gain from suffering if we use the opportunity to grow in compassion and understanding, to become more sensitive to the needs of others.
Are we here for pleasure, or to care for one another, love one another, and comfort one another?
"Help carry one another's burdens; in that way you will fulfill the law of Christ" (Gal 6:2).
2cor 1:3-
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
That there is some therapeutic value in suffering is obvious. When our own need is great, to whom do we turn? To the person for whom life has always been easy? Or to the one who has been buffeted by more than one storm?
Choices
When do you pray for something to get better and when do you choose to accept it as a part of the world that is yours to deal with?
We cannot choose to not suffer
But we can choose to let tribulation have its work James
Human beings can be carried to the height of redemption only after passing through the valley of despair.
We do not suffer in order to become other than who we are, but to become the real persons lying dormant within us.
It all depends on ourselves. The suffering that produced a Beethoven or a Helen Keller could also produce a snivelling weakling riddled with self-pity.
Two people suffer the same anguish: one is destroyed, the other enriched!
One is caught in one's own turmoil and withers; the other searches more deeply and finds profound meaning –
Woman in the wheelchair
Having broken her neck, she was completely paralyzed, without feeling or skin sensation from the shoulders down. She looked after herself in her own flat (it took her two hours to get dressed), drove across London each day and did a nine to five-thirty job, after which she was too exhausted to do anything but sleep. She rejoiced in her independence, "For me it is the most wonderful and unbelievable thing. Every morning when I wake up, I think, another day! I've made it!" To find hope and joy in the midst of affliction, -- that is the ultimate achievement of faith.
Something amazing about those who have learned not just to endure, but to grow thru suffering…..
Among many of the survivors of the camps, one meets this tremendous inner strength, this indestructible human spirit. Such survivors seem to have passed beyond hatred and bitterness because they saw where the hatred and bitterness led. They are linked together by a powerful bond and mutual compassion. I shall never forget the woman I met in Warsaw at a party for survivors of Auschwitz and Buchenwald. Suddenly she turned to me and said sadly, "I wasn't there; but I wish to God I had been. I'm on the outside. Do you understand?"
found on the body of a dead child at Ravensbruck camp where 92,000 women and children died:
O God, remember not only the men and women of good will, but also those of ill will. But do not remember all the suffering they have inflicted upon us; remember the fruits we have bought, thanks to this suffering -- our comradeship, our loyalty, our humility, our courage, our generosity, the greatness of heart which has grown out of all this, and when they come to the judgment let all the fruits that we have borne be their forgiveness.
Natural responses. Anger, fear, self pity, denial.
All of this is ok, all of this is normal. God is not offended by our humanness.
But he also invites us to aspire to rise above our humanness
The cross points the way
At the centre of all that God is offering us, the cross stands as a commentary -- the historical sign that Jesus fully shared our human situation.
"I, if I be lifted up, will draw all people to myself" (Jn 12:32).
If we stand in spirit at the foot of the cross, we can see that all the sorrow in the world is gathered together into one sorrow; and there, in the moment of seeming utter defeat, the victory over sorrow is complete.
In your suffering I turn you away from your feelings. Away from your self. Away from magical answers to the pain and I turn you toward Jesus. The man of the cross. And together we join hands, one with another……
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Job Part 2 Friendly Advice Job 4:1-21 09/11/2011
Job 4:1-21 thru 5:1 Job part 2 Sermon title - friendly advice
Job the series
Today - Job gets bad advice
These lines from the bible must be understood in their context
This friend’s msg is –
It’s your fault you’re suffering. - You deserve it. - Implied by
It’s for you own good. - It’ll make you a better person. - Eliphaz in 5:17ff
It’ll pass. Eventually you’ll be fine. - Eliphaz in v. 22
These responses aren’t really about Job, they are about Eliphaz and they hurt.
What is the msg of the other friends
Bildad – your children died because of their sin
You have been evil. Repent and you will be restored
Zophar -you are not as righteous as you think
Turn from evil
Job you are so arrogant that I am upset with your arguments
God will expose your wickedness
Everyone will suffer in their life
The loss of a pet
The loss of a parent
Financial problems, fear, worry, illness
God forbid, the loss of those before their time
I don’t understand life
We don’t like it- we want to understand it
No- we want it to go away
So we human beings tend to look for easy answers
Sometimes we gravitate to charismatic leaders who seem to have all the answers
We want answers
We want them easy
We are uncomfortable with not knowing
We are uncomfortable with being uncomfortable
We all hope for a Christian faith that does not have a cross
We are uncomfortable with the mystery of life. With the mystery of God
Many of us humans are “fixers”. Got a problem? No problem. We got a solution!
Good when you have a flat tire. Good when you have a leak in the roof.
When you are hurting…not so good.
Ministry of Fixing is not always helpful.
Telling can be hurtful.
Denial can be hurtful.
Advising can be hurtful.
Some typical human easy answers…………
Or what not to say
The New York Times, December 7, 1999.
• To a man whose elderly mother died: Oh, well, she was 79.
• To a 60-year-old recent widow: Don't worry. You're young and attractive; you'll find someone else.
• To a woman whose husband died of lung cancer: You have to meet this man. His wife also died of lung cancer.
• To a man whose 26-year-old daughter died of AIDS: If she hadn't been that way, God wouldn't have struck her dead with AIDS, and It was just a purification thing.
• To a woman who suffered a miscarriage: It is probably for the best.
• To a woman whose 25-year-old son was killed: At least you have four other children.
Things that I have personally heard – not helpful
I know how you feel
Don’t cry
Time heals all wounds
God doesn’t put more on us than we can take
it must have been their time/ Everything happens for a reason/It was god’s will
Having said that, here are some things that I say to you now:
DO SAY:
I am sorry
___________ was a good person and friend of mine. I will miss him or her.
We love you we care for you
Tell me how I can help; I want to be here for you
I stand with you.
Engage in The ministry of presence
Ministry of Presence is sometimes (most times) what’s needed.
Silence = just being with the person
I know you want to talk, but its ok, not to…….
Silence acknowledges there aren’t easy answers.
Validation = I love you and I stand with you
acknowledges the sufferers feelings
is not encouraging anyone to wallow in self-pity.
is accepting the sufferer’s response as their response.
Support = offering what’s needed when it’s needed
Is not fixing it -it is not providing your solution.
Support is waiting for the sufferer to ask for help.
engage in the ministry of comfort
God takes a hand whenever he can find it
• The pastor takes someone’s hand to pray for them
• the hand of a doctor to relieve the pain,
• the hand of a mother to guide a child.
• The hand of any of us to comfort to a neighbor.
They’re all hands touched by his Spirit, and his Spirit's everywhere lookin' for hands to use.
Do not doubt the value of your presence, of your touch
The comfort that we deliver – Food – kindness
Understand that your acts of comfort are very very important.
Be there
Hug them
Tell them that you love them and you stand with them
Pray for them
The end –
9-11 remembering prayer time
transition
Ten years ago the worst and best of humanity was revealed. – who do you want to be?
Trust god
Seek to be Resilient. Seek restoration with all of God’s children.
Love your neighbor
This is the message of our faith.
Lets take a few moments now as tom and lisa sing to remember our country, our heroes, those who lost their lives, and our God who comforts and sustains us.
Job the series
Today - Job gets bad advice
These lines from the bible must be understood in their context
This friend’s msg is –
It’s your fault you’re suffering. - You deserve it. - Implied by
It’s for you own good. - It’ll make you a better person. - Eliphaz in 5:17ff
It’ll pass. Eventually you’ll be fine. - Eliphaz in v. 22
These responses aren’t really about Job, they are about Eliphaz and they hurt.
