Specifically, I was honored to preach our special Easter Sunrise Service.
(I also happened to have a fresh cold! Sorry about the coughing.)
As usual, these are my rough notes below.
CND Sunrise Service – April 9, 2023
Let’s test this: “He is risen!” [“He is risen, indeed!”] [Prayer]
But what about that first Easter? How did the first followers of Jesus react?
First, let’s look back at a few days earlier. Where was Peter? Here is the man who said he would never abandon Jesus, even if he had to die. Yet, we know that he ran away with the others when Jesus was arrested. Sure, in John 19 for example, he came back during the “trial” of Jesus, but he tried to stay at a distance, and then he called down curses on himself as he claimed to not know who Jesus is. This was one of the most faithful followers of Jesus, right?
Where was John? We know he ran away at the arrest, but John 19 also tells us that John may have stayed for the trial with the high priest. It is not clear if this was John, but the way he usually talks about himself as “another disciple” and “the disciple whom Jesus loved” implies it could have been him. We also see he came to the crucifixion.
John 19:25-27, ESV but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
John saw Jesus on the cross, but where was he Sunday morning? Hiding with the other disciples. All of the disciples hid in a locked room (John 20:19) But who is not staying put, during the crucifixion and on that first Easter morning?
John 20:1, 11-18 [v. 1] Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
We know Mary Magdalene was accompanied by Mary (James and Jesus’ mom) and Salome (James and John’s mom). Arguably, these three women were truly faithful, but why would these Mary’s be there? Jesus’ mom makes sense. She’s His mom and definitely had her life changed by His birth and life. Back to reading, in verse 11:
[vv. 11-15] But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.”
Here is a woman weeping at the tomb of Jesus, and even doesn’t notice the hint of angels being present. She didn’t even notice Jesus as Jesus, thinking He was just the gardener near the tomb.
Here is a woman that Luke 8:2 and a few other places remind us had seven demons cast out of her. She may or may not have been a prostitute (Scripture is not clear on this), but at the very least she had seven demons cast out of her.
Here is a woman who had her life drastically changed by Jesus, making it possible for her to live a normal life after only-God-knows how long under demonic oppression and societal rejection.
Why was Mary Magdalene at the crucifixion and the first to the resurrection while the men all hid?
Because Jesus had touched her with His healing power, making her whole and clean again. The men did not. She was shunned, while they could move about freely (though some like Matthew/Levi did have minor obstacles).
Mary was changed from the inside out.
And in all of their grief, they all still missed Jesus.
Our grief can blind us to God. Our own self-righteousness can blind us to God. Our successes and failures can blind us to God.
It is only when God is with us and touches us with His healing and grace and we hear Him calling us by name can we see Him working.
[vv. 16-18] Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
Have you let Jesus change your life? It is His death and resurrection that has brought us change. It is nearly impossible to see it until we are open to hearing His voice. And when we do, it is tempting to sit and cling to that initial feeling, but He has given us the charge to tell others that He is has saved us.
And He is risen.
Let go of your pain, your grief, your self-righteousness, your works by hearing the voice of our risen Lord.
He is risen!
And He has changed us with His power and healed us of our emotional and spiritual wounds by taking them on Himself.
And He has removed our fear and given us hope through His resurrection.
As usual, these are my rough notes, so not necessarily everything I said while preaching.
Tasting Bitterness and Goodness – Esther 8
Coffee
Pastor Scott has been leading us through the book of Esther.
There is a reminder that this is the only book of the Bible that does not mention God. We know that sometimes the things in this life can make it feel like God is not there, but our sovereign God is always moving the pieces, even if we can’t see.
It is like going to the coffee shop.
I work part-time in a coffee shop. I like making coffee for people.
Isn’t interesting how many people think they can tell their barista how to make their coffee, even to the point of giving not just bad advice but downright wrong advice about what they like?
Some people even complain that they don’t know what is happening on the other side of the counter, because they can’t see what the barista is doing.
Take it from a barista: most of us know what we’re doing, and we are not big fans of being told how to do our job or having to answer the same quality questions over and over.
Coffee obviously is not for everyone, because it is a cup of bitterness. With a good barista, that cup of bitterness can become a delicious treat. (Unless you really can’t stand coffee or have a medical condition, but that is beside the point.)
But, you may be asking, does this have to do with the book of Esther?
We know the Jewish people were handed the bitterest of cups with their people being condemned to slaughter, but we see how God made something good from it.
Promotion
Esther 8:1–2, ESV
On that day King Ahasuerus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her. And the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.
Go back into chapter 7: the day is when Haman was revealed and put on the very gallows he had built for Mordecai.
The day Mordy should have been lifted up and killed, Esther tells the king that he is her relative who raised her, and he is instead lifted up in promotion to the old job of Haman.
Imagine the elation of the Jews: one of their own is now one of the most powerful leaders in the empire!
It is very much like elections here: when a leader we dislike is elected, we whine and complain and riot … I mean feel sad; but when a leader we like is elected, we’re happy (even if we don’t always like everything they do.)
Maybe now some good things will come.
Now some real decreeing and declaring can happen!
Let’s see how that plays out.
Seeking the King
Esther 8:3–8, ESV
Then Esther spoke again to the king. She fell at his feet and wept and pleaded with him to avert the evil plan of Haman the Agagite and the plot that he had devised against the Jews. When the king held out the golden scepter to Esther, Esther rose and stood before the king. And she said, “If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and if the thing seems right before the king, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let an order be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king. For how can I bear to see the calamity that is coming to my people? Or how can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?” Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows, because he intended to lay hands on the Jews. But you may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, and seal it with the king’s ring, for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s ring cannot be revoked.”
First, notice how Esther approaches her husband, the king: she still comes humbly, still has to await seeing if she has his favor, which seems obvious after this past chapter, but this was a pagan king who could kill anyone who approaches without being summoned.
Second, notice how she Esther asks the king: at his feet, weeping and pleading. This is a contrite woman who knows her people are still in danger (even if she and Mordy will probably be okay).
Third, we see the dangerous side of the Persian government: a kings decree is un-revocable. Because of this law, the king now has a possible civil war on his hands. (We also see the reminder of how impulsive he is, because he killed a mildly disobedient wife, signed a decree based on “Please, because I hate them,” and little consideration for the future.)
He has a problem he helped create, but he also now has good counselors in Esther and Mordecai. He puts his trust in them to figure out a way around the first decree.
Decreeing
Esther 8:9–14, ESV
The king’s scribes were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day. And an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews, to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, 127 provinces, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language. And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king’s signet ring. Then he sent the letters by mounted couriers riding on swift horses that were used in the king’s service, bred from the royal stud, saying that the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to gather and defend their lives, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, children and women included, and to plunder their goods, on one day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. A copy of what was written was to be issued as a decree in every province, being publicly displayed to all peoples, and the Jews were to be ready on that day to take vengeance on their enemies. So the couriers, mounted on their swift horses that were used in the king’s service, rode out hurriedly, urged by the king’s command. And the decree was issued in Susa the citadel.
We recall from chapter 3 that Haman made the decree on the 13th of the first month, Nisan, to kill all the Jews in the twelfth month, Adar.
The 13th of Nisan is the day before Passover. So, the day before the Jews celebrate redemption, a law is passed saying that at the end of their year they will be killed.
It would be similar to either an Easter or Christmas massacre for Christians.
Christmas 2021 at a church in Myanmar (Burma).
Christmas 2016 in a marketplace in Berlin, Germany.
Christmas 2008 at churches in Congo as well as the Ortega Family in California.
But now, here are Esther and Mordy, two months and ten days after the decree, able to write their own decree: on the 13th of Adar (less than 9 months away), the Jews can not only defend themselves, but they are allowed to kill, destroy, and plunder from anyone who attacks them!
This is good news!
Now, we could ask why God would even allow these things to even happen.
As many of you know, I greatly enjoy coffee. My wife and I became coffee snobs, because there is much, MUCH better than Starbucks and many of the other chains out there. I tell you this so that you can understand where this video is coming from.
[James Hoffman video about coffee tasting]
What does Mr. Hoffman and myself drinking bad coffee have to do with God allowing such horrible things to take place (or almost take place)?
Whenever we as humans have things go well, we eventually get tired of the good things and complain. So God actually promised that He would help break the cycle.
In Deuteronomy 28 and 30, we read:
And as the Lord took delight in doing you good and multiplying you, so the Lord will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you. And you shall be plucked off the land that you are entering to take possession of it. “And the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known.
Deuteronomy 28:63-64, ESV
“And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you, and return to the Lord your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. . . . when you obey the voice of the Lord your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, when you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
Deuteronomy 30:1-3,10, ESV
So, God brings the curses, the bad things, to bring us back to Him.
