11-29-20 “EVERYTHING that is written about me must be fulfilled”

1^st Sunday of Advent

Scripture      Luke 24:44
          I believe this year, more than any in our lifetime, we will have less anticipation for Christmas morning. Due to families not gathering as we normally would with hugs and joy and lots of presents all around. But let me turn that around for a moment, can you remember a Christmas that you had high anticipation for? Maybe you counted down the days (Advent Calendar) (Our kids with Advent wreath and Advent calendars) (My anticipation form Xmas Eve to Xmas morning lining up in the hallway)
Have you ever anticipated getting something for Christmas but what you got was a poor imitation of what you were hoping for (i.e. Air Jordan’s and you got Keds instead? Or, part of the American girl doll collection and you got a cheap generic plastic doll instead?)
 
          Let’s see what Jesus says about this anticipation. Think about how hard it is to find the words of Jesus for Advent and Christmas. He never mentions either one directly, so we will be looking at some non-traditional scriptures for Christmas this year – and why not? It is 2020, so let us REDISCOVER Christmas in a new way, looking at what Jesus said as we are concluding our 2020 theme “Red Letter Edition.”
          Jesus says the following words during his first appearance to the disciples after he has been resurrected from the dead. (Gathered with Thomas missing).
Luke 24:44
Jesus said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you:
     Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me
     in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."      NT
                                                400 BC                        200 BC               100 AD    393earlier
 
          When Jesus says “EVERYTHING must be fulfilled that is written about me – he is, in that moment, talking about what just happened and what was about to happen. However, none of that would have been possible if Jesus had not first fulfilled everything written concerning his INCARNATION – his birth. Let’s go back before any prophecy to see how and why his incarnation came to be:
          God created the earth and made a special place – the garden of Eden – where he put the first two people (Adam & Eve). It was paradise! Because they did what God told them not to do, they were kicked out of the garden and the entrance to it was blocked by God’s angels. In the Old Testament, the Jewish teachers believe that paradise is still there waiting for someone to come who will make it right for us to live there again, and the word they use in the OT for that person is “Messiah” In the NT, the Greek word for messiah is Christo (or Christ). When a Jewish person becomes a Christian, you rarely hear the term Jewish Christian – instead they are often referred to as Messianic Jews, using the OT designation for Jesus – the Messiah. He is the fulfillment of what they had been anticipating – who they were looking forward to coming from heaven.
          The idea of the Jewish Messiah is that he would come and be a national hero and deliver the Jewish people from the hard grip of the Roman government. In reality, Christ, as seen in the NT would come to deliver people from the hard grip of sin in their own lives. He would come to free a person inwardly, not from outward circumstances.
          In the next few verses, Jesus himself shares specific prophecy about that: Luke 24:45-49  Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
 
          Before Jesus could fulfil what it meant to be the Christ/Messiah/Anointed One, he first had to leave heaven and be born into humanity on earth. The OT has many prophecies about the Messiah’s birth.
          You might be expecting me to quote all the prophecies in the bible about the birth of Jesus, and I intend to do just that. However, even as the birth of Jesus was a surprise to EVERYONE who was part of the story or heard about it, there are some surprising ways the bible prophecies the birth of Jesus without saying it directly.
          What do I mean?
          In the OT, what was the definitive act that showed God was creating a particular people for himself? The birth of Isaac! He was the promised seed from which would come a unique people belonging to God. The creation of a unique people for God was a unique birth announcement. Isaac was not just born to any one – he was born to Abraham 100 and Sarah 90. Had they been 20 years old, there would be little to the story. People paid attention because Isaac’s birth was an impossible one. Even Sarah thought so as prior to being pregnant she made Abraham sleep with her servant to have a child which she later regretted and when she heard she would become pregnant she didn’t believe, laughed about it then lie about laughing.
          If you believe God directed the incarnation, including how it was announced, you are about to be amazed. If you think things in the bible happened by coincident, your mind is about to be blown. Who announced the coming of the Messiah to the world? Not the angels – they announced it to a couple of shepherds? Who was the forerunner, the herald, the announcer that the Messiah was present in the world and that God would be creating a new unique people for himself? That person was John the Baptist. But wait!!! We are talking about the birth of Jesus and that comes after Jesus birth. YEP – now here is the cool part: Who were John’s parents, and what was unique about them?
          First, they were in the priestly line of Aaron, in fact, the Bible records, that John’s father, Zechariah, was serving as a priest in the temple burning incense a symbol for prayer and an angel from God shows up and says God has heard your prayers (this is the second unique thing) for your wife Elizabeth who will conceive and give birth to a son who will disrupt the status quo and “make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Third – Zech & Beth were really old; way passed the age of giving birth – just like who? Abe & Sarah! That’s not all. In the first older people miracle birth story He believed – she didn’t. In this one she believes but he didn’t. And because he didn’t, before he could mess things up like Sarah had done, Zechariah is made a mute – can’t speak, will be SILENT until his son is born and given the name the God told him to give to him.
From Genesis till the birth of John a couple thousand years have passed but for the last 400 years, from a biblical perspective God had been what? SILENT During those 400 years there were no more prophets. John the Baptist would be the first one in 4 centuries. The 400 years of prophetic silence emphasized by 9 months of Zechariah’s silence make the announcement of the coming Messiah even greater, added to the fact that God’s people came from a righteous couple too old to give birth, yet Isaac was born to create this people for God and now the announcement of the new thing God was doing comes from another old couple too old to give birth, yet John is born who will announce the kingdom of God into the world – He knows it even before he is born (Story of leaping in the womb).

