God’s Promises

Leave a reply

For the audio version of this sermon click on the above link or copy and paste into your browser

God’s promises rely on them don’t run from them
First Saint Johns May 4, 2014
God so loved the world, John tells us that. Is there any doubt in your mind? How has God shown His love? Here are two disciples, Cleopas and another man. The topic of conversation, the things that have happened in Jerusalem in the last few days. We know this because Cleopas got a little snippy with their fellow traveler when He asked what they were talking about. “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” Sort of where have you been all your life, don’t you know what’s going on around you? Seems to me Cleopas and the other disciple are the ones who aren’t completely paying attention. Where are they going? … Emmaus. Where did Jesus tell the women to have His disciples meet Him? Galilee. They probably understood that to mean Capernaum where Jesus spent 60% of His incarnate ministry. The sea of Galilee, is over 60 miles straight north of Jerusalem. The feast of the Passover has just been held in Jerusalem, everyone has been there. These two disciples have chosen to leave and they are going to Emmaus, about 15 miles west of Jerusalem. While they are stunned that someone is so out of touch in Jerusalem, the One talking to them … Jesus, is probably stunned too and probably irritated. Why? Can’t you imagine Jesus thinking, “wow, didn’t I just tell all of you what would happen? Did you forget so soon? Maybe you got outta Dodge a little early, the rest of the disciples waited for further direction. More likely they are still in stunned disbelief from the events of Friday, and they might have run away from the events of the cross, but they regrouped.” Matthew 16:21 just before the Transfiguration, the sequence of events that lead to the cross: “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” Maybe the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, didn’t get that in their notes. Or maybe they’re so upset they didn’t remember or, worse, didn’t trust what Jesus told them and hadn’t stayed in Jerusalem to await the directions that the angel has given to those who remained.
So Jesus takes His two disciples to task: “he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” He could have said, what I told the whole group just before the events that led to My crucifixion, the promise that I made “…on the third day be raised.”? As far as they know a complete stranger has called them out. “Why didn’t you stay? Why have you wandered off? You heard the promise and yet here you are, you’re not in Jerusalem, you’re heading west instead of north to Capernaum as the angel told the women to do. To the place where we shared great times, you heard great teaching and saw stupendous miracles. Why have you picked up and deserted your call? Cleopas refers to Jesus as a “prophet”, the Concordia Self Study Bible notes: “They had respect for Jesus as a man of God, but after his death they apparently were reluctant to call him the Messiah.”1 Jesus goes on to remind them of what Moses and the Prophets, that is everything that was written about Him in the Old Testament, “…seems like you boys need a refresher course, maybe you didn’t hear what I said, but this is what Torah has been saying about me for the last 1,500 years beginning with Moses.” Then Jesus acts as if He’s going to keep going when they want to stop, sort of a way to show His disappointment?
Jesus made a lot of promises to the disciples during His incarnation, He continued to make these promises through His apostles, listen to what Paul said in 1 Corinthians: “Listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed – in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable and we will be changed.” This is the promise that Jesus is all about, that He demonstrated on Easter Sunday. “You see how Jesus was resurrected, that will be us at the last trumpet. We will be imperishable, our bodies will be made to be perfect, no defect, no death, made to exist forever in the New Jerusalem, the new world that God had intended the world to be, a perfect world where we will see the fulfillment of another of Jesus’ promises “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (Jn 10:10). We tend to take the word “promise” a little too glibly. We make promises a lot, often our fingers crossed behind our back. The Greek word evpaggeli,a means “assent or pledge, especially a divine assurance of good.”2 God has made a lot of promises, through the prophets in the Old Testament, through Jesus and His apostles in the New Testament. Have any of these promises not been kept? And what is it that drives our faith, the promises that we know that will be kept. The resurrection! We haven’t seen the end times yet, but when we do what is our promise? Eternal, abundant life!
We have Peter on the day of Pentecost in our Acts reading. In the Gospel reading the disciples are holed up in an upper room, windows closed, doors locked, Jesus in His resurrected body appears to them to give them assurance in their fear and then what happens, they aren’t running off to Emmaus, they aren’t hiding behind locked doors, the Holy Spirit has descended on them, and now they roar out of those doors like the Penn State football team and their leader, Petros, the rock, is standing in broad daylight, before thousands of men in Jerusalem proclaiming the promises of Jesus. He holds them accountable, Peter tells them they have committed deicide, they have assisted in the death of the Messiah that God has been promising for centuries. They feel convicted, they know this has happened, they have been cut to the heart. What can they do? Peter tells them: “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Another of Jesus’ promises, the promises that started from the very beginning with John the Baptizer. Repent, Strongs defines repent as to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins”. We know that we have failed in our past life, so now we change our mind, we look at our past life with abhorrence, hating our past life and our past sins and we make amends, we will change our life according to what Jesus wants. But how do you do that? Only by repenting? By being baptized? And what does that do? What is Jesus’ promise that He made to Nicodemus? John 3:5, being reborn into the Spirit, putting on Christ, His payment of our sins. By doing this, we are reborn, Jesus has done it all for us and His promise is that we will be saved to eternal life in Him. What the Easter season is all about.
The Easter season is about promise, it’s about renewal, it is about resurrection as we see the death of winter recede to new life. But for us the Christian, for the promises we have in Christ, it’s much, much, much more then birds and bugs and forsythia and leaves on trees. It is sort of like another promise that God made when He put a rainbow up in the sky to assure Noah that from him, God would save man, not just in man’s physical life from floods, but to eternal life in the promised Messiah.
We have so many promises from God that do, as Jesus promised, give us life more abundant, this book is all the promises in the Bible that God has made to us. It lists out 307 pages of God’s promises. The promise that they would have the Holy Spirit is coming to the disciples. Most waited faithfully in Jerusalem, albeit hiding behind locked doors, two decide to go west, feeling that the promise wouldn’t be fulfilled. But it was when the disciples would shortly, receive the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit whose temple we become in baptism.
Trust in God’s promises to us that are documented right here, the new covenant, the new contract that Jesus made. We rely on His payment of our sins and His promises to us that we will be saved to eternal life. Do some Bible reading, check out Paul’s epistles where the promises come fast and furious. What promises do you see and how do they affect your life in Christ, write about them in your journal and pray over them in Thanksgiving to our Father who loves us so much to put His promises, assurances and comforts to us in writing for us to read and take refuge in over and over.
The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Shalom and Amin.

