4-29-18 It is more blessed to receive than to give

Scripture  II Corinthians 9:6-7, 13-15

To GIVE = Greek – didomi  ///  Hebrew – Nathan

READ: p 19-22   “How to increase giving in your church”

Giving is rooted in the heart of God shown through JESUS!!!

John 3:16    For God so love the world, that he GAVE…

Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to GIVE his life as a ransom for many."

He gave his LIFE – even to the point of death.  Phil 2:6-8  Jesus had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what.  When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human!  Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death — and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion.

What did Jesus say about GIVING?

Acts 20:35  In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to GIVE than to receive.'

This is a new saying for the Christians – it is nowhere recorded in the gospels.

Great illustration is the end of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” He thought it was more blessed to receive than give until he realized the people in Whoville didn’t need presents to know the joy and love of Christ’s birth, it was instead about the love shared which gave him the strength to keep the presents form being destroyed and returned them to the people in Whoville where he learned it is truly more blessed to GIVE than to receive!

Paul establishes weekly giving

          1 Cor 16:1-2      Now about the collection for God's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

          One of the historical signs of weekly giving – the usher and the offering plate.

VIDEO “during sermon Sports Sunday

10 Characteristics of Giving like God gives:

2 Corinthians 8:1-12               1 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. (GRACE-CENTERED GIVING)  2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. (GENEROUS GIVING)  3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.  (SACRIFICIAL GIVING)  Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.   (COMPASSIONATE GIVING)  5 And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will.  (CHRIST-CENTERED GIVING)  6 So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part.  (FULFILLED GIVING)  7 But just as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us-see that you also excel in this grace of giving.  (SPIRITUALLY EQUAL GIVING* important later)

8 I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others.  (LOVE-MOTIVATED GIVING)  9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.  (CHRISTLIKE GIVING)  10 And here is my advice about what is best for you in this matter: Last year you were the first not only to give but also to have the desire to do so. 11 Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. 12 For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.  (RESPONSIBLE GIVING)

2 additional Characteristics of Giving like God gives:

9:6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  (CHEERFUL GIVING)   9:13 Because of the service/giving by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (GRACE-FILLED GIVING)

(I thank God for my daughter Gretchen = Pearl and son – Nathan = gift, but more so for God’s son – Jesus – the Pearl of Great Price and our indescribable gift.)

 CONCLUSION

How can we give all this a laser focus?  And besides giving, where is tithing specifically mentioned in the New Testament?  It is mentioned though not often because by this time among the Jews it is assumed.  But even that assumption is pointed out by Jesus himself.

Background - Luke 18:12    “I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’’

Matthew 23:23 “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. (also in Luke 11:42)

Some people act as if Christ liberates us from the law so that we can keep more physical blessings for ourselves. That is false — Christ liberates us so that we can be free to serve him more, as loving children and not merely as slaves. He frees us so we can have faith instead of selfishness.

When it comes to money, the real question is, Is our heart in the gospel of Jesus Christ? Are we putting our money where our heart is? We can tell where our heart is by seeing where we are putting our money. “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” Jesus said (Matthew 6:21).

 Closed Fists = inability to give or receive  /// Open Palms = ability to give and receive

4-22-18 It’s Spring: Time for New Growth!

Scripture  I Peter 2:1-5

ILLUS:  Measure a tall and short person in the congregation.  Ask, how long have you been this tall?  Why did you stop growing?  Baby Christians often grow quickly – read and pray – go to many church functions – share what they have found with others.  Why do they stop growing?  How long have you been this same height as a Christian?

3 WEEK THEME:   Encouraging the tithe: GROWING and giving in grace!

Today – the Growing part.  To check our growth, we all need to start at the same place.  Let me share some fundamentals about tithing that we can use as our starting measurement.