The virgin shall conceive
“She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). (Matthew 1:21-23; compare Isaiah 7:14)
Writing for a Jewish audience, Matthew appeals to Old Testament prophecies early and often, in order to show his readers that Jesus was their long-awaited Messiah, the descendant of David and Abraham. The virgin birth of Christ fulfills a 700 year old prophecy that Isaiah said to the Judean king Ahaz. Matthew parallels the name Jesus (“God is salvation”) with the title Immanuel (“God with us”) as they both describe, the incarnate Son of God.
Born in Bethlehem of Judea
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:4-6; compare Micah 5:2-5)
Disturbed at the idea of being supplanted, Herod wanted to know where this Messiah would be born. Bethlehem was predicted by the prophet Micah. But Micah offered other details like; the Messiah would be king and shepherd to His people, ruling the whole earth in the name and majesty of God, having existed since before ancient times.
Out of Egypt I called my son
And he rose and took the child and His mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Matthew 2:14-15; compare Hosea 11:1)
Having been warned of Herod’s murderous plot, Joseph fled with his family to Egypt, which fulfilled the words of the prophet Hosea. Matthew was calling to mind the Old Testament portrait of Messiah as representative of Israel, as the perfect Israelite who identifies with His people even in their sin, in order to deliver them. From that perspective, the Exodus is a picture of God calling and redeeming His people through His true Son, Jesus.
 