Anger management

2 Replies

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/adult-health/in-depth/anger-management/art-20045434?pg=1&footprints=mine

The link is to an article on the Mayo Clinic website about anger management. This is a rather readable and helpful link. I would have just copied and pasted, but there were a bunch of fussy requirements, just didn’t want to get into it.
A few comments though, one of the suggestions, “think before you speak”, man there are a lot of people out there who would do themselves and everyone else too, a big favor if they’d just do that. Hey I’ve said things and realized, shortly thereafter, wow, that was dumb. Lose the juvenile attitude, just because you “have the right” doesn’t always mean you should exercise it.
There is a right way and a wrong way, give it a little time, think it out and then rationally, “this upset me and this is why”. No one’s asking you to be a doormat, by the same token, again, a right way/a wrong way.
Get some exercise! Too often it seems that person has too much energy to burn and chooses to burn it with outbursts. I have two heavy bags, a speed bag and pads upstairs at church and a bag at home. You need to work something out, come on down, I will personally hook you up. Then you can come downstairs to my office and we will talk.
And yea, little humor could go a long way. I grew up with my buddy in the Coast Guard, he’s the older brother I never had. He could handle situations like that so well. He would get this “puckish” expression on his face and then make a “puckish” remark, and everyone would immediately unclench. I try to “channel” my big brother any time I get into that (not always successfully). (Oh yea, if you don’t know what “puckish” means, drop me a line) (One other note, he was a “Gold Gloves Boxer”, who put me in a hold once, I had to beg to get out of. He could also shoot the eye out of gnat at 100 yards. You have to learn control especially when there are firearms available and especially when you’re carrying one as a law-enforcement officer. He was and he’s great.)
Quit holding grudges, nothing good comes of it, get over your pride and deal with it. There is too much to do for the Kingdom! You got that much energy and passion? I got a million things you could do here at church.
When we look to the Lord and see what He went through, for us, really how can we be otherwise? And don’t think I’m being Pollyannish here either, believe me, I will readily admit I can go off. But I’ve also found that it just doesn’t pay to do so. Often that person really does need a little compassion. I’m not saying you should be abused and if you really can’t deal with it, walk off, refer him/her to me. But just don’t get into it, think about what Jesus had to deal with, that we are called to be a servant and sometimes we serve best by just taking it in prayer. If Jesus can hang on the Cross and say “forgive them Father…”, can’t we find a way to forgive and then a better way to deal with it?