Now – look around at our nation today. See the obvious rebellion and problems that necessarily follow: a culture that says people can be whatever they want, love whom they will, kill their babies (and in some countries and states the elderly and sick), inflation, hatred, etc.
As Paul told us in Romans 1:
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
Romans 1:24-32, ESV
Oh, yes. I believe God is cursing a country that was once based on God’s Law and Christian morality.
So, will we be a people that whine and complain about how horrible things have gotten, or will realize we have the ear of the King, humbly approach Him with tears and pleading, and ask Him to save this land?
Will we be a people who realize our King has already sent out His decree (Matthew 28:18-20):
“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””
Are we going to do our part and carry this decree to everyone as quickly as we are able?
Because we have the truth, and we have received our promotion and a decree to declare to the whole world.
Good News
Esther 8:15–17, ESV
Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown and a robe of fine linen and purple, and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. The Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor. And in every province and in every city, wherever the king’s command and his edict reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews, for fear of the Jews had fallen on them.
Esther and Mordecai were real people in a real place in history. But we also see what God was pointing us toward.
Jesus of Nazareth, the long-awaited Messiah/Christ, was God come to us, putting on flesh, to give the example of living out God’s holy commands, to then sacrifice Himself in our place for the punishment WE deserved for our breaking His commands, and then to rise back to life and give us hope for the future.
When we believe this truth, like Mordecai, we are raised up with Christ as heirs of the promises of God. We are clothed in bright white robes of the righteousness of Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit (blue), and we are given a crown of glory that comes from Christ.
His authority is lived out in us to take this good news to all parts of the world, that some may declare themselves part of our People – that they may put their faith in Christ, our King who has given us freedom from the fear of death.
Like a good barista, our Maker does His work in us through the bitterness of this world. We know what the best of life is like, so we willingly go into this world full of nastiness and wrongness, and we share that bitter cup of Christ (sacrifice) that others may be able to taste and see the goodness of God.
Once again, I was back in Paulden covering for Brother Paul. We both have been retreading ground. In my last sermon, I preached verses 1-11, and last week Paul did the same (covering things from a slightly different angle.)
This week, I started in verse 7, so only a little retreading.
As usual, these are rough notes, and I added quite a bit.
Unfortunately, the recording had a major error, so there is no video or audio. At least you can read my notes, I guess.
Growing into Friends of God – John 15:7-17
Intro – The Day I “Became a Man”
Our society today rebels against true manhood and womanhood, against all the things God calls good: family, traditional roles, childhood and parenthood.
Frankly, it is all stupid, especially as they wonder why our society is going to hell in a hand basket, even as studies keep coming out showing the importance of fathers and two-parent homes, the rise in depression especially among younger generations and even those who “find their true selves” through gender-swapping and transgenderism, and the yearning for justice that no one can find.
Yet, growing up I wanted to be like my dad.
I remember the day I knew he saw me as a man. It was a summer day in 2002. We were taking our almost annual road trip from Illinois to Upstate New York to see family and friends. I was 18-going-on-19, and I was ready for the regular 12-14 hour day of riding in the back seat, reading, playing some games with my siblings, maybe pretending to nap. (I don’t nap well while traveling.) My dad usually drove, though sometimes he would have my mom drive for a couple of hours to let himself rest a little.
We made our stop near the border of Indiana and Ohio, did the usual rest stop stuff and got some lunch, and then headed back to the car.
Dad stops me a few feet from the car, dangles the keys in front of me, and says, “Ready for your turn?”
It was huge. I knew I was a man that day.
But he also went through a quick list of “remember this and that” for safe driving and such, as well as a reminder that he would be next to me if I got worried or needed to pull over.
In other words, “You’re not a kid anymore. Remember the rules, and remember I am here to help.”
______________
Before we resume John 15, let’s remember what we’ve talked about.
The past two weeks, Pastor Paul and I covered abiding in Christ.
We discussed much about obeying God, showing we love Jesus by obeying His commands.
What are God’s commands?
Love God with everything you are;
Love other people;
Love each other, the Church.
There are different ways of doing this, yes, but there are some specific ways of doing this.
As Pastor Paul reminded us last week, the people of Israel were supposed to be the light to world drawing other people to God. They were God’s vine that consistently did not grow good fruit, so He had to cut them off.
Not just prune the vine. He had to cut them off. First through exile, and then, after Christ’s ministry and resurrection, the destruction of the nation of Israel (until 1948).
He gave a new Vine, Himself, to make a new people, the Church.
In other words, if we want to do truly good works and find eternal life, we must be found in the Vine of Christ. Only in Christ do we find life and fulfillment. Only in Christ, the faithful Son, can we be faithful to obey.
We must be a people who desire Christ more than anything, only finding our fulfillment in Him.
This leads us back to John 15, starting in verse 7.
Reading
John 15:7–17, ESV
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
Growing Up
Just like my Old Man showed his love by letting me drive, we see here that Christ is showing God’s love for us.
We are being elevated from mere servants of God to friends.
I don’t know if I ever would have asked to drive on a road trip. That was Pop’s job. He did the hard work of driving, even if I really, really wanted to drive.
I don’t think we realize what we fail to ask God for in this life.
Many teachers, preachers, and theologians today like to teach “See! We can ask for whatever we want!” To the point that some famous preachers say they had to ask God for a new luxury car, a bigger house, and a faster private jet. Verses 7 and 16 say so!
Is this what Jesus is saying we should be doing?
“If you abide in me … whatever you ask the Father in my name …”
We should be asking according to Jesus’ will.
Am I saying we should never ask for things or to drive our dad’s car? No. God loves when we talk to Him, even over seemingly trivial things.
However, this passage and others show that we ask according to His will.
The Mega Millions was just at $1.3 Billion (a winning ticket was sold in Chicago). It got me thinking about all of those people who win and suddenly find out about family and friends they weren’t aware of. People who come asking for money and/or gifts.
That’s annoying, having people only come to you when they want something, a free handout.
Or if I had started asking random people if I could drive their car. Also annoying and silly.
But Jesus tells us that He is not inviting anyone to come ask Him and His Father for stuff.
Like my dad, He demands faithfulness to His commands, regular obedience.
He wants us to grow up.
My dad didn’t hand me keys to the car when I was five or even 16 years old (though there was practice driving from the age of 15). He waited until I had faithfully shown him that I could be trusted with a vehicle.
Likewise, Jesus says we are His friends if we obey Him. He has shown us we are friends by revealing what His will is.
He says, v. 16, that He chose us to bear fruit, so we know we can bear the fruit He wants.
He says, v. 8, that His will is to glorify the Father.
He says, v. 17, that His will is to glorify God by loving others.
He says, v. 13, that we are to love sacrificially. Even to the point of giving up our lives.
We get over our selfish desires and seek to glorify God by serving others. We are to grow up and start caring for others.
Back in the Garden of Eden, our super-great grandparents chose personal rewards over obedience, and nothing has changed since.
But now we have the Holy Spirit of God who changes our way of thinking and acting to be conformed to the likeness of Christ, to seek the will of God, to love the same way He has loved us.
Some examples
Thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Exodus 33:11, ESV
But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham, my friend; you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off” Isaiah 41:8-9, ESV
Moses and Abraham were murderers and liars, yet they were called friends of God because of their obedience and sacrificial love, both giving up children for God.
And through these men, God called people to Himself, not to be selfish but to seek the will of God.
In chapter 4 of his letter, James, the brother of Jesus, told us as much:
What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. James 4:1-10, ESV
So, the message?
Grow up. Be a friend of God, one who seeks His will and glory above your own, who loves God by loving others.
Be humble and realize your dependence on Him, drawing near to abide in His everlasting love.
We live in a world that says we should be seeking our own comfort and glory, but God demands obedience to His will. And He helps us be faithful if we draw near.
My dad didn’t give me the keys to the car because I was the greatest driver in the world.
He gave me the keys of the car because he loved me enough to train me to drive and rewarded my faithfulness to growing. (Even though I still had a ways to go!)
Likewise, Jesus gives us His Holy Spirit to go into the world and bring glory to God.
He promised (in the last chapter, 14:18) that He would not leave us as orphaned children, rather that He would help train us up and empower us by His Holy Spirit to preach the gospel to whole world, loving them as He has loved us.
[Hebrews 6:1] “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity,” [2 Peter 3:17-18] “beloved, knowing this beforehand, taking care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”
I once again covered for brother Paul at Paulden Christian Fellowship.
As usual, I offer the reminder that these are my rough notes. In fact, I added about double the words verbally this time!
Also, there is no video this time around.
Branching Out: Abiding in Jesus: John 15:1-11
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
John 15:1-11
Intro
Here are some interesting things about grape vines:
The ground beneath a vine needs to be perfectly clean: no weeds, no fallen branches or fruit. It is hard work to keep the ground clean for a vine to grow strong and healthy.