1)      To Tithe means to give 10% of your earned income to your local church.  This is not a lesson on stewardship, though tithing is a part of good stewardship.  Therefore, a tithe does not mean my time or talents used for God.  If that were the case, that is how I spend most of my time, therefore, I don’t need to give a portion of my income.  Biblical tithe: 10% of one’s earned income.  Not gifts – income.  (lottery is earned income – Inheritance is not earned income – but tithe anyway) The scripture talks about bringing a 10^th of your lambs or the grain – YES – what were those things 2500 years ago? INCOME in a system of barter.  Now we trade our time, product, skills, or knowledge for money – our income!  10 % given to the work of the church is a tithe.

2)      Determine your current giving %.  Take the average dollar amount you give a week and divide it by your weekly income – 200/1000 = .20%  20/500 = .04%

Lev 27:30-34

       “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy (set apart) to the Lord. 31 If a man redeems any of his tithe, he must add a fifth of the value to it. (If he buys it back, he must add 5 cents for every dollar of worth.) 32 The entire tithe of the herd and flock — every tenth animal that passes under the shepherd's rod — will be holy to the Lord. 33 He must not pick out the good from the bad or make any substitution.  (Can you imagine someone bringing a sheep -
Ooops, not that one – have this runt!”  God is not pleased with substitutions: parents or pastor can’t substitute for your faith – don’t try and fool God – be honest about your giving – remember Ananias and Sapphira…….) If he does make a substitution, both the animal and its substitute become holy and cannot be redeemed."  This is serious stuff to God.  Where did Moses receive the 10 Commandments?  Mt Sinai!  Was tithing one of the 10…?  NO, but it was commanded on Mt. Sinai – and equal to the big 10!  34 These are the commands the Lord gave Moses on Mount Sinai for the Israelites.

In the OT, tithing is a COMMANDMENT!

We need to grow beyond the commandment!  You have heard it said….., but I say to you…..

We are not living under OT law – we are set free in Jesus!  Yes, but to point that out sounds like what is written in the OT is no longer valid.  I have had people who would say they are “bible believing Christians” (which is redundant by the way) that tithing is only in the OT.  1^st – wrong!  2^nd – does that make it invalid?  3^rd – If giving a tithe in the OT is commanded, should we do any less in Christ, under grace?  Let’s stay in the OT for today and we’ll look at the NT next week.

Numbers 18:25-32

       The Lord said to Moses, 26 "Speak to the Levites and say to them: 'When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give you as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the Lord's offering. 27 Your offering will be reckoned to you as grain from the threshing floor or juice from the winepress. 28 In this way you also will present an offering to the Lord from all the tithes you receive from the Israelites. From these tithes you must give the Lord's portion to Aaron the priest. 29 You must present as the Lord's portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you.'

          30 "Say to the Levites: 'When you present the best part, it will be reckoned to you as the product of the threshing floor or the winepress. 31 You and your households may eat the rest of it anywhere, for it is your wages for your work at the Tent of Meeting. 32 By presenting the best part of it you will not be guilty in this matter; then you will not defile the holy offerings of the Israelites, and you will not die.'"

          Notice that the Leadership receives his wages from the tithe of the people, then the leaders (Moses & Aaron) are also expected to tithe.

We are to tithe the best part – How often have I heard that I don’t have enough money left over to tithe once I pay all my bills.  The tithe is to be the 1^st – the best - portion.  More about that next week.

Since I am expected by God to tithe, let me share my testimony.  Like many of you, my spiritual growth has gone through spurts and slow times.  But my desire to tithe and how I am in tithing has changed.

At first I tithed because I was taught by my pastor.  It was the only guideline I had.  It felt good to contribute even though it didn’t seem like much dollar-wise.  In seminary we were told (“If you can’t…you’ll never…)  My tithing felt a little detached because I was serving as a very temporary youth pastor and it never felt like “my” church – but we still tithed.

In my first pastorate we couldn’t afford shoes, taxes, or any luxuries – we still tithed (with an exception or two) There was pain and sacrifice in continuing the tithe and greater pain in that time or two of not tithing.

My next pastorate, tithing just felt right.  Starting a new church, tithing was essential.  The following pastorate (SWLCBC), I voluntarily cut my salary in half not once, but twice because the church was about to close its doors.  But I made money in educational software and teaching drama in a HS while still pastoring.  Sometimes the tithe felt wrong, because I was only receiving a ¼ the salary I had previously received.  Still, we tithed.