Just do it

Leave a reply

In a couple of weeks I will be doing my first triathlon of the season, this will be number 52. I’ve been doing triathlons since 1985, try to do two a year. I tell you this not to impress you, but to encourage you. Look I don’t have to make a lot of space on my mantle for all my awards, frankly very little space. I have a nice collection of finisher medals and some other miscellaneous stuff. I did a 5K this past Saturday and I had my first experience of someone telling me I had to stay for the awards ceremony, which was cool. Upon further investigation, though, it was determined that I didn’t win anything, it was cool, but in 30 years I never even got that far, so I’ve got that going for me (to quote Bill Murray in “Caddy Shack”.) I have a big collection of t-shirts, but no “podium” awards.
I don’t say this to evoke some sort of sympathy or worse, “why the heck are you a loser and why do you keep doing this”? No, I do these because it’s a personal accomplishment, it’s a way to force myself to stay involved, to do something that’s good for me and also to see how much I can accomplish or at least maintain. Right now I’ve done races in 17 different states, this one coming up will be 18. In a way a personal accomplishment, but not something that’s going to show up on my “trophy” mantle.
It seems to me that too many people won’t attempt something because they don’t think they will do well, or even “horrors” embarrass themselves. It’s been my experience that if anything people really appreciate seeing people who are really trying are out there and I can’t remember there being anything but praise and encouragement. Having said that, I was on the seminary cross country team, mostly because they needed a fifth guy and someone to give us a “team”. I only ended up doing four races and for three of them it was a fun experience and I didn’t get any really feedback. Frankly that’s best for me, I’m here I’m supporting my team, that’s all that matters and that’s the way it went. We did compete in a city (St Louis) meet and it was the one time where I got kind of a hard time. I do not have a “cross-country runner’s physique”, which is what triathletes usually, derisively refer to as “running rib cage” physique. Triathletes, swim, bike and run, they have to have an over all developed physique and not just legs. Having said that an undergraduate team decided that I just didn’t belong there (my kids were older than they were) and who was I etc, etc. Now this is an obviously immature, narrow minded reaction from a bunch of little boys whose opinion didn’t really matter and I let them know as such (reminding them, they may be able to run faster than me, but that’s about it).
I say this not to discourage, but in thirty years of a variety of competitions in 99% of them I’ve been treated with respect, to the effect that “it’s great to see you out here, working at this, trying and good luck, have fun!” I have seen this at many places I’ve worked out; swimming pools, racquetball courts, weight rooms, aerobic centers, martial arts etc. People really do appreciate seeing others getting out, trying, putting in the effort. I’ve seen people genuinely want to help and offer pointers and happy to offer any help or advice.
In a couple of weeks I’m going to be standing on the edge of a beach wondering “what the heck am I doing here”. But shortly thereafter, I’m going to push the stop button on my watch and I’m going to have that feeling of accomplishment, that I’ve finished another one, in another state, maybe hit some personal goals and will be welcomed by the other finishers.
I understand, maybe you are not ready for something aggressive, but don’t let that stop you, set some aggressive goals and then figure out how to accomplish them. Many athletic clubs, YM/YWCAs offer personal trainers at pretty reasonable rates and if you show up and just ask the attendant, they are more than happy to get you started (most actually insist upon it). Think about what you’d like to do, get in a good routine, buy a good book, subscribe to a good magazine, set up a good plan, get a good diet down, start slow, and just keep working on it. It will be great, you will be great, you will feel better and you will enjoy the achievement. God bless and believe me, if I can help in any way shoot me a message, on WordPress or my e-mail is bm2driskell@aol.com

We’re called to be in the world, not of it.

Leave a reply

We’ve been reading Dr Gene Veith’s book God at Work in our Wednesday morning group at the Green Bean in downtown York, Pa. I highly recommend this book, especially if you are interested in a fundamental understanding of the issues related to living your Christian life in the workplace.

One great point we discussed this past week was Dr Veith’s following observation: “Christians live in tension with the fallen world. And they are not allowed to diminish that tension by either retreating form the world or by uncritically embracing it. Jesus alludes to this in His great priestly prayer in John 17: 14-18: “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.”

Throughout the history of the church, it has lurched from one extreme to the other. For so long  people were honored who escaped into the desert, forests, mountains, for a time those who lived on the top of poles or, sort of, scaffolds. This is clearly not Christian, not at all what Jesus taught. Sure Jesus is depicted as going off to pray somewhere, but sure enough the next day was right in the mix of the crowds. And it was not just with other Jewish people. Jesus interacted with Samaritans, Romans, Greeks, a Syro-Phoenician woman, free, slaves and no doubt others, Jerusalem was an international crossroads in His time.

Many Christians exist in an, essentially, Christian sub-culture, many have no non-Christian friends an don’t interact with any non-Christian unless it’s necessary. We look at Paul’s life and travels, from Israel to Rome and maybe even Spain. According to legend the rest of the apostles were dispersed to all the points of the new world. Biblically we are encouraged to interact with all non-Christians.

Dr Veith’s other point about “uncritically embracing” the world is also a great observation. Jesus certainly didn’t in His time, He was very counter-cultural, He was in the world to fulfill and observe the Law. He was against the Law, He did oppose those who abused, twisted the Law. Today we see the other extreme, especially in, so-called, liberal Christianity, which seems to allow itself to be dictated to by the world, regardless of what the Bible teaches.