Vines are creeping plants, so they want to spread out across an area. If they stay on the ground, they do not grow good fruit. Therefore, grape vines are usually help up off the ground on trellises (woven/netted fences) or forked stakes.
New vines are allowed to grow for three years before they can grow fruit, being pruned once a year to keep the ground clear and conserve growing energy.
In the winter (usually December-January) of the third year, the vine is extensively pruned to prepare for fruit growth.
There are two kinds of branches that grow on the vine: those that produce fruit and those that don’t. Again, to help those that produce fruit get the most energy and food, the fruitless branches are cut off, to help keep them from robbing the good branches of sustenance. They are not good for anything (except maybe some artwork) due to being too soft for construction and burning too quickly to be used for useful fires. They are at best kindling and even described in Ezekiel 15 as only good for being burned in a bonfire.
Israel was often described as a vine (Isaiah 5, Jeremiah2, Ezekiel 15-19, Hosea 10, Psalm 80), and for much of its history Israel used the vine as its national symbol.
Why talk about this? Because it has everything to do with our passage today! We will see what the fruitless branches look like, what a fruitful branch looks like, and we will look from the beginning of history all the way to the end of history.
The Vinedresser and Fruit
The first thing we must think about is our Father in heaven.
God created the heavens and the earth in six days. During that creative work, He made a Garden in which to place Man, giving the Man dominion over the Creation to tend it and cultivate it, to care for animals and plants, yet to enjoy the fruit and rest of that Garden.
There was only one rule established at the beginning: don’t eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
I find it interesting that Adam is not told to not eat the fruit of the Tree of Life. Is this because God Himself is that tree? It is possible, as Christ told us in the previous chapter of John that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
But our focus is that Adam – and via him Eve – was commanded not to eat of this fruit.
“Every branch that does not bear fruit, He takes away.”
Well, let’s discuss for a moment the nature of vines: that the bad branches need to be pruned off so that they do not take sustenance from the good fruit.
Adam and Eve took fruit that was not theirs. When we give in to temptation or blatantly sin, we join with them in taking fruit without permission.
When people in church are living in unrepentant sin, they are robbing the fellowship of God’s goodness.
They are fruitless and deprive those with good fruit of sharing in all goodness, because they must then share their good fruit without the benefit of return. (Not that we do good things expecting good in return in this life!)
Galatians 5 explains the works of the flesh – the lack of fruit, which leads to immorality, sensuality, idolatry, hatred, rage, divisions, and wild living. When people live this way, we perpetuate the curse of sin and draw away others from God’s goodness and fellowship.
So God cuts them off.
The bad branches are cast into the fire. This sounds harsh. It may even sound like people can lose their salvation.
Let me share my understanding, based on the whole council of God’s Word and historical orthodox understanding:
The bad branches are not those who once put their faith in Christ and fell away. These are those who tried to be good on their own power. They may be those who were raised in church, and even believed much of what they were taught and maybe even taught themselves. Just like the parable of the soils (Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8) explains, some believe and even immediately take root, but the cares of this world, worries, fears, and even greed get in the way and they die.
These are people who like God’s grace, but they take issue with other teachings in the Bible. The word translated as divisions in many modern Bibles is adequately translated in the KJV as “heresies”: different or false teachings. Those who fall away often believe false teachings.
Today it is the people who love God’s grace but hate the Bible’s “homophobia and transphobia.” After all, love is love, and God is love. So stop hating.
Today it is the people who love God’s grace but hate the Bible’s teachings on slavery and how it was used to keep the US in slavery for so long.
Today it is the people who love God’s grace but hate that the Bible seems to keep women down.
In truth, God does love all people, but He does have His standard on what love looks like. We do not hate people, but there is a best way to live, according to God.
In truth, none of these teachings are in the Bible the way these people understand them (or they understand them correctly and hate it all the same.) It does not condone slavery as seen in the 19th Century and before, but it set a standard for protection (that today looks more like the employer-employee dynamic). And the Bible is the reason women were elevated as much as they were historically, to the point that women could eventually own property, run businesses, and have a say in society.
No, these are people who take the good things from God and only keep what they like. They try to steal from God and His People while claiming they have the real goodness.
So, God cuts them off of the Vine, for they were never really a part of the Vine. (As Jesus points out in Matthew 25.) They are unable to do any truly good work (v. 5), so they are cast into the fire.
And God prunes those with good fruit.
Good branches
What does it mean that He prunes us?
It means He cuts of the parts that are not helpful. And yes, it hurts. We have to give up the things that get in the way of God in our lives.
It can look like the hard circumstances in our lives (though, yes, the hard circumstances could also be a direct result of our sinfulness.)
It can look like having something lost, taken from us, or being out of reach, like a job, a car, or a dream.
It can look like being corrected, as much as we like doing what we’re doing or as much as we would rather no one knows what we did.
But we are able to endure it if we abide in Christ.
What does abiding look like?
It is regularly attending church. It is regularly reading the Bible. It is regularly (and often) praying. It is regularly helping others.
It looks like seeing the fruit of the Spirit as shown in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
These are not separate fruits, rather they are attributes of the single fruit of the Spirit. If one of these nine is missing in our lives, we are out of step with the Holy Spirit, not fully abiding in Christ. We should take a moment to examine ourselves, possibly with the help of others, to see what God wants to prune from us to keep us in step with the Sprit, abiding in Christ.
And we see the patience, joy, and self-control to go through that process. We see the love, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness to want to help bring others into that same joy and peace.
We seek to want to help till the ground of the hearts of others to be ready to accept the gospel of Christ, understanding that it is the Holy Spirit using the Word to change their hearts.
Maybe, like Jude tells us, we are able to snatch some from the fire, to help them, as Paul says, to be truly grafted into the True Vine, Jesus.
Jeremiah called out Israel for becoming a wild vine that produces bad and even rotten fruit. But Jesus is the True Israel, the True Vine, in whom we are grafted and see the good works that can flow through us to glorify God.
As Jesus said …
Glorifying God
Abiding in Christ – being grafted in to His Vine – means we seek the glory of the Father. Our will is being conformed to His will, such that we will want to ask for things that bring Him glory and draw others to Him.
As even Pastor Paul preached, we show we are abiding in Christ, loving God, when we obey His commandments.
What are the greatest commandments?
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; Love your neighbor as yourself; and the new commandment from John 13, love one another (the Church).
When we love God, we obey His commands to keep Him first and foremost in our lives, to love other people sacrificially and in truth, and we love His Church.
We are born into a world that rebels against God, and that includes our thoughts. We must realize that we naturally want to rebel and believe what the world teaches us is truth.
We believe that God literally created the world in six days, but the world teaches the universe began on its own and gradually progressed to produce every better (fitter) life. That we get better as we go along. That as a people we are smarter than in the past.
We let this sink in to our understanding today: We must know more than Christians in the past. It may be true for some things, but here we are 2000 years after Christ lived, died, and rose again still disseminating meaning from what was written in this book.
We ask for God’s wisdom through His Holy Spirit to realize where our world is influencing our understanding rather than Him and His Word. We ask for the change in our hearts and minds that only He can give us to be transformed to be more like Christ.
As James reminds us, this is the kind of thing that delights God and that He wants to grant. (See Solomon, after all.)
But what else do we ask for?
That He helps us abide in Him and bring Him all glory.
We see that the vine spreads. Likewise, Christ the Vine spreads as His Church cleans the land through the spreading of the gospel.
We do the good works of pointing people to Christ that they may be drawn near to Him. It may look like feeding and clothing the poor, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and being kind to those the world has forgotten.
Most importantly it is sharing the gospel.
Abiding Toward the Future
As we see, Christ wants us to abide in Him as He abides in the Father, and we are abiding if we are obeying His commands.
And this brings us all joy.
It is because we remember that humanity was invited to abide with God in the Garden of Eden, but through Adam (and our own sin) we rejected that.
The gospel shows us that Jesus was born to faithfully obey, and His greatest fruit was being put on a tree in the place of Adam and Eve and all of us.
The gospel shows that we can one day be with Him in Paradise, as intended.
That is the hope that we have.
If we abide in Christ, we have the hope of eternal glory in the presence of The Glory. No more pain. No more suffering. No more want. No more tears. No more difficult labor (double meaning here).
But we are to follow in His love as Jesus followed the love of the Father.
That means that we are to live sacrificially for others for the sake of the gospel.
The Father loved Jesus, yet the love was displayed through the crucifixion.
God loves us, so we will see pain and trouble in this life for His sake.
Abiding Today
I could give a list of “this is what it looks like” to abide in Christ.
In a way, I did: attend church and small groups, read the Bible, pray, encourage each other, be a servant.
