5-28-17 It is Well!

Scripture:  Luke 9:57-62

There are two ways to view death. Our way and the Jesus way. And I see three combinations of how those two ways are viewed.

1)    People who don’t know Jesus can only view death as a permanent loss.

2)    Jesus can only view death from an eternal perspective.

3)    Christians can view it from both – we experience temporary loss in this life but also know that life in Jesus is eternal.

How sad to have no hope of life beyond this life. When a person dies, everything they were ceases to exist as far as you are concerned. Let’s look at how Jesus viewed death.

Luke 9:57-62

As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." 58 Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." 59 He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." 60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God." 61 Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." 62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

          In all 3 cases Jesus uses pretty harsh commands. Each one was unique to the person’s situation as well as Jesus’ situation. Jesus was headed for the cross and now was not the time for taking care of things that are temporary, now is the time to be concerned about eternal things. Jesus is pointing out that choosing to follow him is not a life of leisure but it is the only life that leads to eternity.

          Jesus does not view death as we do. We see it as a separation. Jesus sees it as location.

As harsh as Jesus seemed in these 3 cases; and though he views death from an eternal perspective, he does care for those who also experience death as temporary loss in this life. When my mother past away Mar 1, 2012 a phrase came to me that has been helpful – with my mother I experience and ever present absence. She is always present while not being here. Her personality, her way of caring, her voice is still present in new situations = an ever-present absence.

Even though Jesus is not concerned about death as we might be – he is concerned for those who have lost loved ones?  Let me show you what I mean. What is the shortest verse in the bible? John 11:35. What does is say? “Jesus wept.” Why did Jesus weep? (The story of Lazarus – he was weeping because his friends Martha and Mary were experiencing loss.) Though he knew that in a few moments he would raise Lazarus form the dead and that Lazarus would have eternal life, he was not callous toward Lazarus’ sisters who were experiencing loss. He felt bad for them which caused him to weep. We can take heart, that not only do we have hope of eternal life one day, but we have the God who gives life weeping with us in our sorrow because he cares for us.

IT IS WELL lyrics

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

(Refrain:) It is well (it is well),

with my soul (with my soul),

It is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,

Let this blest assurance control,

That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,

And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to His cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:

If Jordan above me shall roll,

No pain shall be mine, for in death as in life

Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

And Lord haste the day, when the faith shall be sight,

The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;

The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,

Even so, it is well with my soul.

Romans 8:31-39

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns?

Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

VIDEO – It is Well CLICK HERE: Story behind "It is Well"

5-21-17 The Carpenter is Building His Church

Scripture:    Ephesians 2:19-22

          Jesus was not only a carpenter working with wood but a stone mason as well!

Matthew 16:15-19

“But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”

Matthew 16:19-20

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Peter is the first stone of the church built on the foundation of “Christ” and it was he who preached on Pentecost – birthday of the church.

[1] petra [2] = [3] rock – [4] A small detachment of the massive ledge [5] petros. [6] (cliff picture) [6] (cliff picture 2)

oikodomhsw = to build. future tense. [7] (rock church picture) ekklhsia = assembly/church. [8] (Petros Picture)

hades = the underworld/death. katiscusousin  = to overpower, to have strength against, to gain mastery over (also future tense).         

Ephesians 2:19-22

Consequently, (2:14-18) you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

24 elders around the throne

Rev 21:12  On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Rev 21:14   twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb

Ephesians 2:14-18  Back to ‘Consequently,’

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.

Coming to Jesus is not JUST an individual exercise. Yes, it is personal! Yes, you must profess your own faith. But that faith is found and exercised in community – the language Jesus uses is the language of a carpenter – of one who is a builder. He is “building” His church. Not Zapping it into place – Not painting it – Not sculpting it – but building it which means he has been doing it, is doing it and will continue doing it. Each of us is a part of His building process, and though individual rocks, we are a part of His building joined with others in unity for our strength and His glory.

          Everyone of us is connected to every other one of us. As the building Jesus is building we are the manifestation of his social network – living in unity – not a choice but the essential nature of His church. It cannot be any other way. The parts of the building must be joined together or it is nothing more than a stack of lumber or a pile of rocks.

ILLUSTRATIONS

"A Southern California minister reports a neighboring CHURCH had just completed a large addition, including a new sanctuary, to house their growing congregation. They then discovered that 250 housing units were going In right behind them—they would share a property line.  Their pastor said he had two conversations within a three-hour time period. The first individual said: 'We need to BUILD a fence so their kids don’t wander onto our property.'  The second person asked: 'Do we have the money to BUILD a sidewalk and steps up to our CHURCH so their kids can come to our ministries?'”