Having said this, there seems to be this idea among Christians who do feel led to venture out into the world (which we are supposed to do), that if we are nice and sweet to everyone than they will all immediately fall in love with us/Jesus and everything will be all sweetness and spice or the other extreme, if people find out we’re Christian then we will be immediately set upon by the evil world. The latter supposition is probably closer to the truth, but neither one is really a day to day. Jesus told us: “”If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” (Jn 15:18)
There’s this kind of odd idea among some Christians, that if we just say the right words, people will come around and love us and love Jesus. There is no magic set of words that people will immediately respond to in some kind of “come to Jesus” epiphany. It certainly didn’t happen with Jesus. Sure many responded to Him and what He did, but no question there were plenty of people who wanted to get rid of Jesus.

The world really does see Christians as gullible, suckers, easily led. This is the same world that will jump through hoops if you wave a few bucks in front of it, or booze, drugs, sex, the world will fall right in. Talk about gullible, Jesus is life, what the world wants is inevitable death. It’s stupid, but it is consistent, the world is all about death.

Dr Veith’s point is that as a Christian it is tough to be in the world. Jesus recognized this in His prayer. We live in this constant tension and yes sometimes we do give in to the temptations. Difference is, we’re forgiven, the world in the same circumstances, is condemned. As Christians we have to keep all this in mind. We can’t give up on the world, Jesus didn’t, He is our Lord, and we have to be faithful to His leading. We have to keep witnessing to Christ in all the areas of our life. But when we do that it is with the realization that often we won’t be “liked”, appreciated and the good works we do will often be repaid in spite and coldness. We can’t run away from the world, and we can’t affirm the world’s sinful lifestyle. We have to be faithful to Jesus’ leading and endure the world’s animosity.

We won’t be meeting this Wednesday because of a funeral, but May 14 we should be meeting the coffee shop at the corner of W King St and Beaver, 10am, welcome to park right behind the church.

Random thought

Leave a reply

October 18, 2014

Couple of milestones, first I neglected to observe my 3,000th view, I know for a lot of “real” bloggers, you get that in a month. Took me a year, but I really appreciate the support of those who check out my blogs.

Second, my first reader from the Russian Federation, that is sooooo cool, it’s great to see you, it would be great to hear from you. God bless and please let me know what you think, which of course goes for anyone who checks out my blogs. Good, bad or indifferent, I really do appreciate the time some folks take to read and comment and it really does help me.

God bless and I hope we can be great blog buddies.

Ciao bella Italia. I just had a reader from Italy. I never really thought about it, but since I started doing this blog, I’ve had readers from, now, 25 different countries. (Yea, I’m including Canada as a foreign country). (Just kidding, love my Canadian cousins, ehhhh?). My great grandfather emigrated from Ireland to Canada and then down to Maine.
Anyway, thanks, I’ve had readers on every continent (if anyone in Russia or China would give a read that would be great, it would fill in my map nicely.)
It’s really cool that folks in so many other countries have had an interest and I really appreciate that everyone has taken time to some of my thoughts. So gracious, merci, dunka, etc

The Keys please

Leave a reply

To hear the audio of this sermon click on the above link  or copy and paste it into your web browser