What is the msg of the other friends
Bildad – your children died because of their sin
You have been evil. Repent and you will be restored
Zophar -you are not as righteous as you think
Turn from evil
Job you are so arrogant that I am upset with your arguments
God will expose your wickedness
Everyone will suffer in their life
The loss of a pet
The loss of a parent
Financial problems, fear, worry, illness
God forbid, the loss of those before their time
I don’t understand life
We don’t like it- we want to understand it
No- we want it to go away
So we human beings tend to look for easy answers
Sometimes we gravitate to charismatic leaders who seem to have all the answers
We want answers
We want them easy
We are uncomfortable with not knowing
We are uncomfortable with being uncomfortable
We all hope for a Christian faith that does not have a cross
We are uncomfortable with the mystery of life. With the mystery of God
Many of us humans are “fixers”. Got a problem? No problem. We got a solution!
Good when you have a flat tire. Good when you have a leak in the roof.
When you are hurting…not so good.
Ministry of Fixing is not always helpful.
Telling can be hurtful.
Denial can be hurtful.
Advising can be hurtful.
Some typical human easy answers…………
Or what not to say
The New York Times, December 7, 1999.
• To a man whose elderly mother died: Oh, well, she was 79.
• To a 60-year-old recent widow: Don't worry. You're young and attractive; you'll find someone else.
• To a woman whose husband died of lung cancer: You have to meet this man. His wife also died of lung cancer.
• To a man whose 26-year-old daughter died of AIDS: If she hadn't been that way, God wouldn't have struck her dead with AIDS, and It was just a purification thing.
• To a woman who suffered a miscarriage: It is probably for the best.
• To a woman whose 25-year-old son was killed: At least you have four other children.
Things that I have personally heard – not helpful
I know how you feel
Don’t cry
Time heals all wounds
God doesn’t put more on us than we can take
it must have been their time/ Everything happens for a reason/It was god’s will
Having said that, here are some things that I say to you now:
DO SAY:
I am sorry
___________ was a good person and friend of mine. I will miss him or her.
We love you we care for you
Tell me how I can help; I want to be here for you
I stand with you.
Engage in The ministry of presence
Ministry of Presence is sometimes (most times) what’s needed.
Silence = just being with the person
I know you want to talk, but its ok, not to…….
Silence acknowledges there aren’t easy answers.
Validation = I love you and I stand with you
acknowledges the sufferers feelings
is not encouraging anyone to wallow in self-pity.
is accepting the sufferer’s response as their response.
Support = offering what’s needed when it’s needed
Is not fixing it -it is not providing your solution.
Support is waiting for the sufferer to ask for help.
engage in the ministry of comfort
God takes a hand whenever he can find it
• The pastor takes someone’s hand to pray for them
• the hand of a doctor to relieve the pain,
• the hand of a mother to guide a child.
• The hand of any of us to comfort to a neighbor.
They’re all hands touched by his Spirit, and his Spirit's everywhere lookin' for hands to use.
Do not doubt the value of your presence, of your touch
The comfort that we deliver – Food – kindness
Understand that your acts of comfort are very very important.
Be there
Hug them
Tell them that you love them and you stand with them
Pray for them
The end –
9-11 remembering prayer time
transition
Ten years ago the worst and best of humanity was revealed. – who do you want to be?
Trust god
Seek to be Resilient. Seek restoration with all of God’s children.
Love your neighbor
This is the message of our faith.
Lets take a few moments now as tom and lisa sing to remember our country, our heroes, those who lost their lives, and our God who comforts and sustains us.
Job Series Job 1:1-2 09/04/2011
Sermon 9-4-11 Scripture: Job 1:1-12 Job pt 1 sat 530pm
1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.
4 His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom. 6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”
8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” 9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
12 The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”
Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
You can relate – this is our story
Tell the story of job
There are lots of questions that are not what the book is about
although there was a historical job
this story is the oldest story in the bible.
Job is like a parable that jesus told
It has come down thru the years and represents the jewish people’s best response to the problem of evil
Is there really a “heavenly council”?
Does God have advisors?
Does God wager with our lives?
Does god let Satan mess with us?
Can we blame all of this on the devil?
Got to chase it for a minute-
Ha satan – the concept of an adversary – from the lesson in disciple one
Aside: satan = adversary or accuser (not Satan, the devil…a later development) – one who seeks out and accuses those who were disloyal to God. Not God’s adversary, but the adversary of those dishonor God. A subordinate. A member of the divine council. {cf. New Interpreter’s Commentary}
These issues are not the heart of the matter.
We humans tend to get side tracked.
More on this next week –
We ask the wrong questions and look for easy answers
The issue is suffering- why is it here and what do we do with it
Suffering is common to all
Roses have thorns
we all have trouble. We are not promised a rose garden. Suffering is common to man.
Suffering is real and part of what it is to be human, though some suffer far more than others
Any gospel that tells you otherwise is not the gospel of Christ.
Some have adopted this story as a formula. Job is faithful. Job is blessed with God’s favor. Job has great worldly goods. This is the formula for the “Prosperity gospel”. – Prayer of Jabez stuff.
In Christ, there is a cross to bear.
There is a cheek to turn
Shoot the prosperity gospel.
Ask yourself this -Do we only cling to God when we are “blessed”? Is our relationship with God determined by what we get from him? Or Do we remain faithful in the face of suffering?
Types of suffering
Some is natural to humans
Loneliness
Limits
Temptation
Anxiety
Some suffering is self inflicted
Some is brought to us by others
Some suffering just seems to be unexplained
Job didn’t deserve any of the things that happened to him
Hebrews 11
Conclusion
Humans suffer
What ever you are struggling with, God knows and god cares. You can be in pain and suffer or you can be in pain and not suffer.
God is with us in suffering
When we suffer, God also suffers
Suffering is not the last word about the human condition
God will end suffering. – he makes all things beautiful in his time
Life is still good. Trouble will come, trust in god
Trust in God. Trust demands that we do it in difficult times. If we only trust when everything is perfect, where is the trust?
God is trustworthy.
Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest
Mt 11:28
Cast your cares upon him for he cares for you. 1 peter 5:7
1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.
4 His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom. 6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”
8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” 9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
12 The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”
Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
You can relate – this is our story
Tell the story of job
There are lots of questions that are not what the book is about
although there was a historical job
this story is the oldest story in the bible.
Job is like a parable that jesus told
It has come down thru the years and represents the jewish people’s best response to the problem of evil
Is there really a “heavenly council”?
Does God have advisors?
Does God wager with our lives?
Does god let Satan mess with us?
Can we blame all of this on the devil?
Got to chase it for a minute-
Ha satan – the concept of an adversary – from the lesson in disciple one
Aside: satan = adversary or accuser (not Satan, the devil…a later development) – one who seeks out and accuses those who were disloyal to God. Not God’s adversary, but the adversary of those dishonor God. A subordinate. A member of the divine council. {cf. New Interpreter’s Commentary}
These issues are not the heart of the matter.
We humans tend to get side tracked.
More on this next week –
We ask the wrong questions and look for easy answers
The issue is suffering- why is it here and what do we do with it
Suffering is common to all
Roses have thorns
we all have trouble. We are not promised a rose garden. Suffering is common to man.
Suffering is real and part of what it is to be human, though some suffer far more than others
Any gospel that tells you otherwise is not the gospel of Christ.
Some have adopted this story as a formula. Job is faithful. Job is blessed with God’s favor. Job has great worldly goods. This is the formula for the “Prosperity gospel”. – Prayer of Jabez stuff.
In Christ, there is a cross to bear.
There is a cheek to turn
Shoot the prosperity gospel.
Ask yourself this -Do we only cling to God when we are “blessed”? Is our relationship with God determined by what we get from him? Or Do we remain faithful in the face of suffering?
Types of suffering
Some is natural to humans
Loneliness
Limits
Temptation
Anxiety
Some suffering is self inflicted
Some is brought to us by others
Some suffering just seems to be unexplained
Job didn’t deserve any of the things that happened to him
Hebrews 11
Conclusion
Humans suffer
What ever you are struggling with, God knows and god cares. You can be in pain and suffer or you can be in pain and not suffer.