My last church, like Ashland has more ministry and life than most churches this size.  We love giving our tithe to the Lord through a ministry that honors God, that seeks to do his will, that is imperfect, but where Jesus is glorified and the Holy Spirit is active in the lives of the people!

Our dollar amount given has changed determined by our salary, but the tithe – 10% of our earned income has remained constant in great churches and dying churches, in our youth and as we age, when we had plenty and when we had less than nothing.  Our growth has come in how we are when we give, and we have grown to a place of great joy in Jesus, in giving the tithe!

1 Peter 2:1-5

       Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.  Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.   As you come to him, the living Stone — rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

 This Spring…will you be growing in Christ!?

4-15-18 Take him back for good!

Scripture: Philemon 1-25

Gary Ingle $10 movie pass – watch movies on lunch.

What is it like to walk in on a movie half way through and have to leave just before the ending?

That is exactly what happens when you read the book of Philemon.

You have to fill in the blanks about who the characters are, how they got in that situation and what the outcome will be for each.

Let me give you the full cast list:

Paul – the spiritual father to Philemon and to Onesimus as well as other in the house church in Colosse. Likely in prison in Rome by mention of being an old man. (MAP PIC) 1200 from Colosse to Rome (Here to the Wyoming border)

Timothy – Present with Paul and a spiritual son to him.

Philemon - A friend and fellow worker in the faith with Paul, along with Apphia, a female Christian and Archippus who is strong for the faith. Philemon hosts a church in his home. He is not a sideline Christian but is surrounded by other faithful Christians and working to build the kingdom of God in Colosse.

Epaphras - (Paul’s fellow prisoner - from Colosse who taught many of them about the faith / Col 1:6-8  All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

Mark – John Mark who had deserted Paul on his first missionary journey

Aristarchus – From Thessalonica; while in Ephesus was arrested there during Paul’s 1^st missionary journey. A close companion to Paul and present with him in Rome.

Demas – Deserted Paul during a previous imprisonment (2 Tim 4:10)

Luke – A converted Greek physician who was loyal and faithful to Paul when others were not.

Onesimus – A lot of speculation because the beginning and ending of the movie script are missing. It appears he did something wrong in the household of Philemon and became a runaway slave. That begs the question how he came to be with Paul 1200 miles away from home? Possibly because fellow Colossean Epaphras is there? Or because he knew Paul and thought he could help him somehow? We don’t know. We do know how he got to Paul in prison; and Paul led him to faith in Christ and be became important to Paul’s ministry while he was in prison. This may be part of the reason for the letter – A slave could become a Christian; a slave could not become a Christian missionary – they would have been thrown in jail or returned.

Two Other Characters – one mentioned but overlooked and one not listed

God – at the center of what is going on who wants to not only teach something but to affect change in people’s hearts.

Us – We are the current recipients of this odd little letter in the NT.  What does it mean for us? Why did God cause this to become part of the canon (official) part of scripture for us?

Let’s hear the whole text:

Philemon

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother, To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier and to the church that meets in your home: (At the very least this letter was meant for the entire church in Colosse) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

          4 I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. (…the church) I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints. (Philemon just received a commendation like no other from the apostle Paul who is thankful, encouraged and joyful because of Philemon. He reminds him that we truly understand the goodness of Christ when we share our faith with others.)

****************************************

          8 Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, yet I appeal to you on the basis of love. I then, as Paul — an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus —  I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me. (a lot there. BOLD I could make you but that is not what I want. I am the Apostle Paul in prison for Christ’s sake so listen up – Onesimus has become like a son to me. We don’t know why he was useless but it appears he now has usefulness as a fellow believer. If Onesimus were faking it Paul would not go to bat for him – remember he was quite harsh with Mark who couldn’t handle missionary life.)