When it was built for an international exposition in the last century, the structure was called monstrous by the citizens of the city, who demanded it be torn down as soon as the exposition was over. Yet from the moment its architect first conceived it, he took pride in it and loyally defended it from those who wished to destroy it. He knew it was destined for greatness. Today it is one of the architectural wonders of the modern world and stands as the primary landmark of Paris, France. The architect, of course, was Alexandre Gustave Eiffel. His famous tower was built in 1889. In the same way we are struck by Jesus' loyalty to another structure--the church--which he entrusted to an unlikely band of disciples, whom he defended, prayed for, and prepared to spread the gospel. To outsiders they (and we) must seem like incapable blunderers. But Jesus, the architect of the church, knows this structure is destined for greatness when he returns.

The Carpenter is Building His Church

05-07-17 What is the first Ingredient in Any Social Network?

Scripture   2 Timothy 1:5-6

What do the following have in common?

Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook

Jack Dorsey, Twitter

Ben Silbermann, Pinterest

Kevin Systrom, Instagram

Tom Anderson, Myspace

Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn

David Karp, Tumblr

Chad Hurley, YouTube

What do the following have in common? They are all mothers – gave birth to social media.

Every Social Network needs someone to give it birth – needs a mother. In the end of time – the mothers of social media will not be so important – but the mothers of children are of great importance in the eyes and heart of God. I don’t say that because I loved my own mother. I say that because the bible says so.

Motherhood is one of life’s highest honors, and one of its heaviest responsibilities. The hours her children spend in her presence will have a lasting influence on their lives. They will become largely what she makes them. She faces the noble challenge of molding their young lives for eternity.

God’s (Bible) view of mothers

Necessary:

Gen 3:20 Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. Gen 4:1-2 Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man." 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.  Gen 4:19 Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, "God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him."  Gen 5:4-5 After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 5 Altogether, Adam lived 930 years, and then he died.

Spiritual:

          2 Tim 1:5-6     I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

Lorne Sanny of The Navigators once wrote of his mother: "My mother gave birth to me in a frontier house on a Midwestern prairie. On the kitchen counter she placed a list of the ingredients necessary for my formula. At the top of the list was 'prayer,' and that remained at the top of her list for me throughout her life...I have her to thank for firmly establishing my spiritual roots."

When Robert Ingersoll, the notorious skeptic, was in his heyday, two college students went to hear him lecture. As they walked down the street after the lecture, one said to the other, “Well, I guess he knocked the props out from under Christianity, didn’t he?” The other said, “No, I don’t think he did. Ingersoll did not explain my mother’s life, and until he can explain my mother’s life I will stand by my mother’s God.”

Personal:

          God cares for the single mom: Gen 21:9-20  But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, and she said to Abraham, "Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac." The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. But God said to him, "Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. I will make the son of the maidservant into a nation also, because he is your offspring." Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the desert of Beersheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she thought, "I cannot watch the boy die." And as she sat there nearby, she began to sob. God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation." Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. God was with the boy as he grew up.

          A little boy forgot his lines in a Sunday school presentation. His mother was in the front row to prompt him. She gestured and formed the words silently with her lips, but it did not help. Her son's memory was blank. Finally, she leaned forward and whispered the cue, "I am the light of the world." The child beamed and with great feeling and a loud clear voice said, "My mother is the light of the world." (Personal is known not by what a mother says about her children but what her children say about her - Proverbs 31:28-31  Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:  "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all."  deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.) When a child speaks of his mother with praise and sees to her needs, that is truly a mother whom God has blessed. There is one mother more blessed than all others that truly reveals the heart of God toward moms. (God doesn’t have a mom)

In the midst of the most important event in history (Jesus death on the cross) that is covered in relatively short fashion – there are three sentences that have nothing to do with Jesus dying for the sins of the world and they only directly affect two people. Seems amazing it was included in scripture and even more amazing that the messiah of the world in the midst of causing the difference of heaven and hell for billions of people that he would pause for just two people – really just for one. Who was that person? His mom.

John 19:25-27     Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son,"  and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

          It is that event that brings us to the table – COMMUNION What Jesus did on the cross for his mother shows how much God loves mothers but what he accomplished on the cross shows how much, like a mother – God loves us: Years ago, a young mother was making her way across the hills of South Wales, carrying her tiny baby in her arms, when she was overtaken by a blinding blizzard. She never reached her destination and when the blizzard had subsided her body was found by searchers beneath a mound of snow. But they discovered that before her death, she had taken off all her outer clothing and wrapped it about her baby. When they unwrapped the child, to their great surprise and joy, they found he was alive and well. She had mounded her body over his and given her life for her child, proving the depths of her mother love. Years later that child, David Lloyd George, grown to manhood, became prime minister of Great Britain, and, without doubt, one of England’s greatest statesman.