 
Rachel weeping for her children
Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.” (Matthew 2:17-18; compare Jeremiah 31:15)
Herod, furious at being ignored by the magi and intent on killing the newborn king, orders the slaughter of every male child under the age of two in and around Bethlehem. The words of Jeremiah – aptly known as the weeping prophet –illustrate the darkness that’s present in the world, against which the light of the coming Saviour shines that much brighter.
He would be called a Nazarene
And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that He would be called a Nazarene. (Matthew 2:23; compare Isaiah 11:1-5; 53:3)
In this case, Matthew isn’t quoting a direct prophecy. He describes the Messiah as a Branch, using a Hebrew word, netser, which sounds similar to Nazarene in the original language. when a tree is chopped down, a shoot will grow from the stump, allowing a new tree to spring up where the old one has died. (our dogwood a tender shoot)
The spirit and power of Elijah
“And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” (Luke 1:16-17; compare Malachi 4:5-6)
In contrast to Matthew, Luke wrote with a Hellenistic gentile audience in mind, assembling for them an orderly account of the life of Jesus. Rather than inserting prophetic quotes, he allows them to speak through the voices of the men, women and angels in his narrative. He begins with the announcement of the birth of John the Baptist, in which the angel Gabriel paraphrases the final words in the book of the prophet Malachi – which were in fact the final prophetic words recorded in the Old Testament. In so doing, the angel bridges the 400-year gap in prophecy with an emphatic declaration: the Messianic forerunner was about to arrive, and the Messiah Himself would not be far behind.
The Son of the Most High
“And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:31-33; compare 2 Samuel 7:12-16; Isaiah 9:6-7)
Luke then records the angel Gabriel making a similar announcement to Mary regarding the miraculous birth of her own son, Jesus. Once more, the angel references a number of prophecies that would’ve been familiar to Mary. These include God’s promise to King David via Nathan the prophet, that one of David’s descendants would sit on his throne and rule an everlasting kingdom. They also include Isaiah’s more explicit Messianic prophecy, in which the prophet describes the future king as “Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Abraham and his offspring
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour . . . He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy, as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” (Luke 46-47; 54-55; compare Genesis 12:3; 17:4-5; 22:18)
Mary’s response to the prospect of bearing God’s Son has allusions to Old Testament themes, most notably the song of Hannah. She concludes her poem by recalling God’s promises to Abraham and to his offspring. Mary is the first person in the New Testament to identify Abraham’s offspring with the Messiah, the One to whom the promises were made and through whom the nations would be blessed.
Prepare the way of the Lord
“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Luke 1:76-79; compare Malachi 3:1; 4:2; Isaiah 9:1-2; 40:3-5)
At the birth of John the Baptist, his father Zechariah alludes to a variety of Old Testament themes, including the covenant with Abraham and the redeemer from the line of David. Regarding his own son, Zechariah alludes to the prophecies of Malachi as well as Isaiah.
A light for the Gentiles
He took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” (Luke 2:28-32; compare Isaiah 9:1-2; 42:1-7; 49:5-6)
Luke continues the theme of Messianic light via the words of Simeon, an old man who witnesses the presentation of Jesus at the temple in Jerusalem. Simeon recognizes the child as the Messiah who would bring light and salvation to both Jews and gentiles, echoing several prophecies found in Isaiah. One of those prophecies speaks of the Jewish tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali as Galilee of the gentiles, the land where Jesus would begin His ministry. It’s no coincidence that Luke inserts Anna the prophetess here, noting that she was from Asher, the one tribe even farther removed from Jerusalem, geographically and spiritually, than Zebulun or Naphtali. The message is unmistakeable: Messiah has come with salvation not only to Israel, but to the remotest parts and people of the earth.
 
 

11-22-20 “What do a child, a COVID patient, and a rock have in common?”

Scripture:  Matthew 21:16, Luke 17:11-19, Luke 19:37-40

 

THE CHILD

Matthew 21:14-16
The blind and the lame came to Jesus at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant. 16 "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read, "'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?"
Psalm 8:1-2     O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 2 From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.
 
“Our Lord” personal to us collectively
Majestic like an awe inspiring ship pulling into port for the first time, the likes of which no one has seen before.
“Your glory above the heavens” is more about the inner character of God.
          The outward view of a ship would be majestic – the cargo of silver and gold would reveal its true glory – so it is of God.

Lips of children (Toddlers) and infants. Common to infants and toddlers is their need for someone to provide food for them. When they receive it, the moan and coo as an act of praise to the one providing it. As we see God’s external majesty and his internal glory, we make a beautiful noise of gratitude translated as praise. Romans 8:26  In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

THE COVID PATIENT

Luke 17:11-19
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" 14 When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him — and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"  19 Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
Luke 17:12   The Greek word was used for various diseases affecting the skin — not necessarily leprosy.    porrwqen = at a distance
          Not all of those with leprosy (skin disease) were contagious, but those who were, needed to remain at a minimum of 16 feet distance from others, and as others approached they were to call out “Unclean! Unclean!” They did not say “This is against my constitutional rights” – they did it to show compassion and care to others.
There are two recurring principles across Scripture. Both of these pervasive ideas lead us toward social distancing, as a biblical ethic that reveals our self-control and restraint for the sake of others. The two omnipresent principles in Scripture are: respect for elders and general care for the vulnerable.
Proverbs 23:22  Listen to your father, who gave you life, and do not despise your mother when she is old. 1 Peter 5:5  Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
THE VULNERABLE James 1:27  Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
          Imagine there are 10 people who have identical COVID symptoms of Fever, chills, Cough
Shortness of breath, Fatigue, body aches, Headache, loss of taste and smell, Sore throat, Congestion, vomiting, and Diarrhea. Every person they see for their 6 weeks in the hospital are wearing PPE and no family members are allowed near them – they fear death and feel very alone. All of a sudden a person walks into their unit and takes them all off the ventilator and says they are well and they should leave the hospital immediately. They all walk out of the hospital feeling sick until they step outside and then are miraculously healed and symptom-free. What would you do? Call your family and say come take me home. 9 of them did just that. One, however, ran back into the hospital to find the person who made them well, and when he found him came and thanked him with tremendous gratitude.
          When Jesus engages in our lives (which he does every day) we need to come to him with thanksgiving.