God is with us in suffering
When we suffer, God also suffers
Suffering is not the last word about the human condition
God will end suffering. – he makes all things beautiful in his time
Life is still good. Trouble will come, trust in god
Trust in God. Trust demands that we do it in difficult times. If we only trust when everything is perfect, where is the trust?
God is trustworthy.
Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest
Mt 11:28
Cast your cares upon him for he cares for you. 1 peter 5:7
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Forgiveness Part 2 - Matthew 6:1-14 8/21/11
Sermon 8-21-11 forgiveness part 2 forgiving one another Mt 6:1-14 kkkk
1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation,[a] but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’ 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Forgiveness series
Part one – God forgives me, how can I forgive myself
We have to let the voice of grace become louder than the voice of self condemnation
Forgiveness part two – forgiving one another
We all get this
The business partner that stole from me
The rapist, the employer, the church member,
The cheater
The nazi’s, osama ben laden
At the core of every moment of forgiveness is the realization that Someone hurt me
Here is the sermon on the mount
The main stuff
And the lords prayer – the main stuff
And here right in the middle of his prayer and his sermon, is forgiveness
Optional for humans, not optional for Christ followers
To reject the call for forgiveness is to reject the one who teaches that we must do it
So in effect, if you refuse to forgive someone, you are rejecting Jesus
If you refuse to forgive, you are not on board with what God is trying to do in this world
What forgiveness is not
Misconceptions about forgiveness
1. Approval of what they did
2. Excusing what they did
3. Justifying what they did
4. Not pardoning what they did
5. Reconciliation - Restoration of fellowship
6. Not a denying of what they did
7. Forgetting
8. Pretending that we were not hurt
Forgiveness is a choice and a process
If I can wave my hand and forgive you, then what was between us wasn’t very much
Forgiveness – point in time and a process
Consider the consequences of not forgiving
Bitterness
Others are defiled
Broken fellowship with God
If you refuse to forgive, you are living your life in your own strength
Thoughts are consumed with anger and sadness
Consider the consequences of forgiving
Love can come back in
They get grace from me
I get grace from God
Forgiveness is beautiful
In "The Christian Leader," Don Ratzlaff retells a story Vernon Grounds came across in Ernest Gordon's Miracle on the River Kwai. The Scottish soldiers, forced by their Japanese captors to labor on a jungle railroad, had degenerated to barbarous behavior, but one afternoon something happened. A shovel was missing. The officer in charge became enraged. He demanded that the missing shovel be produced, or else. When nobody in the squadron budged, the officer got his gun and threatened to kill them all on the spot . . . It was obvious the officer meant what he had said. Then, finally, one man stepped forward. The officer put away his gun, picked up a shovel, and beat the man to death. When it was over, the survivors picked up the bloody corpse and carried it with them to the second tool check. This time, no shovel was missing. Indeed, there had been a miscount at the first check point. The word spread like wildfire through the whole camp. An innocent man had been willing to die to save the others! . . . The incident had a profound effect. . . The men began to treat each other like brothers. When the victorious Allies swept in, the survivors, human skeletons, lined up in front of their captors (and instead of attacking their captors) insisted: "No more hatred. No more killing. Now what we need is forgiveness." Sacrificial love has transforming power.
We have the power
When the first missionaries came to Alberta, Canada, they were savagely opposed by a young chief of the Cree Indians named Maskepetoon. But he responded to the gospel and accepted Christ. Shortly afterward, a member of the Blackfoot tribe killed his father. Maskepetoon rode into the village where the murderer lived and demanded that he be brought before him. Confronting the guilty man, he said, "You have killed my father, so now you must be my father. You shall ride my best horse and wear my best clothes."
A couple married for 15 years began having more than usual disagreements. They wanted to make their marriage work and agreed on an idea the wife had. For one month they planned to drop a slip in a "Fault" box. The boxes would provide a place to let the other know about daily irritations. The wife was diligent in her efforts and approach: "leaving the jelly top off the jar," "wet towels on the shower floor," "dirty socks not in hamper," on and on until the end of the month. After dinner, at the end of the month, they exchanged boxes. The husband reflected on what he had done wrong. Then the wife opened her box and began reading. They were all the same, the message on each slip was, "I love you!"
Thomas A. Edison was working on a crazy contraption called a "light bulb" and it took a whole team of men 24 straight hours to put just one together. The story goes that when Edison was finished with one light bulb, he gave it to a young boy helper, who nervously carried it up the stairs. Step by step he cautiously watched his hands, obviously frightened of dropping such a priceless piece of work. You've probably guessed what happened by now; the poor young fellow dropped the bulb at the top of the stairs. It took the entire team of men twenty-four more hours to make another bulb. Finally, tired and ready for a break, Edison was ready to have his bulb carried up the stairs. He gave it to the same young boy who dropped the first one. That's true forgiveness.
How can I learn to forgive
1. Choose to forgive and say the words
2. Make a choice not to tell anyone what they did
3. Be pleasant to them when around them
4. If conversation comes up, say words that release them from bondage
This allows them to feel good about themselves
5. Protect them from their fear
6. Pray for them –
forgive them,
bless them
7. Keep it up – next week, next month, next year
The greater the hurt, the greater the amount of the holy spirit that you need to forgive
The greater the hurt, the greater the blessing that comes from forgivenss
John 8:36 - He whom the son sets free is free indeed
1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation,[a] but deliver us from the evil one.[b]’ 14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Forgiveness series
Part one – God forgives me, how can I forgive myself
We have to let the voice of grace become louder than the voice of self condemnation
Forgiveness part two – forgiving one another
We all get this
The business partner that stole from me
The rapist, the employer, the church member,
The cheater
The nazi’s, osama ben laden
At the core of every moment of forgiveness is the realization that Someone hurt me
Here is the sermon on the mount
The main stuff
And the lords prayer – the main stuff
And here right in the middle of his prayer and his sermon, is forgiveness
Optional for humans, not optional for Christ followers
To reject the call for forgiveness is to reject the one who teaches that we must do it
So in effect, if you refuse to forgive someone, you are rejecting Jesus
If you refuse to forgive, you are not on board with what God is trying to do in this world
What forgiveness is not
Misconceptions about forgiveness
1. Approval of what they did
2. Excusing what they did
3. Justifying what they did
4. Not pardoning what they did
5. Reconciliation - Restoration of fellowship
6. Not a denying of what they did
7. Forgetting
8. Pretending that we were not hurt
Forgiveness is a choice and a process
If I can wave my hand and forgive you, then what was between us wasn’t very much
Forgiveness – point in time and a process
Consider the consequences of not forgiving
Bitterness
Others are defiled
Broken fellowship with God
If you refuse to forgive, you are living your life in your own strength
Thoughts are consumed with anger and sadness
Consider the consequences of forgiving
Love can come back in
They get grace from me
I get grace from God
Forgiveness is beautiful
In "The Christian Leader," Don Ratzlaff retells a story Vernon Grounds came across in Ernest Gordon's Miracle on the River Kwai. The Scottish soldiers, forced by their Japanese captors to labor on a jungle railroad, had degenerated to barbarous behavior, but one afternoon something happened. A shovel was missing. The officer in charge became enraged. He demanded that the missing shovel be produced, or else. When nobody in the squadron budged, the officer got his gun and threatened to kill them all on the spot . . . It was obvious the officer meant what he had said. Then, finally, one man stepped forward. The officer put away his gun, picked up a shovel, and beat the man to death. When it was over, the survivors picked up the bloody corpse and carried it with them to the second tool check. This time, no shovel was missing. Indeed, there had been a miscount at the first check point. The word spread like wildfire through the whole camp. An innocent man had been willing to die to save the others! . . . The incident had a profound effect. . . The men began to treat each other like brothers. When the victorious Allies swept in, the survivors, human skeletons, lined up in front of their captors (and instead of attacking their captors) insisted: "No more hatred. No more killing. Now what we need is forgiveness." Sacrificial love has transforming power.