The thing is, abiding in Christ is all of this, but it also can look different for everyone.
It can be serving the hungry. (Which the food bank here does well!) It can be listening to someone hurting: physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. It can be giving money or things to help someone in need, even to the point of wondering how all the bills will be paid this month.
Without the love of God, the fruit of the Spirit guiding our every decision and action, it does not much matter. Therefore, we keep meeting together to encourage each other in Christ, reminding each other of the hope that we have in Christ, and … how about we let the Word tell us:
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrew 10:23-25, ESV
The pastor is supposed to help us understand the Scriptures, and I pray I have helped with that today. But it takes all of us working with Christ to encourage each other to abide in Christ. It is that whole living life together thing.
How do we abide?
We trust in Christ for our salvation. We rely on the Holy Spirit and the Church to grow us and change us. We encourage each other and ask for the wisdom God offers. We spread the good news of Jesus Christ throughout our community and the world by doing good works and sharing the gospel.
And we do it together, joining God in this great mission of love, grace, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
While Pastor Scott is out of town, I was given the privilege of preaching on the passage about the works of the flesh versus the fruit of the Spirit.
I am sure I never to too controversial … (I mention false teachers and current political drama …)
As a reminder, these are sermon notes, so they may not necessarily have everything I actually said. (Especially seeing as, as I said at the beginning of the message, a bunch of my notes digitally disappeared! I put much of what I said in here.)
Freedom and Truth in the Spirit – Galatians 5:16-26
Intro
Be thankful.
54 weeks ago, I preached in Mark 10 and gave a mini-seminary lesson on chiastic structures in literature, especially the Bible. A chiasm, as a reminder, is when ideas flow, like a door on a hinge, such that there is a Thought A, a Thought B, and a Thought C (possibly a similar Thought C’), that then connects with similar Thought B’ and concluding with a similar Thought A’.
I could go deeper, but I will spare you a full repeat of that lesson.
I wanted to explain possibly dozens of chiasms in this little book of Galatians, and that in Galatians 5:15-26 I found a possible four chiasms! Oh, how I wanted to point out similarities between the various thoughts and how God used Paul to connect our own infighting and envy, getting over ourselves, and the goodness of God; how certain works of the flesh correlate with each other!
Instead, I will not gratify my own desires and nerdiness for language and grammar. I will leave you in the freedom of not being lectured on the intricacies of such things … so that you do not slip into sinful rage against my boring interests.
No, I will just focus on stepping on everyone’s toes, pointing out how sinful our world is and we ourselves can be! I even admit that looking at the list of the works of the flesh in Galatians 5, I see too much of myself … in all 15 things and things like these.
And, hopefully, as we go through Galatians 5:16-26, you also find the encouragement and freedom we have in Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit against our own sinfulness and in His grace.
Who are we gratifying?
Galatians 5:16–18 (ESV)
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.There are many things that we want to do. There are many things that feel good. Maybe they are not in and of themselves bad, but are they necessarily the things we should be doing.
If we are in church – or even listening online or later – we are probably seeking to live good and godly lives. A good church – good pastors and leaders – will point out that even as Christians we often fail to perfectly live good lives.
How do I know?
I look at my own life! I am sure most if not all of you would be willing to admit that you know where, when, and how often you fall short.
Hamartia – the Greek word for sin that literally means “falling short of the target.”
But we do get encouragement from God’s Word, when Paul reminds us in Romans 7 that he, too, fell short:
What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. Romans 7:7-25, ESV
We are content to live our lives assuming we are living well, but then God’s Law shows us that we consistently fall short. And before anyone can assume they are doing okay, we are also reminded in Romans 2 that God has written His Law on our hearts. Our own consciences betray us, knowing what we should or should not do and doing the opposite.
In other words, we are enslaved to our own sinful desires when left to our own devices. We would rather gratify our sinful, fleshly desires than seek God.
Now, as pastors Scott and Aaron have reminded us the past two weeks, when we are found in Christ we are set free from the confines of the Law. We are free to choose to please God rather than our own desires.
Paul has now told us twice – in Romans 7 and back here in Galatians 5 – that our flesh keeps us from wanting to obey God, but in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit we are able to fight back, to cast off the yoke of slavery to sin to willingly take the yoke of Christ. The Law reminds us we can’t measure up, but when our faith is in the So n of God, the Father sees the Son’s faithfulness and empowers us with the Holy Spirit to walk in the same righteous faithfulness of Christ.
But there are many who teach a twisted form of this truth.
The “Gospel” of the Flesh
Galatians 5:19–21 (ESV)
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Some quick definitions and explanations:
Sexual immorality, impurity, and sensuality:
Sexual immorality is our translation of the Greek “porneia” – denotes sex outside of marriage, where we get our word for “pornography”. And as Jesus informed us in the Sermon on the Mount, even lusting is adulterous, so not merely the physical but also the emotional and imagination.
Impurity comes straight out of this, that we taint the marriage bed by pursuing fantasies, personal gratification, or non-husband-and-wife relationships that interfere with marital relationships.
Sensuality also comes out of this, by being tempting to others, dressing for attention (both male and female!) especially in a sexy way, pushing boundaries (“How far is too far?”).
Idolatry and Sorcery, sorcery being the Greek word “pharmakeia”, where we get our word for “pharmacy” – it can mean medicinal research (so not all bad), but it carries the implication of using drugs or magical manipulation to alter reality or our perception of it, i.e. trying to play God by creating new things from nothing or by illicitly combining elements of things. In other words, putting things before God or playing God, including addictions and trying to do things apart from Him, including seeking eternal life and personal happiness.
Enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy:
Enmity and strife are making people enemies by purposefully spreading lies or gossip with the intent of causing harm, thus …
Rivalries, dissensions, and divisions – purposefully and malevolently seeking to harm others to selfishly get ahead. “We’re better than they are because …” The Greek word for divisions is “hairesis” or “heresies”. People who make up new meanings and teachings to help themselves.
Fits of anger and envy are slipping into rage and desiring harm to others, thinking others have it better off because of special privilege or advantage and therefore need to be taken down a peg.
Drunkenness and orgies go together, as the implication of drunkenness (Greek “methai” – which sounds a lot like our drugs Meth, but while that is merely coincidence it should serve as a good reminder) is one who lives in a perpetual state of being drunk, i.e. an alcoholic or addict, and the word translated “orgies” implies alcohol fueled parties in which anything goes and often does.
When I look at this list and compare my life 16 years ago, I remember thinking reading this in 2007 that my life (as a Christian!) had become all but two things on this list – sorcery/witchcraft and orgies. Yet, knowing the deeper meanings today, I can see that many of the parties I attended the previous two years fell into this, because we would have hookah mixed with other things or the crazy drink concoctions (sorcery) while having mass make-out sessions (included in the understanding of orgies). All of this is one of the reasons I understand and appreciate the Parable of the Prodigal Son and God’s grace so much more!
But let’s work through these works in light of what others may teach today:
People like to point out all of the accounts of abuse in churches, thinking it proves the Church is merely another religion of men trying to control other people.
While a few of those caught in abusive scandals in recent years do look like orthodox preachers who did horrible things, we must realize that a) non-Christians and even the irreligious are at least as guilty as people found doing such things in the Christian churches and b) the vast majority have been caught teaching heresies, man-made doctrines, and/or twisted gospels. It is an expected sign that people teaching/promoting heresies and such are later caught in abusive behaviors, be they controlling others (often through emotional and spiritual abuse) and/or sexual sins and/or addictive behaviors.
The Hillsong scandals of the past two years: a church that promotes the prosperity gospel and has been associated with known false teachers. I specifically mean those in the New Apostolic Reformation full of false prophets and apostles, such as the Bethel Church of Redding, CA, group, and the International House of Prayer out of Kansas City. Why do I mention them? Sure, they occasionally get a prophecy right and typically have good sounding statements of faith (if they have one), but the vast majority of their prophecies have been wrong. According Scripture (Deuteronomy 13 and 18, as well as smatterings throughout the Hebrew Bible), it only takes one false prophecy to be a false prophet.
These people and even some historically sound teachers argue that it merely means they attempted to prophecy in their own power, not that they’re false prophets. This is definitely a heresy (division in our list today), and it is definitely a blasphemy. They have attributed falsehood to God, what Jesus (in Matthew and Luke 12) calls blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
It is people who teach we need to be doing certain things – performing signs and wonders or loving a certain way – to be saved or to prove we are saved or to finish our salvation by doing works or making reparations for our sins and the sins of our ancestors.
It is the so-called pastors who twist Scripture to justify their own teachings and lifestyles, saying things like “Jesus never said anything about gay marriage” or “words like homosexuality were added in the past 120 years” or “they were writing to the cultural context of their day only.” If the changes in society govern how we should interpret Scripture, it would mean it is not the eternal Word of God that it claims to be, that God – who the same Scriptures say does not change – changes with the times, too.