The keys to heaven and hell
First St Johns Apr 27, 2014
He has risen, He has risen indeed! Hallelujah!
Father, You know our struggle. In all different forms, we are told that we have failed, fallen short. That our sins separate us from You. Satan and his demons are our constant accusers. “You aren’t worthy, you can’t be saved, look at all the things that you’ve done that are sins against God.” We often get to the point where we simply give up, our faith is destroyed, we know there’s nothing we can do and we feel rejected. That we can never measure up to Jesus’ expectations and we believe what the world tells us, what the great deceiver Satan tempts us with and we let ourselves sink into the muck and despair of the world. But we know that Your church has the keys to heaven, that there is forgiveness and salvation in your church. Help us Lord to keep that foremost in our minds and reject what the world tells us. Help us to remember to return to Your church weekly so that we know forgiveness and life in Christ and not the death, despair and sinfulness of the world. We make our beginning in the Name of God the Father and in the Name of God the Son and in the Name of God the Holy Spirit and all those who trust in Jesus, in His church and in the keys of heaven said …AMEN.
He has risen. He has risen indeed.
I posted on Face Book, that I would make time available to hear confession, I heard back from this one guy, who in this very self-righteous/pompous attitude, “I don’t confess to any man, I confess to God.” Sort of like Mel Brooks in Blazing Saddles “harrumph, harrumph, hey I didn’t get an harrumph from that man”. Seems there are a lot out there who let their personal theology get in the way of what the Bible tells us and seems to feel that everyone should join in with him harrumphing, hmm I don’t need anyone else.
Yea, well, not exactly Biblical. When we lay our sins before God, that is called repentance. God knows our sins, we aren’t telling Him anything He doesn’t know. When we lift up our sins to Him, it should be in the attitude of repentance. “I know, that You know that I’ve sinned and I’m lifting them up in repentance, I am asking You for forgiveness of these things Father. And you should do this, I would never ask you to ignore taking your sins before the throne in repentance. But despite what our self-righteous friend thinks, we are told: “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” (James 5:16, ESV) When I conduct healing services, yes something else no one does, but… Part of that healing service quotes James, that a great deal of our sickness and disability is caused by our sin and quite often could be the result of unconfessed sin. We certainly know today that stresses in our life are often the direct cause of many physical and mental issues that we have.
This self-righteousness that we insist on, it’s all about me, I do what I want, leaves us even more isolated, more separated from the Body of Christ, from our brothers and sisters. Let’s see how that attitude can continue to mess up our entire life: “Much celebrated cyclist Lance Armstrong seems to have chosen a new career, making himself a pathetic figure. Now admitting he used performance enhancing drugs, he met with Travis Tygart, head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, in hopes that Tygart would lessen his life time ban from competition. Apparently Mr. Tygart didn’t budge. Faced with truth, people either submit or rebel. Armstrong allegedly told Tygard, “You don’t hold the keys to my redemption. There’s one person who holds the keys to my redemption and that’s me.”1 Have you ever seen the cartoon, where the little field mouse is making a final sign of defiance to an eagle swooping in to eat it? Yea, okay, that one final gesture of independence, but it only makes the person look clueless, in total denial of the facts.
In today’s reading, Jesus is telling His disciples: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. If you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” (Jn 20:23) Jesus is even more specific in Matthew 16:19: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Jesus’ disciples make up the Body of Christ. Jesus is giving them the keys to heaven, He is telling them very forthrightly, they have the authority to present the forgiveness of Jesus. They are the church and Jesus is telling His church, that if someone comes to them in repentance to confess the things that they have done, by commission or omission, that are sins against God, they, Jesus’ ministers His apostolos, they are to forgive them their sins by the authority of Jesus
Let’s go back in time, decades ago for most of us, to Luther’s Small Catechism, remember confirmation? Dr Luther asks: “What special authority has Christ given to His church on earth?” The first response is: “Matt 18:18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” and “John 20: 22-23 [Jesus] breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” Not only was He giving his apostles authority of the keys, but he was impressing that fact on them with the Holy Spirit. Every Sunday I stand up before you and we join together in what is called “corporate confession” and we admit that we have sinned against God since the last time we were in church. At the end of that I announce to you that as a called and ordained servant of Jesus Christ you are forgiven. I’m not forgiving you, I am telling you that because of what you did in faithfulness, you are now forgiven, not because of what I do, but because of what Jesus did for all of us. In individual confession, it is even more to the point, for God to be merciful and to strengthen you faith. “Do you believe that my forgiveness is God’s forgiveness?” If the person says “Yes”, I reply, “let it be done for you as you believe”. You know that through the faith that God has given you, and I have affirmed that, that you are forgiven. I have exercised the keys of heaven, by affirming your faith, knowing that you are forgiven, that you do have the promise of salvation in Jesus and that He will continue to strengthen you in your faith. I was talking about this at the Mission Store and one lady says: “So I need to go to church in order to be forgiven?” Yes, to not only be forgiven, but to know that you are forgiven, because your pastor affirms that you are forgiven, you have heard that forgiveness from the minister of Jesus and so it should be cemented into your heart.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his book The Cost of Discipleship writes: “A man who confesses his sins in the presence of a brother knows that he is no longer alone with himself; he experiences the presence of God in the reality of the other person.’ Isn’t that our calling as pastors?
Instill in your congregation the importance of confession. Avoid fostering the image that your fellowship is full of perfect people (you won’t fit in) [yea, Amen to that JD] Instead, show by example a church where members and leaders alike confess their sins and show humility, where the price of admission is simply an admission of guilt. Healing happens in a church like this. Grace happens in a church like this. Followers of Christ have been given authority to hear confession and proclaim grace. ‘If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained’ (John 20:23 NCV).” [This is also referred to as the keys to heaven and hell that Jesus gives to His church. JD]
This week really think about confession, the assurance you receive, why we maintain this opportunity to raise up the things that you are dealing with, with your pastor and how that will give you forgiveness, assurance and the renewal and strengthening of your faith. What do you want to lift up, what do you want to be healed of? Write it in your journal and bring it with you next Thursday 5:30pm, I’ll be here.
HE HAS RISEN, HE HAS RISEN INDEED!
The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Shalom and Amin.

Who is God leading you to witness to?

Leave a reply

I find it fascinating that people don’t want to share their faith in Jesus because they feel that they might be “forcing” people to change their beliefs. They have no problem telling you how much better their baseball team is (we of course know it’s the Red Sox), why their make of car is better, why Boston/York/St Louis is better than anywhere else, etc, etc.