We have the power
When the first missionaries came to Alberta, Canada, they were savagely opposed by a young chief of the Cree Indians named Maskepetoon. But he responded to the gospel and accepted Christ. Shortly afterward, a member of the Blackfoot tribe killed his father. Maskepetoon rode into the village where the murderer lived and demanded that he be brought before him. Confronting the guilty man, he said, "You have killed my father, so now you must be my father. You shall ride my best horse and wear my best clothes."
A couple married for 15 years began having more than usual disagreements. They wanted to make their marriage work and agreed on an idea the wife had. For one month they planned to drop a slip in a "Fault" box. The boxes would provide a place to let the other know about daily irritations. The wife was diligent in her efforts and approach: "leaving the jelly top off the jar," "wet towels on the shower floor," "dirty socks not in hamper," on and on until the end of the month. After dinner, at the end of the month, they exchanged boxes. The husband reflected on what he had done wrong. Then the wife opened her box and began reading. They were all the same, the message on each slip was, "I love you!"
Thomas A. Edison was working on a crazy contraption called a "light bulb" and it took a whole team of men 24 straight hours to put just one together. The story goes that when Edison was finished with one light bulb, he gave it to a young boy helper, who nervously carried it up the stairs. Step by step he cautiously watched his hands, obviously frightened of dropping such a priceless piece of work. You've probably guessed what happened by now; the poor young fellow dropped the bulb at the top of the stairs. It took the entire team of men twenty-four more hours to make another bulb. Finally, tired and ready for a break, Edison was ready to have his bulb carried up the stairs. He gave it to the same young boy who dropped the first one. That's true forgiveness.
How can I learn to forgive
1. Choose to forgive and say the words
2. Make a choice not to tell anyone what they did
3. Be pleasant to them when around them
4. If conversation comes up, say words that release them from bondage
This allows them to feel good about themselves
5. Protect them from their fear
6. Pray for them –
forgive them,
bless them
7. Keep it up – next week, next month, next year
The greater the hurt, the greater the amount of the holy spirit that you need to forgive
The greater the hurt, the greater the blessing that comes from forgivenss
John 8:36 - He whom the son sets free is free indeed
Monday, August 15, 2011
Forgiveness 1 John:5-10 8-14-11
Sermon 8-14-11 forgiveness – one 1 john 1:5-10
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
Is the headline of your life’s newspaper sin or forgiveness?
God’s story of sin and forgiveness
Sin is real – sin is like a dirty diaper
Sin is a great deceiver, promises what it cannot deliver
Sin is not the headline. Love is the headline.
God so loved the world.
Our story of sin and forgiveness
Why is it easier for me to feel bad about myself?
I know psalm 103 says as far as the east is from the west, but they seem to be stuck on me.
Misspelled words – loveable, judgment, forgiveness
I hope you don’t understand this, but those of you who do,
Maybe this is why forgiveness is such good news
Why does my relationship with God feel like a transaction?
Remedies
God has solved the problem of sin.
He has made the way thru Jesus
God has already done the work, nothing more is needed.
Then there is the problem of how we see ourselves
We hear forgiveness, but have trouble sensing that it is for us
Seeing – the board in your eye mt. 7
In order to see, we have to change the way we look at things
When our vision is obstructed, we see the world incorrectly
How do we see god + ourselves when there is a board in our eye?
When our judgment is obscured
God is a mean angry father
And we are unworthy, unlovable, worthless
This is an insult to God
How do you see God when we walk in the light and we see clearly?
God is a loving father, aka prodigal son
God is love
Demello story – tell him I don’t remember his sins
How do we see ourselves? Imperfect, but loved
Pastor shawn shared with me Newborn Baby
We see the sin. I lie. I cheat. I steal. etc. (and we act out of that “seeing”. Guilt/shame/anger/etc.)
God sees more than that. God sees the potential me (The me I am created to be). The grace. The love. The peace. Etc.
Here’s my illustration…..
New born babies.
They are ugly. Wrinkly. Splotchy. Covered in goop and cleaned up they don’t get much better.
But ask a parent holding their new baby and they will describe the wonder, beauty, the grace. It’s almost as if they don’t even notice their kid is a misshapen prune.
Newborns are ugly, but parents see more.
Sinners are ugly, but God sees more.
Let’s take a closer look at this passage
Does God expect us to be perfect?
How do you read it
Light and darkness, good and bad or
Light and darkness, seen or unseen. Open and honest or hidden
1 jn 1:9 if we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].
Living in the light or living in darkness- if we walk in the light as he is in the light
Read it both ways
Isn’t this the characteristic of your best friend?
They know the worst about you, but they love you all the same.
Conclusion
If you are in love with God, confession is not about sin. It is about grace.
Will we hold up sin or God?
Ps 32
Prodigal son
Deep desire for the father to reconcile and walk with
What is the headline in your life, sin or grace
What is the headline on the newspaper of your life?
5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all[b] sin.
8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.
Is the headline of your life’s newspaper sin or forgiveness?
God’s story of sin and forgiveness
Sin is real – sin is like a dirty diaper
Sin is a great deceiver, promises what it cannot deliver
Sin is not the headline. Love is the headline.
God so loved the world.
Our story of sin and forgiveness
Why is it easier for me to feel bad about myself?
I know psalm 103 says as far as the east is from the west, but they seem to be stuck on me.
Misspelled words – loveable, judgment, forgiveness
I hope you don’t understand this, but those of you who do,
Maybe this is why forgiveness is such good news
Why does my relationship with God feel like a transaction?
Remedies
God has solved the problem of sin.
He has made the way thru Jesus
God has already done the work, nothing more is needed.
Then there is the problem of how we see ourselves
We hear forgiveness, but have trouble sensing that it is for us
Seeing – the board in your eye mt. 7
In order to see, we have to change the way we look at things
When our vision is obstructed, we see the world incorrectly
How do we see god + ourselves when there is a board in our eye?
When our judgment is obscured
God is a mean angry father
And we are unworthy, unlovable, worthless
This is an insult to God
How do you see God when we walk in the light and we see clearly?
God is a loving father, aka prodigal son
God is love
Demello story – tell him I don’t remember his sins
How do we see ourselves? Imperfect, but loved
Pastor shawn shared with me Newborn Baby
We see the sin. I lie. I cheat. I steal. etc. (and we act out of that “seeing”. Guilt/shame/anger/etc.)
God sees more than that. God sees the potential me (The me I am created to be). The grace. The love. The peace. Etc.
Here’s my illustration…..
New born babies.
They are ugly. Wrinkly. Splotchy. Covered in goop and cleaned up they don’t get much better.
But ask a parent holding their new baby and they will describe the wonder, beauty, the grace. It’s almost as if they don’t even notice their kid is a misshapen prune.
Newborns are ugly, but parents see more.
Sinners are ugly, but God sees more.
Let’s take a closer look at this passage
Does God expect us to be perfect?
How do you read it
Light and darkness, good and bad or
Light and darkness, seen or unseen. Open and honest or hidden
1 jn 1:9 if we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].
Living in the light or living in darkness- if we walk in the light as he is in the light
Read it both ways
Isn’t this the characteristic of your best friend?
They know the worst about you, but they love you all the same.
Conclusion
If you are in love with God, confession is not about sin. It is about grace.
Will we hold up sin or God?
Ps 32
Prodigal son
Deep desire for the father to reconcile and walk with
What is the headline in your life, sin or grace
What is the headline on the newspaper of your life?
Monday, July 25, 2011
Acts, Part 7 Acts 16:25-34 07/24/11
Sermon 7-24-11 Acts - pt 7 Acts 16:25-34
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.