Our fruit, they say, is to admit that love is love and that we need to be tolerant of each others’ personal truths. Embrace your fruitiness, come out of the closet, and don’t judge! Jesus said don’t judge, so stop being hypocrites and celebrate our diversity and inclusivity!
Yet, these are the very people who show their fruit by demanding their rights over the rights of others.
These are the people who say they don’t care what God’s Law says, they have their own personal freedom to do what they want when they want. They may think it is good to have out-of-control protests and riots.
These are the people who say “my body, my choice,” and then attack others – verbally and physically – such as demanding we forfeit our religious rights for their preferences, or deface and damage businesses and non-profits that they disagree with, taking away the choice of others. (Yes, I am referring to the news of the past week (and two months) of Roe v. Wade being overturned as well, as Pride Month.)
All of these are different gospels, things they those who profess them think are “good news”, but like Paul reminded us (and Pastor Scott in his messages has reiterated) these are no gospels at all. They are false gospels from false teachers. They think they have freedom, but they are still slaves to their sinful desires.
I know. I am being a bit confrontational. Science and Scripture are actually on our side.
And I can hear some of the rebuttals:
“But aren’t you being divisive with these words?”
“What happened to loving your neighbor?”
“Aren’t you told not to use your freedom in Christ to hurt others?”
And technically these are true, but this is using the same tactics of the serpent in the Garden.
“Did God really say …?” – “Why are you going against God’s Word?” (While they twist it themselves.)
“You will not surely die …” – “God didn’t really mean what He said.”
“You will be like God …” – “We have freedom, too! You are the ones not obeying!”
“Those people” are the ones misunderstanding. Jesus commanded us to judge rightly, not hypocritically, in Matthew 7, using God’s Word to examine ourselves and each other.
And how do we love others?
By revealing God’s truth, even when it hurts. No one likes hearing they are deplorable sinners, that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. We don’t like hearing we have spit in the face of God, slapped Him, beat Him, killed Him by our own sin.
We all have broken His righteous Law.
We all are guilty of abusing His words and His grace.
We all are guilty of putting Jesus on the cross.
Yet, it is Jesus who told people we do not take sin seriously enough, that getting rageful (from our list) is tantamount to murder, that lusting is tantamount to adultery.
It is Jesus who said to go and sin no more.
It is Jesus who said no one comes to the Father except by Me, that only those who deny themselves and believe in the Son will be saved from God’s wrath an inherit eternal life.
It is Jesus who willingly went to the cross to pay for our rebellion, our sexual immorality and impurity, our rage and jealousy and strife and division against God.
So, how do we respond?
Knowing we are just as guilty as everyone raging against the Church and God’s Word and recent Supreme Court decisions …
I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
One of the things that blew my mind as a young Christian was when my pastor (also a Pastor Scott) pointed out that the word for fruit is singular. These are not nine different fruits that we may show at different times. We are looking at one tree (one vine!), and it produces a single fruit comprised of various parts.
How do we respond?
Those outside of Christ are still in the yoke of bondage to sin. They do not have the freedom they think they do.
We who belong to Christ have crucified our flesh, our desires, our passions, that we may be conformed to the image of Christ. Dying to ourselves does not sound like freedom, but as Pastor Aaron said last week, it is just like being invited into a construction site to write scriptures and prayers on the hidden structure, being told there are limits to where we can go, but for the love of those working and the officials (of the school) freely choose to stay within those limits.
And that is what we see: love (for God and others), joy (that is difficult to explain), peace (that is difficult to understand), patience (to deal with limitations on ourselves and from others), kindness (reflecting the kindness our Lord has shown us when being mocked and beaten), goodness (in the midst of evil), faithfulness (when the easy thing is to compromise and settle), gentleness (controlled strength, not reacting to attacks but from love), and self-control (when we want to give in.)
How do we respond?
We freely choose the gospel over retribution or even our own rights. We do not concede to evil, but we stand up in the midst of it, showing love and grace with a faithfulness to truth and God.
We show patience and kindness towards those who disagree with us, showing gentleness (“forgive them, for they know not what they do”) as our all-powerful God was with us who crucified His Son.
When they lose control, mocking us, getting violent, destroying property and lives, we show self-control, not getting overly angry or spiteful toward them.
We take the time to listen, to hear their hurting hearts, their fears, even their hatred. We do not relent in truth, but we stand in the truth.
It is too easy for us to give in to the passion of the moment, desiring retribution and our chance to be heard. Instead, we are crucified with Christ. It is no longer we who live but Christ in us. We walk in the Spirit, knowing that in Christ we died to our selves. We await our renewed bodies, but we walk in the renewal of our minds in the Holy Spirit. We lay down our rights to be heard and to be “right” in every argument.
But we hold to the truth.
We do not force truth on others, mocking their arguments and actions while wishing people listened to us as much as they listen to “the woke left” or even the conservative right or anyone in between.
No, we rest in the truth of God’s Word, telling others the truth in love.
Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit 1 Peter 3:13-18, ESV
Yes, we have the truth on our side, but we do not make others listen. We speak God’s Word and trust the Holy Spirit to work on their hearts.
Yes, we do work toward making our world a better place and standing for truth, but …
though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, ESV
Why do we do this?
We remember that we are no different. We are just as guilty of sin and rebellion.
But Christ has saved us who believe.
So we are patient and kind and self-controlled and loving, even when we don’t necessarily feel like it.
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:23-25, ESV
We devote ourselves to biblical teachings and the fellowship of the saints, to the breaking of bread and prayers in the awe of God.
We are in the world but not of it, so we join with God to bring heaven to Earth – patiently, kindly, and lovingly, with God’s goodness, joy, and peace which surpasses understanding.
I know I see myself too well in the works of the flesh, but I strive to enter through the narrow door, to enter the freedom of God’s rest that I may not enter into the same disobedience, for peace with everyone, for the holiness without which no one sees the Lord.
I strive for the freedom from sinfulness and bitterness that Christ offers.
I trust in Christ to change me to change the world.
I strive to live a full life in Jesus and bring others along for the ride.
Will you join me as I seek Jesus?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, You are the Holy One, the righteous Judge, our loving Savior. We know we have chosen to pursue our own sinful desires, to chase down our own passions, to rebel against You and each other.
We ask again for your forgiveness for all those times we fall short, when we give in to the fear of this world over the fear of the Lord, when we act self-righteous over trusting in Your righteousness, when we fight and rage against each other over seeking Your peace, when we seek our own gratification over the fullness of the Spirit.
By Your Spirit, guide us in all truth and love, that we may carry your love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in our own lives and to our violent, impure, rebellious world. Make Your light shine through us, helping us to trust You more and more, sharing the hope of Your yet future return, that others may come to glorify Your Name in all the Earth.
Help us to be faithful in all things, with all gifts.
Our elder, Bill Swenson, delivered the Sunrise Sermon this year. Enjoy.
Easter Sunrise Sermon
Why do we celebrate Easter/Resurrection Sunday?
Because Jesus was raised from the dead? Jesus was not the only one to rise from the dead.
Old Testament:
Elijah raised a widows son. 1 Kings 17
Elisha raised a Shunamite’s son. 2 Kings 4
A man was thrown into Elisha’s bones. 2 Kings 13:21
New Testament:
Peter raised Tabitha aka Dorcas. Acts 9
Paul raised Eutychus. Acts 20
Jesus raised a widows son. Luke 7
Jesus raised Jairus’ daughter. Luke 8
Jesus raised Lazarus. John 11
God raised Jesus. 1 Corinthians 15
Saints raised with Jesus. Matt 21
What made Jesus special?
He prophesied it. Matt. 12:38-40
This is why guards were placed at the tomb. Matt 27:62-64
He was raised immortal. Romans 6:9
With a physical form though a spiritual body. 1 cor 15:44, John 20:27
Why does it matter? Or as Paul says in 1 Cor. 15:16-19
What is to be pitied about being a Christian?
Look at Paul’s life 2 Cor. 11:24-27
Trouble is promised to us. John 15:20, 16:33
Why do Christians endure this? Why sign up for it?
Past
Rom 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Colossians 2:14 “by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”
Present
2 Cor 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
1 Cor 6:19-20 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
Phil 4:7 “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Future
Rev 20:15. “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”
Rom 6:23. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Matt 6:19-21. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[a] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Persecution breeds reward. Matt 5:11-12 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Rev 21:3-4 “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Because Jesus was raised, our sins are forgiven.
Because Jesus was raised, we are a new creation. Because Jesus was raised, we will dwell eternally with God!
Thr little book of Ruth always gets me emotional, and I did struggle through this message.
Below are my notes, and remember that they are just notes. I add stuff as I preach!