12 I am sending him — who is my very heart — back to you. I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel. But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do will be spontaneous and not forced. Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back for good— no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. He is very dear to me but even dearer to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord. (Onesimus has gone through a radical transformation spiritually but must be showing itself in practical ways. He WAS useless – NOW he is useful, something changed. Paul would prefer he keep him there but only wants that is Onesimus and he come together as brothers in the faith first. [Joseph – slave – receives his brothers])

***************************************

          17 So if you consider me a partner, (The idea of partnership in the gospel was paramount to Paul as it was to Jesus who said John 14:11-14 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. Jesus had a partnership with the father and then with us. The church is a partnership between God and us and us with each other.) welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has done you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to me. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand. I will pay it back — not to mention that you owe me your very self. I do wish, brother, that I may have some benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I write to you, knowing that you will do even more than I ask. (Paul has a trust in Philemon doing what is right but also reminds him why he should.)

**************************************

22 And one thing more: Prepare a guest room for me, because I hope to be restored to you in answer to your prayers. Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke, my fellow workers. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. (People who had done Paul wrong in the past were now his valued partners in ministry. Grace abounds!)

          Is this odd little NT letter about forgiveness? Yes, about God forgiving Onesimus and Philemon and everyone else. It is about Philemon forgiving Onesimus.

Is it about God making all things new? Absolutely – Onesimus is going from slave to brother. And Philemon from slave owner to setting a slave free for the sake of Christ.

There is a bigger picture, it is about doing what is right in this partnership we call the church. Being part of church is not just about believing, it is about living your faith according to scripture. One of the ways we will look at doing that over the next 3 weeks is seeing what the Bible has to say about our financial giving, specifically about the tithe. The first thing we learn is that the purpose of tithing is to teach us to put God first in everything.

          Paul was asking Philemon to put God first by DOING what was right with Onesimus. What are you a slave to, from which God is asking you to not only believe He is God but to move into a NEW relationship with that thing that enslaves you. BEHOLD, says the great I Am, I am making all things new. Like Onesimus, in Christ we can go from being slaves to sin to being sons and daughters of God! John 8:36 “If the son sets you free, y0u are free indeed”

OPTIONAL ENDING

The Touch of the Master's Hand

'Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
      Thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
      But held it up with a smile.
"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
    "Who'll start the bidding for me?"
"A dollar, a dollar. Then two! Only two?
      Two dollars, and who'll make it three?"

"Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
      Going for three…" But no,
From the room, far back, a grey-haired man
      Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then wiping the dust from the old violin,
      And tightening the loosened strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet,
      As a caroling angel sings.

The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
      With a voice that was quiet and low,
Said: "What am I bid for the old violin?"
      And he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?
      Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
Three thousand, once; three thousand, twice,
    And going and gone," said he.

The people cheered, but some of them cried,
    "We do not quite understand.
What changed its worth?" Swift came the reply:
    "The touch of the Master's hand."
And many a man with life out of tune,
      And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd
      Much like the old violin.

A "mess of pottage," a glass of wine,
    A game — and he travels on.
He is "going" once, and "going" twice,
    He's "going" and almost "gone."
But the Master comes, and the foolish crowd
    Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that is wrought
    By the touch of the Master's hand.

4-1-18 I can only imagine

Scripture:  Matthew 16:21-22

Movie trailer for “I can only Imagine”     https://youtu.be/OsMyv9Q4_OU

*******************************************

         
 My father, Richard Cooper was born Aug 4, 1928, was divorced from my mother,  Phyllis Cooper Aug 4, 1962, and died exactly at the age of 77 Aug 4, 2005. He grew up in Toledo, Ohio. He had a sister named Shirley who died before he was born. His parents were divorced and his father was an alcoholic. He had no positive male role model in his home.

He was not a Christian while growing up in Toledo.

          He graduated from DeVilbus HS and attended but did not graduate from the University of Toledo.  He was a TV repair man, a magician, an inventor,   Gas Station Attendant, and a Rainbow sweeper salesman and regional supervisor. He was always selling. In later life he had at least 4 new multi-level companies per year that he was involved with (from solarium windows to Indian cigarettes, to a beverage that promised to rejuvenate your youth, to legal insurance, to zero turn lawn mowers). He was a gentle man – never loud or violent. He was also an extremely neglectful man, at least as a husband and father.