Three things to look at today
1. Philippian jailer and his house
The clan
The post reformation/enlightenment outlook
The pre reformation world
Abraham
Genesis 12-The Call of Abram
1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
4 So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.
Jacob and essau – birthright, meeting up later
Constantine -324 Christianity is official
Women and children were property
So it is not a surprise that he and his house are coming to faith
What do we learn from this?
We are no longer living with clans- head of household
But there are ways in which we have to teach our families
Me and my house, we will serve the lord
Encourage them
Understand them- humans are going to do human things
Didn’t Jesus understand that humans do human things
Common goals in marriage
The klan gave kids a story
We often do not give our kids a story
So the culture does
The kardashians
The housewives of orange county
Ufc
Leonard sweet - Our culture tells us that the trees move the wind
The car will make you happy
Imprinting stories on the life of your kids
The 2 commandments love the lord your god, love yr neighbor as yourself
2. Our theology of how god works
We don’t know what to do with this passage
People coming to faith en mass with out their own choosing
The story must be missing something
We choose to ignore it
We like the story of paul on the road to Damascus or the etheopian eunuch
They made an individual choice
We don’t know what to do with this passage
Or the good Samaritan passage for that matter
We like it as a nice story about caring
But we don’t believe that people get to heaven for being a good person
We have a certain picture of how it works and God better be sure to do it that way
Fact of the matter is, we cannot force God into our ideas of who he is or how he works
This is good news to all of us why may not fit the mold
some of you came to Christ in another way. --- Great
God has many ways of dealing with people
The paradox of Christianity
Peace- sword
Son of god, son of man
Free will – Paul on the road to Damascus
Can’t pin him down
No systematic theology is worth it s salt
The moment we think we have him pinned down we have simply minimalized God
Humanized God
Our theology of how god works needs to be more open
Part three- the circumstances of the apostles
Persecuted- beaten with rods
In jail, in shackles, in stocks
The apostles are praying
What we would have expected from them- help me, save me
Nwlc scotty smith – psalm 73
Ps 73
1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.[a]
5 They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills.
12 This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.
13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence.
14 All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments.
21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.
The prayers of the selfish, the burned out,
But look how the apostles are praying
Prayer will release you from your prision
Not just our chains, but everyone’s chains come loose
Who ever’s sins you forgive they are forgiven, who ever sins you retain, they are retained
What are your chains, what are your burdens, your stocks. Are they bringing you and everyone else down, or is god big enough to free you from them
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.
26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.
Three things to look at today
1. Philippian jailer and his house
The clan
The post reformation/enlightenment outlook
The pre reformation world
Abraham
Genesis 12-The Call of Abram
1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
4 So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.
Jacob and essau – birthright, meeting up later
Constantine -324 Christianity is official
Women and children were property
So it is not a surprise that he and his house are coming to faith
What do we learn from this?
We are no longer living with clans- head of household
But there are ways in which we have to teach our families
Me and my house, we will serve the lord
Encourage them
Understand them- humans are going to do human things
Didn’t Jesus understand that humans do human things
Common goals in marriage
The klan gave kids a story
We often do not give our kids a story
So the culture does
The kardashians
The housewives of orange county
Ufc
Leonard sweet - Our culture tells us that the trees move the wind
The car will make you happy
Imprinting stories on the life of your kids
The 2 commandments love the lord your god, love yr neighbor as yourself
2. Our theology of how god works
We don’t know what to do with this passage
People coming to faith en mass with out their own choosing
The story must be missing something
We choose to ignore it
We like the story of paul on the road to Damascus or the etheopian eunuch
They made an individual choice
We don’t know what to do with this passage
Or the good Samaritan passage for that matter
We like it as a nice story about caring
But we don’t believe that people get to heaven for being a good person
We have a certain picture of how it works and God better be sure to do it that way
Fact of the matter is, we cannot force God into our ideas of who he is or how he works
This is good news to all of us why may not fit the mold
some of you came to Christ in another way. --- Great
God has many ways of dealing with people
The paradox of Christianity
Peace- sword
Son of god, son of man
Free will – Paul on the road to Damascus
Can’t pin him down
No systematic theology is worth it s salt
The moment we think we have him pinned down we have simply minimalized God
Humanized God
Our theology of how god works needs to be more open
Part three- the circumstances of the apostles
Persecuted- beaten with rods
In jail, in shackles, in stocks
The apostles are praying
What we would have expected from them- help me, save me
Nwlc scotty smith – psalm 73
Ps 73
1 Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.[a]
5 They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills.
12 This is what the wicked are like— always free of care, they go on amassing wealth.
13 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence.
14 All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments.
21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.
The prayers of the selfish, the burned out,
But look how the apostles are praying
Prayer will release you from your prision
Not just our chains, but everyone’s chains come loose
Who ever’s sins you forgive they are forgiven, who ever sins you retain, they are retained
What are your chains, what are your burdens, your stocks. Are they bringing you and everyone else down, or is god big enough to free you from them
Monday, July 18, 2011
Acts, part 6 Acts 15:36-41 07/17/2011
Sermon title Acts – part 6 Acts 15:36-41
The good that Paul and Barnabas do in chapters 12-15
First missionary journey
Travel- preach – encourage-kicked out of one city- about to be stoned in another –snuck out. Mistaken for gods. Paul is stoned but survives. Disputes. Preaching. Telling the story. Winning people to Christ. It is pretty amazing
u can see where they went. Now getting ready to go again, there is a prob.
36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
2 parts to this….their conflict. What we can know about conflict
Notes about the conflict between paul and barnabas over john mark going along
This was heated- they could not find a resolution- sharp disagreement
Disagreements to the point of fracture-
Paul and barnabas were not separated by persecution, impositions of the churches
Yet our humanness- pride, passion still get into the way
John Mark left them before-
Why the conflict - He is a relative of barnabas
Sometimes we get our personal agendas in the way of what is best
Yet paul too could have offered some more grace
Neither would yield, and therefore there is no remedy but they must part.
Even good Christians have disagreements.
Yet there is good news coming out of this conflict
a. Barnabas believed in mark and he later finds restoration
Everyone needs someone to believe in them
b. Go easy - Things can change in the future
Paul writes Timothy (2 Tim. iv. 11), 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.
and he writes to the Colossians - 10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.)
c. The gospel is furthered. Paul goes to his home – barnabas to his 4:36
Now that is paul and barnabas, what about you and me?
Everyone has conflict. A man once said that he and his wife have only had one fight their entire marriage. He said it started on their honeymoon and he is still waiting for it to end.
Any argument has two sides, and they're usually married to each other.
Officially the vote was 40 yes, 7 no. and one, over my dead body.
Lisa boehm’s cartoon
Principles to face conflict
1. Pray for help- Seek God
Don’t react. Stop and think. Pray. Step back. Act out of the best of who you are
Ps 46:1 1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2. Ensure there is a problem, not just an offense
Offer grace. Have you ever done anything like this?
If you can let it go, let it go
A horse can't pull while kicking. This fact we merely mention.
And he can't kick while pulling, Which is our chief contention.
Let's imitate the good old horse And lead a life that's fitting;
Just pull an honest load, and then -There'll be no time for kicking.
Many things that we get upset over are not worth it.
French novelist and playwright Alexandre Dumas once had a heated quarrel with a rising young politician. The argument became so intense that a duel was inevitable. Since both men were superb shots they decided to draw lots, the loser agreeing to shoot himself. Dumas lost. Pistol in hand, he withdrew in silent dignity to another room, closing the door behind him. The rest of the company waited in gloomy suspense for the shot that would end his career. It rang out at last. His friends ran to the door, opened it, and found Dumas, smoking revolver in hand. "Gentlemen, a most regrettable thing has happened," he announced. "I missed."