The Story of a Girl – Ruth 3
Romance Stories
Hollywood and book publishers love telling us about love. We get stories about how boy and girl find each other, they fall in love, often they sleep together, then they decide they want to be together forever.
In other words, “Yeah, relationships are great, but let us tell you how it’s done, even if it gets a little spicy, and especially if it helps you get over your old-fashioned, out-dated morals.”
The majority of TV shows and movies not only suggest but even promote “test driving” before marrying – if marriage is even necessary.
[Personal story]
But what of a truly good romance?
The story of a girl
Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you? Is not Boaz our relative, with whose young women you were? See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. Wash therefore and anoint yourself, and put on your cloak and go down to the threshing floor, but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. But when he lies down, observe the place where he lies. Then go and uncover his feet and lie down, and he will tell you what to do.” And she replied, “All that you say I will do.”
Ruth 3:1-5, ESV
The relationship these two women have is wonderful.
[Personal story]
Would Naomi have truly slipped into full bitterness without her daughter-in-law? “What else do I have to live for? I am too old to have more children. God has forsaken me. I have nothing.
Maybe you have felt this way, like nothing right happens in your life, whether for a season or your whole life. Maybe you get stuck seeing the bad more than you see the good, like when the president you didn’t vote for is elected or it looks like World War III could happen. Is there any good left in the world? Does anything good ever happen?
You need a faithful friend, one who can remind you of the good and help you find your way back home.
After all, Ruth means “compassionate friend.”
For now, Naomi has a focus: find a way to continue her husband’s lineage, help Ruth find a husband.
And it sounds like the advice she gives is scandalous: privately go to him and lay down near him at night. But we know we are dealing with honorable people.
A girl before a boy … er … man
So she went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her. And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came softly and uncovered his feet and lay down. At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and behold, a woman lay at his feet! He said, “Who are you?” And she answered, “I am Ruth, your servant. Spread your wings over your servant, for you are a redeemer.” And he said, “May you be blessed by the Lord, my daughter. You have made this last kindness greater than the first in that you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you ask, for all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman. And now it is true that I am a redeemer. Yet there is a redeemer nearer than I. Remain tonight, and in the morning, if he will redeem you, good; let him do it. But if he is not willing to redeem you, then, as the Lord lives, I will redeem you. Lie down until the morning.”
Ruth 3:6-13, ESV
It is likely the end of the barley harvest, so the men are celebrating. It might even be close to Passover – this is the time of the barley harvest, after all. The women who have gleaned may have been invited, as well, not making it strange for a woman to be present.
Regardless, after a festive evening, Boaz lays down near a pile of barley. The farmer protects his investment, sleeping at the harvest field until the goods are stored. Ruth does as she was told and finds him, uncovers his feet, an lays down. Many times in the Bible “feet” are an allusion to … the reproductive organs. But, like said, these are honorable, God-fearing people. It just means feet! She folds back the hem of his robe that he is using as a blanket.
This is not a modern romance story.
Maybe it was uncovering his feet, or laying down a little too noisily, or maybe one of his workers suddenly snored a little too loudly, but Boaz awakes at midnight to find Ruth laying at his feet.
She takes the posture of a servant – property, someone not worthy of his attention. Humble. Contrite.
Yet, she is bold. She asks for his protection. Not just a safe place to glean some food, but “cover me with your own clothes, feed me with your own plate. Only you can elevate me from nothing to something.”
I think of a woman over 1200 years later. A woman who does not try to cover herself with the hem of a robe, but she merely tries to touch the hem of a robe. A different Redeemer. One whose hem not only protects, but heals. (Luke 8:43-48)
I think of a story that Redeemer shares, of two men: one a Pharisee who brags to God about how righteous he is, and a tax collector who humbly laments his sin and knows of only One who can elevate him from despair to salvation. (Luke 18:9-14)
Just like these two with Jesus, Boaz shows grace and kindness, calling her daughter and blessing her.
We see here he admits to being older. As a redeemer, he would have to be a brother to the deceased (which obviously, he is not Ruth’s brother-in-law), a cousin, or even an uncle. It is likely that he is either an uncle or older cousin, and the other redeemer is a closer cousin. Perhaps he was Elimilech’s cousin, and this other man is Elimilech’s nephew or even brother. Regardless, Boaz is not that young, at least as old as Naomi. Ruth is probably 16-25 (remember that Naomi and her sons lived in Moab for 10 years!) Boaz could be as old as 80 (tradition holds that died soon after Obed was born.)
It reminds me of a Redeemer who is called our Everlasting Father.
We also see that this kindness is greater than the first. Which first kindness?
Probably that a young woman forsake her home for her mother-in-law. A young woman who worked hard to take care of someone she was barely related to. A young woman who could have looked for a “young stud” who could take care of all of her needs.
But she’s still thinking of her mother-in-law as well as her own needs. But he promises to make sure she is taken care of, even if it could potentially look like some impropriety may have happened (but tries to minimize that appearance.)
Which reminds me of a man who tried to look out for a girl who claimed God gave her a child.
Which reminds me of a Man who made sure His mother was cared for, even as He died on a cross for crimes He did not commit.
But Boaz is not done yet.
A story of hope for a girl
So she lay at his feet until the morning, but arose before one could recognize another. And he said, “Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor.” And he said, “Bring the garment you are wearing and hold it out.” So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley and put it on her. Then she went into the city. And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “How did you fare, my daughter?” Then she told her all that the man had done for her, saying, “These six measures of barley he gave to me, for he said to me, ‘You must not go back empty-handed to your mother-in-law.’ ” She replied, “Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest but will settle the matter today.”
Ruth 3:14-18, ESV
Boaz means “swiftness”.
He makes sure they are awake before dawn. He provides food for her to take home. This is both a sign to Naomi that he will handle this situation – “Don’t worry, Naomi” – while also ensuring both women are cared for.
Then, as we see in the next chapter, he goes straight out, finds ten men to witness, and finds the other redeemer to get it settled … swiftly.
The Story. Of a Girl.
In the beginning, was a girl. She was tempted with evil, and her husband did not protect her as he should.
There was a girl, whose husband, brother-in-law, and father-in-law all died, but she found a man who would protect and care for her.
There was a girl, who found a man, and gave birth to the Son of Man.
There is a girl. She felt abandoned. She also abandoned. But her Redeemer came for her. Provided for her. Saved her.
This girl is the Church. She is all the redeemed. She is all of the saints of God who humbly … boldly approach the Redeemer, knowing they are unworthy of attention, not even worthy to be a slave, but seek His mercy, His grace.
As we approach this Passover, this Resurrection Sunday, may we faithfully glean from the sown Word of God – sown by the faithful writers and fellow servants, sown by the our very Redeemer. May we seek the favor of our Redeemer, knowing He has been faithful and has redeemed us.
All we need do is ask.
This life may be hard. We may face our struggles, our hurts, our disappointments. We may fail, feel abandoned or lost.
But we have a Redeemer. One who provides for us and protects us.
We, the Church, are His Bride. He longs to be with us.
Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
Revelation 19:6-8, ESV
He has given us work to do. We glean from His Word and carry it home, and to our neighbors, sharing His bounty with those around us.
How do we say it around here? What is the vision, the mission statement of The Church Next Door?
Live a full life in Jesus and bring others along for the ride.
As the Bible puts it in Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV):
“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””
This is the greatest love story.
Ruth and Boaz were just a picture of it, a vision of a simple story of a girl.
We are a part of the Greatest Story: The Story of the Redeemed in Christ.
I preached again! And once again, I was covering for Brother Paul in Paulden, AZ.
There is no video this time (unless you are okay looking up my nose most of the time!), but I did upload the audio recording.
I also joined in the solidarity day with Canadian churches by taking some time to discuss biblical sexuality (and understanding biblical context) in response to the nee Canadian law, Bill C-4 – Conversion Therapy ban.
De-Contexting Jesus: John 11:11-16
Waking the Dead
Know how parents or the cranky neighbor next door (or you?) complain about loud kids, “Their being so loud they could wake the dead?”
I have been thinking about so many people – churches, preachers, even people who have nothing to do with Christianity – who make bold claims about what Scripture says, about how Christians should act.
Tend to be the liberal-minded – “We understand better what was really meant back then: Jesus never spoke about homosexuality! People don’t really come back from the dead! We find new spiritual life and change, even in our bodies, if we were born the wrong way!”
Or even, like people like Bart Ehrman (author of Misquoting Jesus and other works attempting to tear down Christianity), they say we don’t understand what Jesus really meant, and it was exaggerated, anyway.
I have been thinking about so many people – churches, preachers, so-called prophets and apostles – who make bold claims about what Scripture says, about what Christians should be able to do.