But when it comes to a truly life changing decision, a decision that effects a person for eternity, well… ya…. It doesn’t matter, just so long as you sincerely believe, yada, yada. Ya what a cop out. There is only one way “I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Me.” [Jesus] (John 14:6). Say what you will, there is a God, He is the origin of all creation, He does sustain our lives, world, universe and He has revealed Himself in the Bible. You are probably a very nice person and done wonderful things, but sin still separates you from God. Believe what you want, but that’s the way it is. God has given us a way to come to Him, to be His adopted child. His revelation, the Bible and His Son Jesus who died as the payment of the penalty that we incur in our sin. Any other way, which are either all devised by man, or by Satan have you jumping through all the hoops and then maybe, just maybe, you might have some kind of eternal existence. I’m here to tell you, if that eternity isn’t in Jesus, it’s not going to be pleasant. We can do it God’s way, which is loving, caring, compassionate and what is best for your life now and for eternity.

What prompted this, which I should be doing on a regular basis anyway, is an article  in Leadership Journal (yup the new issue’s out!!). An interview by Daniel Darling with Nabeel Qureshi. Nabeel is a Christian, he was a devout Muslim who was led to Christ by a serious, devout and knowledgeable Christian he refers to as David.

“When I met my friend David, everything changed. He was able to defend his faith and as someone who was strong in his beliefs, I felt a bond with him and we became friends.” Qureshi was a very serious Muslim who based his faith on devoutly pursuing his faith. Learning, reasoning, and especially talking to Christians who really didn’t know what they were talking about and it seems, to me, that they really didn’t care. Now I don’t expect everyone to be an expert Christian evangelist/apologist. I really don’t. Having said that, they could be a lot more serious in their faith. Taking time on Sundays to attend Bible study, worship, listening to Christian radio, doing some extra reading. Not asking for a lot of heavy lifting, but taking a genuine interest in your faith, ya versus taking it for granted.

Now again, I know we are not always going to know everything we need to know, always what to say. I think I’m pretty experienced in this and I can’t say I’m always right on and right by the numbers. Having said that, is that a reason for just avoiding the fact that the Holy Spirit has put someone in front of you that He intends for you to witness to that person? Matthew 10:19 Jesus promises that we will be given the words we need when we are witnessing to others about Jesus. I’ve had that experience, it doesn’t come as a bolt of lightning, but you can often feel that the Holy Spirit is guiding you. Cut to the chase, we are called to be faithful, not always to be somehow “successful” in our terms, but to faithfully follow His leading. “The historical evidence he [David] provided for Jesus’ death and resurrection, as well as Jesus’ claim to be God, made all the difference. When I contrasted the evidence for Christianity against the evidence for Islam, I knew that intellectually there was no comparison.”

I think that Nabeel’s advice about reaching a Muslim for Christ is really on the nose and frankly can be our ordinary way to reach all others: “I think the Lord gave us the perfect instruction for evangelism in Matt 22: 37-39, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind … and love your neighbor as yourself.’ When you love the Muslims around you by treating them like family and helping those who need help, they will come to know you more and perhaps even wonder what makes you so loving.” How do too many people “love the Lord”? “how come me God?” “Gimme more God.” “I want, I want…” Maybe loving the Lord could be, going to worship, witnessing to others, serving His church, quit making excuses. “How come I’m the only one…”- you say? When you’re really not doing a whole lot.

Set your mind on things above

Leave a reply

Set your mind on things above
First St Johns Easter Apr 20, 2014

for the audio version of this sermon click on the following link or copy and paste into your browser