Two men who lived in a small village got into a terrible dispute that they could not resolve. So they decided to talk to the town sage. The first man went to the sage's home and told his version of what happened. When he finished, the sage said, "You're absolutely right." The next night, the second man called on the sage and told his side of the story. The sage responded, "You're absolutely right." Afterward, the sage's wife scolded her husband. "Those men told you two different stories and you told them they were absolutely right. That's impossible -- they can't both be absolutely right." The sage turned to his wife and said, "You're absolutely right."
Years ago, a large statue of Christ was erected high in the Andes on the border between Argentina and Chile. Called "Christ of the Andes," the statue symbolizes a pledge between the two countries that as long as the statue stands, there will be peace between Chile and Argentina. Shortly after the statue was erected, the Chileans began to protest that they had been slighted -- the statue had its back turned to Chile. Just when tempers were at their highest in Chile, a Chilean newspaperman saved the day. In an editorial that not only satisfied the people but made them laugh, he simply said, "The people of Argentina need more watching over than the Chileans.
3. Act quickly- don’t let it fester
Don’t let the sun go down upon your wrath –eph 4:26
26 “In your anger do not sin”[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
Heb 12:15 - 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
4. Talk directly to the person- don’t triangulate
Mt 18 if your brother sins against you – go talk to them
Speak directly with the person involved.
Fern Bondurant
5. Be prepared to forgive as we have been forgiven
Forgive.
1 cor 13 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6. You don’t have to agree, but you do have to love
Jn 13 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Value the person, concentrate on winning them, not winning the argument
leave an escape hatch for your opponent, so that he can gracefully swing over to your side without too much apparent loss of face.
7. Keep at it Until you cant anymore
Until it is resolved
Until you need a break
Until you cant any more
Relationships are broken when there is no more grace left to give
Grace is much more powerful than we think. Keep trying to deliver it.
To be continued. Stay tuned. Lets pray
The good that Paul and Barnabas do in chapters 12-15
First missionary journey
Travel- preach – encourage-kicked out of one city- about to be stoned in another –snuck out. Mistaken for gods. Paul is stoned but survives. Disputes. Preaching. Telling the story. Winning people to Christ. It is pretty amazing
u can see where they went. Now getting ready to go again, there is a prob.
36 Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, 38 but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. 39 They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, 40 but Paul chose Silas and left, commended by the believers to the grace of the Lord. 41 He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.
2 parts to this….their conflict. What we can know about conflict
Notes about the conflict between paul and barnabas over john mark going along
This was heated- they could not find a resolution- sharp disagreement
Disagreements to the point of fracture-
Paul and barnabas were not separated by persecution, impositions of the churches
Yet our humanness- pride, passion still get into the way
John Mark left them before-
Why the conflict - He is a relative of barnabas
Sometimes we get our personal agendas in the way of what is best
Yet paul too could have offered some more grace
Neither would yield, and therefore there is no remedy but they must part.
Even good Christians have disagreements.
Yet there is good news coming out of this conflict
a. Barnabas believed in mark and he later finds restoration
Everyone needs someone to believe in them
b. Go easy - Things can change in the future
Paul writes Timothy (2 Tim. iv. 11), 11 Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.
and he writes to the Colossians - 10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.)
c. The gospel is furthered. Paul goes to his home – barnabas to his 4:36
Now that is paul and barnabas, what about you and me?
Everyone has conflict. A man once said that he and his wife have only had one fight their entire marriage. He said it started on their honeymoon and he is still waiting for it to end.
Any argument has two sides, and they're usually married to each other.
Officially the vote was 40 yes, 7 no. and one, over my dead body.
Lisa boehm’s cartoon
Principles to face conflict
1. Pray for help- Seek God
Don’t react. Stop and think. Pray. Step back. Act out of the best of who you are
Ps 46:1 1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
2. Ensure there is a problem, not just an offense
Offer grace. Have you ever done anything like this?
If you can let it go, let it go
A horse can't pull while kicking. This fact we merely mention.
And he can't kick while pulling, Which is our chief contention.
Let's imitate the good old horse And lead a life that's fitting;
Just pull an honest load, and then -There'll be no time for kicking.
Many things that we get upset over are not worth it.
French novelist and playwright Alexandre Dumas once had a heated quarrel with a rising young politician. The argument became so intense that a duel was inevitable. Since both men were superb shots they decided to draw lots, the loser agreeing to shoot himself. Dumas lost. Pistol in hand, he withdrew in silent dignity to another room, closing the door behind him. The rest of the company waited in gloomy suspense for the shot that would end his career. It rang out at last. His friends ran to the door, opened it, and found Dumas, smoking revolver in hand. "Gentlemen, a most regrettable thing has happened," he announced. "I missed."
Two men who lived in a small village got into a terrible dispute that they could not resolve. So they decided to talk to the town sage. The first man went to the sage's home and told his version of what happened. When he finished, the sage said, "You're absolutely right." The next night, the second man called on the sage and told his side of the story. The sage responded, "You're absolutely right." Afterward, the sage's wife scolded her husband. "Those men told you two different stories and you told them they were absolutely right. That's impossible -- they can't both be absolutely right." The sage turned to his wife and said, "You're absolutely right."
Years ago, a large statue of Christ was erected high in the Andes on the border between Argentina and Chile. Called "Christ of the Andes," the statue symbolizes a pledge between the two countries that as long as the statue stands, there will be peace between Chile and Argentina. Shortly after the statue was erected, the Chileans began to protest that they had been slighted -- the statue had its back turned to Chile. Just when tempers were at their highest in Chile, a Chilean newspaperman saved the day. In an editorial that not only satisfied the people but made them laugh, he simply said, "The people of Argentina need more watching over than the Chileans.
3. Act quickly- don’t let it fester
Don’t let the sun go down upon your wrath –eph 4:26
26 “In your anger do not sin”[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,
Heb 12:15 - 15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
4. Talk directly to the person- don’t triangulate
Mt 18 if your brother sins against you – go talk to them
Speak directly with the person involved.
Fern Bondurant
5. Be prepared to forgive as we have been forgiven
Forgive.
1 cor 13 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
6. You don’t have to agree, but you do have to love
Jn 13 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Value the person, concentrate on winning them, not winning the argument
leave an escape hatch for your opponent, so that he can gracefully swing over to your side without too much apparent loss of face.
7. Keep at it Until you cant anymore
Until it is resolved
Until you need a break
Until you cant any more
Relationships are broken when there is no more grace left to give
Grace is much more powerful than we think. Keep trying to deliver it.
To be continued. Stay tuned. Lets pray
Monday, July 11, 2011
Acts, Part 5 Acts 10:1-23 07/10/2011
Ben will be here to speak about Joplin
Sermon 7-10-11 acts pt 5 Acts 10:1-23
1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” 4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
Peter’s Vision9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” 14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” 15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven. 17 While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. 18 They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there. 19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three[a] men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.” 21 Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?” 22 The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” 23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
The series
The ongoing saga
The story of chpt 10 and 11
The rest of the story
Peter goes to Cornelius house
He enters it
He tells him the story of Jesus
Cornelius believes
The setting- background
The centurion – in charge of a hundred men
Man of deep character – not to charge into battle, but to be willing to stand and fight to the death
He is an invader, an occupier, here without the consent of the jews. Most jews wanted them out.
Peter- the gentiles are hated. You don’t help on in child birth as it will only add another gentile to the world.
Yet peter is staying with a tanner. This is an unclean place for jews. Simon is probably a Christian. So you can see that peter is already open to the religious law being superceded by the law of love
A good jew did not hang with gentiles. They did not hang with jews that did not obey the law. This is why the men stopped at peters door.
And when peter got to cornelious house, would he step across the threshold?
Take away one
Real Christianity works to bridge divides, not separate
The overwhelming evidence of scripture is that God heals wounds
His desires is that all will come to faith 1 timothy 2
Take a way two- the law can be dangerous
The roads back into the law are legion.
The purpose of the law is to show that everyone sins. But the jews used it to show their superiority
So religious actions can sometimes drive people away
Brian McLaren
Do you know people that act this way?