Tend to be liberally-minded – “We understand more what was really meant back then: Jesus raised the dead, so we should be doing it even more! Jesus was sinless, and we are too! Jesus did amazing things, and we can do more!”
Or even, like people like “Pastors” Kenneth Copeland and Bill Johnson, we are Christs (anointed ones), we are little gods.
11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
“Lord, if he’s fallen asleep …”
Oh, Lazarus wasn’t that sick. He is resting and getting better.
The disciples misunderstood Jesus, even though He said something plain and in a context that should have made it plain. And how many times do people today take something Jesus said without looking at the context?
“Do not judge … See! Jesus said don’t judge, you evil hypocrite!”
“You will do greater things … See! We should all be raising the dead and performing signs and wonders!”
“This is my body … See! Jesus said!” Do the elements of communion literally become His body and blood? Catholics certainly say so. But so many others say “He spoke in euphemisms and metaphors. He was just a good teacher!”
It is so easy to rip things out of context to fit our needs.
Yet, “Lazarus has died.” Okay, “Lets die with him!”
They started to get the context: vv. 7-8 – “We’re going to Jerusalem.” “But, teacher! The Jews are trying to kill you!”
“Oh! We might be martyred!”
Now, we know that Thomas was right. All of the apostles and disciples were persecuted, and most of the apostles were indeed martyred. But in this moment, he probably is still thinking of his own glory more than the glory of Jesus.
Thomas and the disciples are trying to do good by Jesus, but they keep missing the greatest meaning. This happens even now.
A Related Interlude
In terms of the more liberal thinkers, they are following evolutionary thinking: we are later in time, so we understand better. Jesus did not really talk about these things, but even if He did, times have changed. The loving thing is to let people live how they believe they should!
As an example, today is a day that pastors across North America (maybe farther) are standing in solidarity with Canadian churches to preach about biblical sexuality. This is my little addition to that.
Canada just began enforcing a new law this past week, “Bill C-4: Conversion Therapy.” This bill makes conversion therapy illegal, defining conversion therapy as:
a practice, treatment or service designed to change a person’s sexual orientation to heterosexual; change a person’s gender identity to cisgender; change a person’s gender expression so that it conforms to the sex assigned to the person at birth; repress or reduce non-heterosexual attraction or sexual behavior; repress a person’s non-cisgender gender identity; or repress or reduce a person’s gender expression that does not conform to the sex assigned to the person at birth
Essentially, the way it is worded, in Canada, it is illegal to even call homosexuality, transgenderism, and any sex outside of marriage sin. How do we know this is not merely “slippery slope logic” and hyperbole?
The UK, New York, California, New Jersey, and Nevada have passed similar laws. Preachers and evangelists in the UK and New York, that I know of, have been arrested for hate speech and disrupting the peace for calling homosexuality a sin.
We hear people – pastors, theologians, politicians, everyday people – saying the New Testament never explicitly condemns homosexuality, it was just an OT law that was abolished.
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
“neither the pornoi” – sexually immoral, the root of our word “pornography”
“nor malakoi” – soft, effeminate men “who catch” – “nor arsenokoitai” – males who penetrate men and boys.
Both of these terms are combined into our English translations to the word “homosexual.” So, yes, the NT talks about it, and in a few other places condemns all sorts of sexual and sensual acts outside of marriage.
And as for Jesus never having spoken on it, that means they do not believe truly is God – the Logos, the Word – the One who worked through Moses and the Prophets to write the OT. In effect, Jesus spoke on these through the OT, and He does not change (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 7:21, James 1:17).
And Paul continued,
“And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
So, it is possible to change, in Christ. It is not merely trying to “pray the gay away.” It is conforming to Christ. (So, some conversion therapy is indeed not that good!)
Yet, clearly these are not the only ones.
Back to Context
Many who [claim to (have)] follow(ed) Christ, twist His words, as well.
Many people have “deconstructed their faith” in recent years, being seen as brave and open-minded by many in our world.
Really, most have de-contextualized Jesus or listened to those who have. Maybe they were in liberal churches or churches that shy away from biblical truth to be seen as hip and with it, to be “seeker sensitive”, even though Romans 3:11 reminds us that “no one understands; no one seeks for God” unless the Father (by the Holy Spirit) draws them in (John 6:44).
Many “pastors, prophets, and apostles” today claim special knowledge and new understanding about God and His Word.
Really, most have de-contextualized Jesus or listened to those who have. They claim passages about Him or said by Him as for themselves, even if the greater context completely contradicts their understanding.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
So many people claim this verse as a life verse, even if they have had an easy life. The context is God telling Israel, “I am about to punish you for 70 years for disobeying me. I am disciplining you, but it is okay.” As many take it as, “God only wants good things for me!”
Normal people are not really the problem. It is the big names, the ones who continue to spread mis-truths and should know better.
Remember earlier I asked about complaining about people “being so loud they could wake the dead?
Like Paul reminded us in 1 Corinthians 13, these people are like noisy gongs and clanging cymbals. They distract and make enough noise to raise the dead! (Or claim they can, anyway.)
Jesus warned us these people would come before the end, and Paul repeated it in his letters to Timothy, such as in his encouragement in 2 Timothy 2:15 when he says “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”
So what about everyone else?
Re-Contexting
In a world of deconstructing and de-contexting, we should be people who re-context.
We know in our passage today that Jesus had let Lazarus die so that Jesus and His Father could be glorified.
His disciples did not yet understand, and they spoke rashly, like we often do, too.
Firstly, Jesus reminds us that when we die, it is not the end. “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep.” We know that Jesus has defeated death through His death and resurrection. We know that, unlike woke culture that seeks to separate and shame, Jesus awakens us out of our sin and shame into unity with God.
We may misunderstand and take things out of context, but His grace is enough. His love is enough. Wake up to the truth of Christ, the Faithful One who shows us that He is the context of love, grace, and truth.
Secondly, we are reminded of our duty. “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Christ has told us that we are to take up our cross and die to ourselves.
Is Christ more important than our own lives? Do we trust that He has overcome death and the grave? “If God is for me, what can flesh do to me?”
Is sharing the gospel something we are willing to lay our lives down for? Though others turn away, deconstruct, and de-contextualize, do we truly believe that these are the words of eternal life (John 6:66-68)?
We serve the God of the Universe, the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Great I Am. Do we fear Him or those who twist His words? If God is for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)?
Yes, we get it wrong sometimes. But we turn to the only righteous one, and we follow Him into the battle, even if we must die.
And die we must. Die to our fleshly desires and selfish wants.
We may never see anyone raised from the dead in this life, but we know the One who defeated death and came back. He may come in the next moment. He may not come for 10,000 years.
But Jesus has proven Himself faithful and trustworthy.
Come, let us go also, that we may die with Him.
For He has shown His light to awaken us to eternal life. Forget the sins of the past, and grab hold of the nail-scarred hands that lift us from the pit.
Let us all do our best to present ourselves to God as those approved, workers who have no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15) Let us re-context Christ to this world and hasten His return.
Prayer
Lord, we have come before you a people who have misunderstood, misapplied, and misused your Word. We confess it to you now. We thank you and give you praise that have forgiven us through the cross of Christ.
Open our minds by Your Holy Spirit to understand Your Word. Give us a passion for the Scriptures, to read and study the Bible.
Embolden our hearts and spirits to proclaim Your Truth to this world. Give us a desire to share the gospel, to be ready in all seasons to give an answer to those who ask for a reason for the hope that is in us.
Give us peace and wisdom as we go into this world with all of its problems and challenges, dangers and attacks.
Help us to remain focused on You and Your Truth. Guide us in all wisdom and truth.
Help us to seek You and Your Kingdom first.
For you are worthy of all glory and honor and praise, and we declare our need for You. Show us Your glory, fill us with Your love, and guide us by Your Spirit. Conform us to the image of Your Son.
In the name of that Faithful Son, Jesus Christ, we pray.
It is an end-of-the-year message, that deals with Christmas, our past, our present, and moving toward the future.
As usual, here are my notes. Remember that I do not necessarily stick strictly to the notes.
Going Forward
John 21:15-22
15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. 18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” 19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”
20 Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” 21 When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” 22 Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”
A Christmas Carol
One of my favorite stories of all time (after the Bible) is “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens.Every year we watch through many iterations, and I make sure to re-read the short story.
It is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old man whose business partner has been dead for years, his estranged nephew still tries to invite him over for Christmas, but Christmas and everything about it is “humbug.”
Is it strange that I like a story about a man who talks with charity collectors about the poor going to work in workhouses or in prison? That when prompted with “many would rather die,” ol’ Scrooge replies, “they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”
Why do I love this story so?
Because, Scrooge is visited by three spirits – the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet-To-Come – who remind him of his more jolly past, how he has affected people in his present, and the future he faces if he does not change. And they do it all in a single night, before the morning of Christmas.At the end, he pleads with the final spirit: “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year!”And what about after that? “And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well.”