HE HAS RISEN! HE HAS RISEN INDEED! HALLELUJAH
Help us Father to set our minds on things that are above, that are greater, inspired, stronger. In Christ we have all that is great, that is good, that is truly the best and the brightest. It has been those who are in Christ through history who have driven us forward, made us strive for the greater things. Not just in terms of achievement or the material, but have shown true love, true agape love, self- sacrificing, striving for the greater good of all mankind. While most strive for their own benefit, their own glory, let us look to those who strive for the glory of Christ, who truly set their minds on things above. We make our beginning in the Name of God the Father and in the Name of God the Son and in the Name of God the Holy Spirit and all those who strive to glorify Jesus Christ in their lives said … AMEN.
Bruce Howell reports: “A few years ago, a letter appeared in the national news that was sent to a deceased person by the Indiana Department of Social Services. It read : Your food stamps will be stopped effective March 1992 because we received notice that you passed away. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances.”
Well, there has only been One who, in worldly terms, has had a change in circumstances, who really changed our circumstances, the resurrected Lord, God the Son, Jesus Christ.
Jesus called it; at the last supper. He is telling His disciples many things, among them what is going to happen immediately. “ESV John 16:20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy…22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” The next day is going to be very difficult, by any standard very traumatic. Jesus knows how this plays out, but the disciples have no other expectation, then to observe the Passover. Jesus knows differently, that this is going to be very difficult, very traumatic and also triumphant. John writes about this final time together, before the cross, for three chapters. Jesus is trying to get the most important things before His disciples before His crucifixion. He is only leaving them alone for three days, until Sunday, but Jesus knows that the shock, trauma that they are about to experience is going to leave them floundering. Jesus needs to leave them with words that are of the highest, the strongest, the best in human experience and chapters 14, 15 and 16 are chock filled with those things that Jesus wants to carry them through the stunning events that tomorrow will bring. In particular; “Greater love has no one than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (Jn 15:13) And Jesus does just that. Jesus is about to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy written about 500 years before Jesus: “ESV Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” Jesus will be high and lifted up in about twelve hours, in a way that the world sees as shameful, the humiliation of the Cross, but what the world deems shameful, in its narrow, fearful, self-centered view, Jesus uses for the ultimate good of all mankind. That love that Jesus just refers to, in the Greek agape, refers to the highest form of love, not the sloppy, sentimental love we always refer to, but that great love that makes the ultimate sacrifice in order to save many. This is Jesus’ love for us, while God loves the world, in a way that cares, wants what is best, it is His, those who are saved in Christ, that the Father loves in a way that He would allow His own Son to be that sacrifice. On Good Friday Jesus is high and lifted up before the entire world, in a way that the world sees as shameful and the world rejoices because they reject Jesus, they deny who He is. But as Jesus promises, soon, very soon, your hearts will rejoice. And the disciples did rejoice, but first they are going to be shocked and distraught, completely at a loss to understand how things could evaporate so quickly. Jesus’ sacrifice is in full view of all, the world sees it as rejection, Jesus knows that it is the victory, the sacrifice that will atone for all the sin of the world. When that earthquake strikes on Sunday morning, which leaves the temple guards shaken with fear and like dead men, completely stunned and powerless, the angel whose appearance is like lightning (Matt 28), all to announce that there was much more than Jesus’ ugly death and that ugly cross, sin is ugly and the payment of sin is usually ugly and disfigured, but now is the glorious resurrection. Death can be inflicted by man, man is sinful and filled with death, so inflicting death is nothing unusual, but rising from the dead, the resurrection, can only be accomplished in one way, by God, man can only give death, God only can give life. When God gives us that resurrected life it is perfect, it is eternal, it is glorious. The tomb, the earthquake, the angel, resurrected life, only comes from God only comes by us remembering Peter’s words, to “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
That Jesus was dead and rose is fact, those who were witnesses had nothing to gain from it and were compelled to go out and proclaim the resurrection. Even a complete antagonist like Saul of Tarsus was completely convinced. Jesus’ brothers James and Jude, who wanted to put Jesus away because they felt were His embarrassing actions, both would write epistles proclaiming who Jesus is to the world. We are told to set our minds on “things above”… What could be more above, more compelling then He who died in order to save us? He who was resurrected in order to give us the promise of our own resurrection in Him to all eternity? He who is and always has been perfect/He is God. He paid the penalty for us, we are sinners, we are in need of a Savior. People have told me that they want a “just God”, and we do, how could a perfect, Holy God be less then just. If the penalty had not been paid by Jesus, if we had to stand before the Father in our own righteousness and not the righteousness of Jesus, come on, how do you really think that will work out in terms of justice? We have assurance, the promise, the lead pipe guarantee that we are saved in Jesus. We will come before the Holy, just, perfect Father in the righteousness of Jesus. We are so caught up in the phoniness, the mediocrity, the evil of the world, that we think we cannot rely on anything. But here is the Good News, the Gospel, we can trust in the resurrection, we can trust in the promise that we will be resurrected like Him. Yes, for those of us here, we will go to heaven first, to wait for the glorious return of Christ, but our ultimate destination is a perfect, glorious resurrection, where we will live in this world, that will be made perfect, we will live in the real presence of Jesus, but it will be into a life that will truly be life; “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10). Randy Alcorn quotes theologian Wayne Gundem: “Christians often talk about living with God ‘in heaven’ forever. But in fact the biblical teaching is richer than that: it tells us that there will be new heavens and a new earth – an entirely renewed creation – and we will live with God there.”
There is no love in the world, there is no compassion. The world we live in is nothing but phoney mediocrity, a lazy/lamblike attitude “…EH whatever you want … eh it’s all good…” No it isn’t! It’s phoney, it’s death. There’s no love there, no compassion, “…EH, whatever you want, however you want to do it…” That’s not love. What is the opposite of love? Not hate, but indifference. “I don’t care how you mess yourself up, so long as your “happy”. Don’t strive, don’t push, don’t do the ultimate, don’t make the ultimate sacrifice, that’s for suckers. Just slog along in the mediocre muck of the world … EH whatever you want to do…yawn.” That wasn’t Jesus, He was strength, courage, idealism, He was perfect. The world, the weak and sinful takes the easy way out, throws money at it, like it did with Judas. Expects someone else to do the dirty work like it did with Pilate and then just sits back and ridicules. That is not what Christ is about, it is what He did. He courageously stood up for what is right, He was there for the truly weak and He made the ultimate sacrifice, by paying for our sin, by being our righteousness with God the Father.
When you leave here today, when you eat the kid’s chocolate bunny and eat your big Easter ham, then kick back to relax, instead of doing the “what do I have to do on Monday” thing, letting anything I have said this morning go by unnoticed. Really consider what the world would be like if we were left to the attitude of the world, “hey whatever makes you happy” and think about what the courage, strength, sacrifice of Jesus is really about. How can you live that life in Christ, how about your son, daughter, grandchildren, how can you be that Godly husband to your wife? Truly live and proclaim a life to all you know that says Jesus was resurrected, Jesus did overcome all the evil of the earth and I am greatly blessed because I have the promise of eternal life and I live this earthly life, not in the mediocre, phoniness of the world, but in the strength, truth and courage of Jesus Christ.
HE HAS RISEN, HE HAS RISEN INDEED!
The peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Shalom and Amin.