Take away three- even the most devout can be mistaken
Let him that thinks he stands, take heed less he fall – 1 cor 10:12
Peter is living out his religion. He is doing this based on the rules of the bible as he understands them.
But he has forgotten gods people
In fact, his entire religion had turned its back on Gods mission to the people
Think of how they treated the Samaritans……lepers…
Imagine this happening to Billy graham…..
Take away 4- we need to be continually converted
He has had a conversion but still doesn’t get it
Rejecting classical Judaism, peter is still stuck in many of the forms of religion that look and sound religious but are not caring for god’s people
Peter moves toward God at least 4 times
1. Leave your nets, come follow me
2. Get thee behind me satan
3. 3 denials
4. Vision of the unclean lunch
From glory to glory he’s changing me 2 cor 3
Take away 6- we need to have some friends who do not look like us
What is tragic is that we have friends that look too much like us. If you don’t have friends or acquaintances that are not Christians, how are you reaching or influencing anyone?
What would you think of a religion that taught rules, but also taught that its followers should stay away from lepers, the poor, the undesireable?
I saw ann Humphreys eating with someone that did not look like a Christian. Ummm. Im telling.
How tragic
When jesus said, go make disciples, he wasn’t meaning just among the Methodists. In fact the disciples themselves did not need to be made into disciples. Jesus expected them to go, just as he did, to the blind, the poor, the prostitutes and sinners.
In 11:3 – the others are upset with what peter has done –
1 The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him 3 and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
criticized. You ate w sinners - So did jesus
luke 5: 29 then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
luke 7:33 for John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”
Is your work place, the restaurant, the store where you shop a hostile environment or an opportunity for you to love others?
Imagine the thoughts in the minds of such folks when they expected to be looked down on again, but instead, you embraced them. The least of these.
Take away 7 – careful with your biblical proof texting
Peter is quoting the bible when he is arguing with God
What does this mean? Does it mean that revelation is progressive? Maybe
It certainly means that we need to be very careful with bibilical interp
Lead from the whole, not the parts. Follow the core the theme, not the individual
Judas went out and hung himself. Go thou and do likewise. What thou doest, do quickly
The bible is not a hammer
Max lucado describes the scriptures as a wooden fence with holes in it… you can go and look thru the holes and see some of what is on the other side, but we will never in this life grasp the entire mystery.
Don’t get stuck on the fence- don’t settle for your interpretation of the fence
Conclusion
We cannot use the scriptures to paint us into a corner of our comfort. The tone of scripture sends us into the neighborhood with hearts filled with love
And isn’t this the root problem? We don’t love the centurions. We don’t love the hells angels. We don’t love the oppressors. When we love them, and see them as people, everything changes. And we begin to live the life that God intended.
Are your ideas about Christianity holding you back or are they sending you out into the world to love others.
Sermon 7-10-11 acts pt 5 Acts 10:1-23
1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” 4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
Peter’s Vision9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” 14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” 15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven. 17 While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. 18 They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there. 19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three[a] men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.” 21 Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?” 22 The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” 23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
The series
The ongoing saga
The story of chpt 10 and 11
The rest of the story
Peter goes to Cornelius house
He enters it
He tells him the story of Jesus
Cornelius believes
The setting- background
The centurion – in charge of a hundred men
Man of deep character – not to charge into battle, but to be willing to stand and fight to the death
He is an invader, an occupier, here without the consent of the jews. Most jews wanted them out.
Peter- the gentiles are hated. You don’t help on in child birth as it will only add another gentile to the world.
Yet peter is staying with a tanner. This is an unclean place for jews. Simon is probably a Christian. So you can see that peter is already open to the religious law being superceded by the law of love
A good jew did not hang with gentiles. They did not hang with jews that did not obey the law. This is why the men stopped at peters door.
And when peter got to cornelious house, would he step across the threshold?
Take away one
Real Christianity works to bridge divides, not separate
The overwhelming evidence of scripture is that God heals wounds
His desires is that all will come to faith 1 timothy 2
Take a way two- the law can be dangerous
The roads back into the law are legion.
The purpose of the law is to show that everyone sins. But the jews used it to show their superiority
So religious actions can sometimes drive people away
Brian McLaren
Do you know people that act this way?
Take away three- even the most devout can be mistaken
Let him that thinks he stands, take heed less he fall – 1 cor 10:12
Peter is living out his religion. He is doing this based on the rules of the bible as he understands them.
But he has forgotten gods people
In fact, his entire religion had turned its back on Gods mission to the people
Think of how they treated the Samaritans……lepers…
Imagine this happening to Billy graham…..
Take away 4- we need to be continually converted
He has had a conversion but still doesn’t get it
Rejecting classical Judaism, peter is still stuck in many of the forms of religion that look and sound religious but are not caring for god’s people
Peter moves toward God at least 4 times
1. Leave your nets, come follow me
2. Get thee behind me satan
3. 3 denials
4. Vision of the unclean lunch
From glory to glory he’s changing me 2 cor 3
Take away 6- we need to have some friends who do not look like us
What is tragic is that we have friends that look too much like us. If you don’t have friends or acquaintances that are not Christians, how are you reaching or influencing anyone?
What would you think of a religion that taught rules, but also taught that its followers should stay away from lepers, the poor, the undesireable?
I saw ann Humphreys eating with someone that did not look like a Christian. Ummm. Im telling.
How tragic
When jesus said, go make disciples, he wasn’t meaning just among the Methodists. In fact the disciples themselves did not need to be made into disciples. Jesus expected them to go, just as he did, to the blind, the poor, the prostitutes and sinners.
In 11:3 – the others are upset with what peter has done –
1 The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him 3 and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
criticized. You ate w sinners - So did jesus
luke 5: 29 then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
luke 7:33 for John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”
Is your work place, the restaurant, the store where you shop a hostile environment or an opportunity for you to love others?
Imagine the thoughts in the minds of such folks when they expected to be looked down on again, but instead, you embraced them. The least of these.
Take away 7 – careful with your biblical proof texting
Peter is quoting the bible when he is arguing with God
What does this mean? Does it mean that revelation is progressive? Maybe
It certainly means that we need to be very careful with bibilical interp
Lead from the whole, not the parts. Follow the core the theme, not the individual
Judas went out and hung himself. Go thou and do likewise. What thou doest, do quickly
The bible is not a hammer
Max lucado describes the scriptures as a wooden fence with holes in it… you can go and look thru the holes and see some of what is on the other side, but we will never in this life grasp the entire mystery.
Don’t get stuck on the fence- don’t settle for your interpretation of the fence
Conclusion
We cannot use the scriptures to paint us into a corner of our comfort. The tone of scripture sends us into the neighborhood with hearts filled with love
And isn’t this the root problem? We don’t love the centurions. We don’t love the hells angels. We don’t love the oppressors. When we love them, and see them as people, everything changes. And we begin to live the life that God intended.
Are your ideas about Christianity holding you back or are they sending you out into the world to love others.
Acts, Part 5 Acts 10:1-23 07/10/2011
Ben will be here to speak about Joplin
Sermon 7-10-11 acts pt 5 Acts 10:1-23
1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” 4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
Peter’s Vision9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” 14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” 15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven. 17 While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. 18 They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there. 19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three[a] men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.” 21 Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?” 22 The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” 23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
The series
The ongoing saga
The story of chpt 10 and 11
The rest of the story
Peter goes to Cornelius house
He enters it
He tells him the story of Jesus
Cornelius believes
The setting- background
The centurion – in charge of a hundred men
Man of deep character – not to charge into battle, but to be willing to stand and fight to the death
He is an invader, an occupier, here without the consent of the jews. Most jews wanted them out.
Peter- the gentiles are hated. You don’t help on in child birth as it will only add another gentile to the world.