But Christmas has passed for us. What is Christmas about?
Jesus!
We know that Jesus came into the world, and we celebrate His first coming at Christmas time.
And how much like Scrooge can we be? How much do we focus on our wants and needs in this life without looking after those around us? Hating others and wanting what they have rather than wanting the best for them?
Where else do we see such pettiness?
Peter
In our passage, we see a man talking with His Lord who is no mere spirit or ghost. This is Jesus who barely a month earlier was crucified for our sins, yet He is alive!
And what does Jesus have to say to Peter?
Do you love me?
Do you love me?
Do you love me?
Why does Jesus ask Peter this three times?
We remember before the crucifixion that it was Peter who denied His Lord three times:
I am not His disciple.
I don’t know the Man!
I don’t know what you’re talking about!
Here is a man who was more concerned for his own well being than actively looking after his friend.
So, since Peter denied Him three times, Jesus asks three times to reinstate him, “Do you love me?”
What is love?
But notice that Peter is hurt by the third asking. Why?
First, Jesus asks, “Simon” – not Peter, for he lost that right by denying the truth he proclaimed earlier – “Simon, son of John, do you agape me …” Does Simon love Jesus enough to sacrifice everything for Him?
Remember that this is the Simon who said in John 13:37 “I will lay down my life for you.” Or in Mark 14:29 “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” Both instances we read of Jesus telling him he would deny him and fall away.
And he did. But Jesus’ question finishes, “Do you agape me more than these?”
Is Jesus asking “Do you love me more than your possessions?” Possibly, but I don’t think so.
Is Jesus asking “Do you love me more than you love these other people?” More probable, but I think it goes deeper.
“Do you love me more than these others love me?” This is essentially the claim Simon Peter had made before.
In truth, it is a combination of all three implied meanings, but most importantly, “Do you love me more than anything and anyone so that no one can tear you out of my hand?”
“Then feed my sheep.” Give them the nourishment of the Bread of Life, the Word of God.
But a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you agape me?”
Both of these times, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” He knows that Jesus can see into our hearts. Jesus stops comparing Simon to others in the second question, bringing it squarely home.
“Then tend my sheep.” Help the others grow closer to me, defend them from hunger and thirst and false teachings and fear of the world.
Yet Simon has been saying, “Yes, Lord”. He acknowledges that he loves Jesus unconditionally, but he finishes with “you know that I phileo you.” You know that I love you like a friend.
And then the third question. “Simon, son of John …” not agape, not will you sacrifice and obey, but “do you phileo me?”
Why is Simon Peter grieved? The questions go from, “do you love me so much it hurts, that you will do anything for me,” to “Simon, are you my friend?”
Imagine what it sounds like: “Are you sure you’re my friend? Do you really love me as your friend?”
And how does it play out?
“You know everything. You know I love you like a friend.”
“Then YOU follow me. Act like a grown up, because you will have times that you will be treated like a child.” And Jesus alludes to Peter’s death.
And Simon holds on just a moment longer as the child: “But what about him? Why don’t you ask that disciple the same questions? How is he gonna die?”
“I. Said. Follow. Me. Stop worrying about others. Follow me. As I feed and tend to my sheep.”
What about us?
What does it all mean for us.
Firstly, to deal with any possible rumors, yes, A Christmas Carol is one of my all-time favorite stories, even though Scrooge meets his long-dead business partner. Even though the only time we see that sort of thing in the Bible is when a wicked king (Saul) seeks a witch to talk to his dead friend (who rebukes him. It really was a Christmas-Carol-esque story.)
For the sake of the story, I am okay with some wiggle-room of what is okay. Especially if you read a recent sequel, Jacob T. Marley, that shows a “why” the dead business partner returns. And for the Spirits of Christmases, we could easily argue they are ministering spirits, a.k.a. angels.
But like Scrooge, Peter was one who turned from those he loved. Like Peter, we often do our own thing to avoid pain.
Like Scrooge, Peter had to confront his past, all of the hurts, the boasts, the selfishness, and the loss.
Maybe 2021 has been a hard year for you. Follow Jesus. It won’t necessarily make all the pain go away, but Jesus can lead you through and out of the pain. Maybe 2021 was great for you. Follow Jesus. You might lose everything you’ve gained, you might keep it all, but your focus should be on the one who gave up everything to save you. Maybe you made mistakes, lied about things, turned on your loved ones. Maybe you’ve denied your Savior. Follow Jesus. The only faithful one.
Like Scrooge, Peter had to confront his present.
Maybe you’re finishing 2021 holding on to your past. Follow Jesus. Maybe you’re currently struggling with something. Follow Jesus. Let Him tend to your needs. Trust others to tend to your needs as they are following Jesus. Tend to others as you follow Jesus. Follow Jesus, now. Don’t wait. Follow Jesus. Now.
Like Scrooge, Peter had to face the future and his death.
And it is scary. Maybe you’re afraid of what 2022 holds. Maybe the finances of this year mean next year will be tough. Maybe you wonder where this church will be meeting next month. Maybe those in power in the government have you worried for one reason or another. Follow Jesus. Don’t worry about what others are doing. Don’t worry about their walk with Jesus or lack thereof. Don’t ignore others or the happenings in this world, but don’t worry. Just follow Jesus for yourself. Trust Him. He is the God who saves, the One who holds all things together. It may not be easy in this life, but we know we can trust in the One who is guiding history and has overcome death and the grave.
Go Forward
In Christ.
What does it look like to keep Christmas in your heart all the year, and keep it well, like the renewed Ebenezer Scrooge?
It is seeking the Kingdom of God first.
We realize our need to read and memorize Scripture. We seek to live out the commands to love God and love others, as Christ lives in us by His Holy Spirit to the glory of the Father.
It is seeking the Bread of Life.We realize our need for spiritual nourishment through Bible study and encouraging each other to become more Christ-like.
Taken outside the church just before preaching!
It is bowing before Immanuel – God with us.
We realize The Father sent the Son to cleanse us and restore us, and they sent the Holy Spirit to dwell in us until Christ’s return. We acknowledge His authority and power.
And we follow.
We don’t get stuck in the same old rut or in our past mistakes and sins or in our worries and concerns or our own lusts and wants or in our own glory. We go forward toward the future glory that awaits us in Christ Jesus, “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,” pressing on “toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:13-14)
The true Spirit of Christmas is the same Spirit that overshadowed a young woman to bring forth a Savior; a Savior who would die for our sins and rose again; a Savior who is one day returning to make all things new.
And He is with us always until He comes.
Like Scrooge – like Peter – we seek to spread the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control of the Spirit of Christ who indwells us. (Galatians 5:22-23)
All through the year.
So go forward. Follow Jesus.
Prayer
Our gracious heavenly Father, You who has been denied by us through our actions, our words, and our thoughts; You who have been pushed away by our own sinful desires, we praise you and worship you.
You could have left us in our misery. You could have wiped us out, like with the Flood. Instead, You became one of us.
We were stuck wallowing in our past, unable and unwilling to let go of the hurts, the glories of youth, the fame, and the fear.
We were stuck wallowing in our current pains and fears, our own glories and strengths, unwilling to help our neighbors, either because we felt we lacked the ability or because they deserve what they get or because “they should help themselves.”
We were stuck wallowing in our future, afraid of what may come or hoping for what we cannot get for ourselves or think we can get for ourselves.
You could have left us in our misery or removed far more than the surplus population.
But You came to us.
We praise you, because we could not get to You, but You made a way for us. We deserved death, but you offered us life. We have feared the world and death more than we feared You, and we confess it to you now.
Because You see our past, You change us in the present, and You give us a hope for the future, through Your Son – The Way, the Truth, and the Life.
Help us to seek You every moment of everyday. Help us to help each other seek You and grow in You everyday. Help us to become more loving and kind – more like Jesus. By the power of Your Holy Spirit.
I did NOT preach again, but my friend and fellow elder Bill did preach.
It was pretty cool.
You should be able to watch below.
Mark 15:16-32, ESV
And the soldiers led him away inside the palace (that is, the governor’s headquarters), and they called together the whole battalion. And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him. And they began to salute him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they were striking his head with a reed and spitting on him and kneeling down in homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. And they led him out to crucify him.
And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross. And they brought him to the place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull). And they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him and divided his garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what each should take. And it was the third hour when they crucified him. And the inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.” And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one on his left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!” So also the chief priests with the scribes mocked him to one another, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.
Do we truly love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strengths? Maybe I can help with the mind part, at least! This is Daniel M. Klem, apparent poet, reluctant yet passionate Disciple (Peter?), and foolish man attempting to understand theology!
a simple man of God 