          I found out after his second divorce that he had never bought us a single Christmas or birthday gift, his wife JoAnn did all of that. He did not follow through with divorce financial obligations until forced to do so. He did not utter the words “I Love You” to his children. I don’t remember hugs. Abuse makes you wonder why you are hated. Neglect makes you wonder why you are not loved.

          I will come back later to my dad.

********************************************

 Let me tell you about a second Father/Son relationship.

At the beginning of the movie “I can only Imagine” Bart Millard was seated in a Nashville recording studio, grasping for words. He’s struggling to tell the story behind the song that would eventually top both Christian and mainstream charts, net over 2 million digital downloads, and go platinum…twice.

The movie, I Can Only Imagine, begins with a conversation between Bart and veteran Christian singer, Amy Grant. She wants to know how “Imagine” happened. What was Bart’s process? Where did he find inspiration? How much time had he spent crafting these lyrics?

“10 minutes.” Amy responds, “Bart, you’ve been writing this song your entire life.”

Bart Millard’s Story:

Bart was born in 1972 in Texas, primarily raised by his father, Arthur. Arthur had been a star football player at Southern Methodist University to which Bart felt he needed to live up to. Arthur married Bart’s mother, Adele and took a job with the department of transportation.

Several years later, Arthur was accidentally run down by a semi-truck. Miraculously, he didn’t break a single bone in his body. His brain, on the other hand, was irrevocably damaged, leaving him in a coma for eight weeks. When Arthur went home, Adele soon discovered how drastically he had changed. He would frequently break out in fits of rage, set off by the most insignificant things.

 

Though he never laid a finger on his wife, Arthur would intentionally break everything that ever meant anything to her. Eventually, Adele buckled under the weight of his verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse. As far as she could see, she had no choice. So, she left.

The Monster Only Bart Knew

When Bart’s mom left, he was only in the third grade. That is when the abuse began. Bart became the focal point of his father’s uncontrolled anger. Spankings gave way to full-on beatings.

Every time, Arthur’s rage would soon give way to despair as he’d call his son into the room and apologize profusely for what he had done. Still, Bart’s only hope was to get old enough to do what his mother did – leave.

Or, so he thought.

In 1986, When Bart was a freshman in HS Bart’s father got Pancreatic cancer—Staring down the face of terminal cancer, Arthur began to change…radically. He started going to church. He read his Bible regularly and talked about all that it meant. Through the walls, Bart would hear him pray late into the night for him and his brother.

 

The kindness and love of God appeared and transformed Arthur from the inside out. Bart couldn’t believe it. The doctors couldn’t explain it. But, the monster had gone, and all that was left was a person who Bart himself describes as “the godliest man he never knew.”

During the next 5 years, the two grew closer than Bart had ever imagined possible. This unforeseen bond made Arthur’s passing that much more devastating. Bart recalls standing by the gravesite with his grandmother, who turned to him and gently whispered, “I can only imagine what Bub’s seeing right now.” That idea lodged itself in Bart’s brain. To envision his father in the presence of Jesus became his chief source of hope. He proceeded to scribble ‘I can only imagine’ on anything he could find.

Fast forward to 1999, when the Christian singing group MercyMe was struggling to write one more song to complete their album. It was late one night; Bart found himself alone on the tour bus, rifling through his journal looking for a clean sheet to write on. But, he couldn’t find one. Every single page had the words “I Can Only Imagine” scribbled across them. Before long, he got the hint and put his pen to paper.

10 minutes later, he was finished, but God was only getting started.

 

In 2001 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN. one of Bart’s childhood heroes—Amy Grant—invited him out on stage to perform I can only Imagine in front of a sell-out crowd.
 

In one of its final scenes, the movie shares the incredible power of this moment for Bart. There, we see Bart standing on the stage belting out the final chorus to “I can only Imagine.” Suddenly, everyone fades away, and he imagines himself singing for an audience of two: his Heavenly Father and his earthly dad.