Yet peter is staying with a tanner. This is an unclean place for jews. Simon is probably a Christian. So you can see that peter is already open to the religious law being superceded by the law of love
A good jew did not hang with gentiles. They did not hang with jews that did not obey the law. This is why the men stopped at peters door.
And when peter got to cornelious house, would he step across the threshold?
Take away one
Real Christianity works to bridge divides, not separate
The overwhelming evidence of scripture is that God heals wounds
His desires is that all will come to faith 1 timothy 2
Take a way two- the law can be dangerous
The roads back into the law are legion.
The purpose of the law is to show that everyone sins. But the jews used it to show their superiority
So religious actions can sometimes drive people away
Brian McLaren
Do you know people that act this way?
Take away three- even the most devout can be mistaken
Let him that thinks he stands, take heed less he fall – 1 cor 10:12
Peter is living out his religion. He is doing this based on the rules of the bible as he understands them.
But he has forgotten gods people
In fact, his entire religion had turned its back on Gods mission to the people
Think of how they treated the Samaritans……lepers…
Imagine this happening to Billy graham…..
Take away 4- we need to be continually converted
He has had a conversion but still doesn’t get it
Rejecting classical Judaism, peter is still stuck in many of the forms of religion that look and sound religious but are not caring for god’s people
Peter moves toward God at least 4 times
1. Leave your nets, come follow me
2. Get thee behind me satan
3. 3 denials
4. Vision of the unclean lunch
From glory to glory he’s changing me 2 cor 3
Take away 6- we need to have some friends who do not look like us
What is tragic is that we have friends that look too much like us. If you don’t have friends or acquaintances that are not Christians, how are you reaching or influencing anyone?
What would you think of a religion that taught rules, but also taught that its followers should stay away from lepers, the poor, the undesireable?
I saw ann Humphreys eating with someone that did not look like a Christian. Ummm. Im telling.
How tragic
When jesus said, go make disciples, he wasn’t meaning just among the Methodists. In fact the disciples themselves did not need to be made into disciples. Jesus expected them to go, just as he did, to the blind, the poor, the prostitutes and sinners.
In 11:3 – the others are upset with what peter has done –
1 The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him 3 and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
criticized. You ate w sinners - So did jesus
luke 5: 29 then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
luke 7:33 for John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”
Is your work place, the restaurant, the store where you shop a hostile environment or an opportunity for you to love others?
Imagine the thoughts in the minds of such folks when they expected to be looked down on again, but instead, you embraced them. The least of these.
Take away 7 – careful with your biblical proof texting
Peter is quoting the bible when he is arguing with God
What does this mean? Does it mean that revelation is progressive? Maybe
It certainly means that we need to be very careful with bibilical interp
Lead from the whole, not the parts. Follow the core the theme, not the individual
Judas went out and hung himself. Go thou and do likewise. What thou doest, do quickly
The bible is not a hammer
Max lucado describes the scriptures as a wooden fence with holes in it… you can go and look thru the holes and see some of what is on the other side, but we will never in this life grasp the entire mystery.
Don’t get stuck on the fence- don’t settle for your interpretation of the fence
Conclusion
We cannot use the scriptures to paint us into a corner of our comfort. The tone of scripture sends us into the neighborhood with hearts filled with love
And isn’t this the root problem? We don’t love the centurions. We don’t love the hells angels. We don’t love the oppressors. When we love them, and see them as people, everything changes. And we begin to live the life that God intended.
Are your ideas about Christianity holding you back or are they sending you out into the world to love others.
Sermon 7-10-11 acts pt 5 Acts 10:1-23
1 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. 2 He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. 3 One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!” 4 Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked. The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. 6 He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.” 7 When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. 8 He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.
Peter’s Vision9 About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10 He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11 He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12 It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. 13 Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” 14 “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” 15 The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” 16 This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven. 17 While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. 18 They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there. 19 While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three[a] men are looking for you. 20 So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.” 21 Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?” 22 The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” 23 Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.
The series
The ongoing saga
The story of chpt 10 and 11
The rest of the story
Peter goes to Cornelius house
He enters it
He tells him the story of Jesus
Cornelius believes
The setting- background
The centurion – in charge of a hundred men
Man of deep character – not to charge into battle, but to be willing to stand and fight to the death
He is an invader, an occupier, here without the consent of the jews. Most jews wanted them out.
Peter- the gentiles are hated. You don’t help on in child birth as it will only add another gentile to the world.
Yet peter is staying with a tanner. This is an unclean place for jews. Simon is probably a Christian. So you can see that peter is already open to the religious law being superceded by the law of love
A good jew did not hang with gentiles. They did not hang with jews that did not obey the law. This is why the men stopped at peters door.
And when peter got to cornelious house, would he step across the threshold?
Take away one
Real Christianity works to bridge divides, not separate
The overwhelming evidence of scripture is that God heals wounds
His desires is that all will come to faith 1 timothy 2
Take a way two- the law can be dangerous
The roads back into the law are legion.
The purpose of the law is to show that everyone sins. But the jews used it to show their superiority
So religious actions can sometimes drive people away
Brian McLaren
Do you know people that act this way?
Take away three- even the most devout can be mistaken
Let him that thinks he stands, take heed less he fall – 1 cor 10:12
Peter is living out his religion. He is doing this based on the rules of the bible as he understands them.
But he has forgotten gods people
In fact, his entire religion had turned its back on Gods mission to the people
Think of how they treated the Samaritans……lepers…
Imagine this happening to Billy graham…..
Take away 4- we need to be continually converted
He has had a conversion but still doesn’t get it
Rejecting classical Judaism, peter is still stuck in many of the forms of religion that look and sound religious but are not caring for god’s people
Peter moves toward God at least 4 times
1. Leave your nets, come follow me
2. Get thee behind me satan
3. 3 denials
4. Vision of the unclean lunch
From glory to glory he’s changing me 2 cor 3
Take away 6- we need to have some friends who do not look like us
What is tragic is that we have friends that look too much like us. If you don’t have friends or acquaintances that are not Christians, how are you reaching or influencing anyone?
What would you think of a religion that taught rules, but also taught that its followers should stay away from lepers, the poor, the undesireable?
I saw ann Humphreys eating with someone that did not look like a Christian. Ummm. Im telling.
How tragic
When jesus said, go make disciples, he wasn’t meaning just among the Methodists. In fact the disciples themselves did not need to be made into disciples. Jesus expected them to go, just as he did, to the blind, the poor, the prostitutes and sinners.
In 11:3 – the others are upset with what peter has done –
1 The apostles and the believers throughout Judea heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God. 2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him 3 and said, “You went into the house of uncircumcised men and ate with them.”
criticized. You ate w sinners - So did jesus
luke 5: 29 then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
luke 7:33 for John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”
Is your work place, the restaurant, the store where you shop a hostile environment or an opportunity for you to love others?
Imagine the thoughts in the minds of such folks when they expected to be looked down on again, but instead, you embraced them. The least of these.
Take away 7 – careful with your biblical proof texting
Peter is quoting the bible when he is arguing with God
What does this mean? Does it mean that revelation is progressive? Maybe
It certainly means that we need to be very careful with bibilical interp
Lead from the whole, not the parts. Follow the core the theme, not the individual
Judas went out and hung himself. Go thou and do likewise. What thou doest, do quickly
The bible is not a hammer
Max lucado describes the scriptures as a wooden fence with holes in it… you can go and look thru the holes and see some of what is on the other side, but we will never in this life grasp the entire mystery.
Don’t get stuck on the fence- don’t settle for your interpretation of the fence
Conclusion
We cannot use the scriptures to paint us into a corner of our comfort. The tone of scripture sends us into the neighborhood with hearts filled with love
And isn’t this the root problem? We don’t love the centurions. We don’t love the hells angels. We don’t love the oppressors. When we love them, and see them as people, everything changes. And we begin to live the life that God intended.
Are your ideas about Christianity holding you back or are they sending you out into the world to love others.
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