Be the well-rounded person God gave you the opportunity to be

4 Replies

Just finished my Saturday workout, usually consists of about an hour of weights or an hour plus of bike riding. Usually when it comes up in discussion, the other person will say something like, I wouldn’t do that, sounds like too much work, or I couldn’t bike 3 miles, and it’s not with an attitude of, “Gee maybe I should be in better shape and try to do something”. It’s more of an attitude on their part that they’re proud they don’t “waste” their time, what’s the point. As if they’re somehow smarter by not getting some genuine exercise.
A lot of people will also give me an attitude that if they can’t be a great athlete well what’s the point. I am by no means a “great”, good, even mediocre athlete. Any competitions I enter, I’m usually a “back of the packer”, but by the same token, I am keeping in shape, I am doing things that keep me in better physical condition. The big topics today are obesity, diabetes is an epidemic, stress, lethargy, depression, all things that a decent amount of exercise would greatly help. It’s getting to the point where I can’t go a day without meeting someone who is obviously over weight and tells me they have diabetes. They talk as if they have been somehow victimized and they should be able to do whatever they want with whatever they want. Furthermore, the things that people put in their bodies that are illegal and what do we as a society do? We continue to legalize marijuana. Seriously is there a doubt in anyone’s mind that the widespread use of illegal substances, not to mention a lot of the junk we consume isn’t resulting in damage to ourselves that we are passing on to our children? ADD the all encompassing answer to everyone’s inability to do anything (although just watch how rapt their attention is when they’re playing computer games or watching a movie they like). I’m sure that in a lot of circumstances autism that has also become widespread is a result of a lot of illicit drug use. I’m not trying to be cruel, but those same people who are always so concerned with their secular “truth”, sure find ways to distort the truth of the things they do that are just not responsible ways to act.
Cut to the chase, as we progress there will be more and more demand for medical attention for conditions that we could have controlled by taking just a little responsibility in our lives. Some reasonable exercise would do everyone a great deal of good.
And parents let’s cut the baloney, making sure your kid goes to baseball, soccer, games sorry, those are just not conditioning programs. Those programs are just not designed for children’s physical fitness. There is just way too much adult ego, vicarious living and need to maintain control. There’s just not enough ‘let’s get out there as kids, run until we drop, help each other, learn, on our own, to be part of a team and enjoy what should be the beginning of life long good habits.
Let’s help our kids develop good habits by being good examples and being out there with them doing real exercise. Sorry but a kid playing right field is never going to get their heart rate up to any level for any time that’s going to do him or her the least amount of good.
Don’t count on government or the medical institution to save you, and I think that realization is slowly beginning to dawn on people. But realizing it isn’t going to do you any good when you’re 55 years old, obese, diabetic and have messed up your joints by carrying around far too many pounds for your joints to support. I can certainly see a time coming that because the medical establishment is becoming so ill-equipped to deal with all of this, that they will stop even trying to treat those who have spent their lives chain-swilling twinkies. Or they will turn you away because you abused your body with drugs and now your children have serious problems because of it.
I know, I can hear it “I have the right! It’s my body, to…” yada, yada. Ya, not really. You certainly didn’t “make” your body, and for those who would use this line of discussion they haven’t done anything to make their body better, they’ve just abused it, poor diet, booze, drugs, irresponsible sex, lack of exercise. So you can’t say you’re responsible for caring and nurturing your body. you expect to abuse it and have someone else take care of you. That’s just not realistic. God gave you the capacity to have a remarkable body and life with it, if you abuse what God’s done for you. If you don’t work to make your body stronger and more able, you have abused the gift you’ve been given.
So take some responsibility now, come on down to First St Johns and learn good aerobic and strength building exercises. And while your there you might also avail yourself of the opportunity to strengthen your spiritual life. To become that well-rounded person that God gave you the capacity to be.