**************************************

Before I share about the final father/son duo let me bring us back to my dad. In 2000 I just happened to decide to start a new church that put us in a house just minutes from my dad instead of an hour and a half. One night I got a call to come to the hospital and saw my dad pass by on a gurney as the doctor suggested there is not much hope. My dad had the worst dissected aorta the doctor had ever seen, He was in a coma for a few weeks after surgery and needed to go to a nursing home for months to recover and regain mobility. At this point my father was pretty much alone in the world after two divorces, other failed relationships, friends were only sales associates

 and he had neglected to cultivate a strong relationship with any of his 3 sons. So, there I was, a Christian and a pastor with a father I didn’t have great feelings for one way or the other, but had to be the one to provide some care for him.

 As we were starting this new church in our home, and he was able, my dad began attending. The night we considered merging with another church, I learned that my dad had promised Jesus he would help me with the church if God would bring him through the surgery. Eventually my dad accepted Christ and I had the privilege of baptizing him. Was his change as dramatic as Arthur’s? No, but it was no less real and I am thankful I had 4 more years after that with my dad who was very involved with and supportive of the church and learned to hug and say “I love you.”

Like Bart, I can only imagine what my dad must be a witness to in his new home in heaven before his savior Jesus.

****************************************

You might have guessed that the final Father/Son story is about Jesus and his Father in heaven. Like you, I don’t think God could ever abuse or neglect his one and only son Jesus.

You don’t think Jesus was abused and neglected?  When God looked at Jesus, He saw your sin and mine and the sins of the whole world all coming together into the body of Jesus and God had no choice but to unleash the full power of his wrath and hatred toward that sin which Jesus voluntarily took upon himself.  Matthew 27:26-66 says, Jesus was flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to a place called the Skull. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. He was crucified between to convicted thieves. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!" In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. "He saved others, but he can't save himself! He's the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

          From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"-which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"

          57 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. He took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.

          Jesus, though he never deserved it, was the object of abuse and neglect like the world has never known. And because of that the penalty for all our sin had been met – the price had been paid. And the story could easily end there. But it doesn’t.

 EASTER:  Matthew 28:1-9

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.   His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead.” So, the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

*******************************************************

          Abused, neglected, or having had an amazing wonderful earthly father…none compare to the love your Heavenly Father showed by taking your punishment and crucifying it in the flesh of his only son Jesus. Having crucified your sin, He made it exist no more, he raised Jesus to a brand new eternal life – Behold, I am making all things new.

          God does not want you living with the guilt of your sin – he wants you to be free of that. He not only wants you to be free of the quilt of sin, but free of the sin as well so that you can walk in newness of life.  2 Cor 5:17-19

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

          Because of Jesus death we are forgiven, because of his resurrection we can know for certain that eternal life is ours. Because of the empty tomb, we can begin to imagine what it will be like when those in Christ who have gone before, those of us who are in Christ and those who one day will put their trust in Christ can only imagine what our day of resurrection will be like as we see Jesus face to face for the very first time – we can only imagine…

SONG LYRICS: I CAN ONLY IMAGINE

I can only imagine what it will be like when I walk, by your side
I can only imagine what my eyes will see when you face is before me
I can only imagine, I can only imagine

Surrounded by You glory, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus, or in awe of You be still?
Will I stand in your presence, or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah? Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine, I can only imagine

I can only imagine when that day comes, when I find myself standing in the Son.
I can only imagine when all I would do is forever, forever worship You!
I can only imagine, I can only imagine

Surrounded by You glory, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus, or in awe of You be still?
Will I stand in your presence, or to my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah? Will I be able to speak at all?
I can only imagine, I can only imagine

Repeat chorus

I can only imagine yeah yeah I can only imagine

I can only imagine yeah yeah I can only imagine

I can only imagine when all I will do, is forever, forever worship You
I can only imagine

Songwriter: Bart Marshall Millard