 

THE ROCK

Luke 19:35-40
They brought a young donkey, which had never been ridden, to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. 37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38 "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!  Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" 39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples!" 40 "I tell you," he replied, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."
          Riding on a donkey sets up Jesus entering the holy city as the king. Placing garments on the animal recalls Jehu’s regal accession in 2 Kings 9:13. The journey as a whole is like Solomon’s procession in Gihon (1 Kings 1). On a donkey, not a stallion shows a king, not of power but of humility and service. As Jesus rode through the Mt of Olives people (crowd of disciples) began loudly praising Jesus for his many miracles
Ps 118:26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you.
Luke does not mention the waving of palms. Waving palms was done at the feast of tabernacles but this was the time of Passover. The feast of tabernacles looked toward the end times, but Passover looked back at God’s deliverance and celebrated God’s forgiveness of sins. Jesus entering Jerusalem as he did represented both deliverance and looking forward to a new eternal kingdom.
With all this background in the minds of the observers, some Pharisees see Jesus as a blasphemer to the name of God. So, they appeal to Jesus to stop this right now – make these people end their praises to you – you are just a man. Jesus who knows Able’s blood cried out from the ground and that Habbakuk said, “The stones of the wall will cry out” Jesus, who calmed the sea and walked on water showing his power over creation responded to the pharisee’s saying, "if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out."
 

    Just as my dog, Skipper learned obedience for treats, eventually he did it just to please his master. So, we ought to not just praise and thank God when he blesses us (gives us treats) but all the time because he deserves our praise.

          What do a child, a COVID patient (or a leper), and a rock have in common? All three give praise to Jesus! This week is Thanksgiving when many of us for the first time ever will not be spending time together. So, now more than ever, we need to bring our thanks to the table. We have all been crying out to God for this pandemic to stop. Let’s turn our cries into praise and thanksgiving. If we don’t, the very ground you walk on will take your place and you will be seen like one of the 9 who were blessed by God but who never returned to give him thanks.
 
          Remember not only what you are thankful for, but how you are to be thankful – with loud shouts of praise, AND most important, to whom you are thankful:  Zechariah 9:9  Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

11-15-20 “The things of earth will grow strangely dim…”

 Scripture  Matthew 6:24-34 (FOCUS)
 
Matthew 6:24-34 NIV
 No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
          28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:24-34   The MESSAGE
"You can't worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you'll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can't worship God and Money both.
          25 "If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. 26 Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.
          27 "Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? 28 All this time and money wasted on fashion — do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, 29 but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.
          30 "If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers — most of which are never even seen — don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? 31 What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. 32 People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. 33 Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
          34 "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.
 
When Christ first becomes real to you, you receive a righteousness that you did not earn. It was given to you as an act of forgiveness for your sins by Jesus death on a cross in your place.
The key verse of this passage Mt 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well suggests a daily working out of righteousness in our lives. We are first given it and after that we must seek it, pursue it, look for it, find it and exercise it in our lives.
          In other words, we are granted a righteousness that is not our own, it is a gift from God, and from that moment we are to continually seek what we have already been given so we don’t lose sight, or use of it.
          It would be like someone giving you a million dollars. What if all you did with that money was spend it instead of sought how to effectively use it for your ongoing benefit. A million dollars invested wisely could give you enough money to live well the rest of your life OR, you could spend it out in a few years. (Hmmmm, sounds reminiscent of the prodigal son)
          God’s righteousness (the right way of living) is a benefit to us and we can receive it then choose to ignore it and not reap the lifelong benefits of it or we can invest ourselves into God’s righteousness and discover that living right is far superior to ignoring the gift God has given us.
 
          There is a caution here. This does not mean live right by all the strength you can muster. Do not do works of righteousness in hopes of accomplishing what Jesus said. Notice he didn’t say “do acts of righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” He said, “Seek first His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.”
 
          When Jesus says “SEEK” what does he mean? FOCUS! How do we focus on something? Mostly with our eyes. Jesus spoke about that visual focus just prior to our text for today. Matt 6:22-23  The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
          Greek and Jewish writers of the day often mentioned the eyes as a lamp, but they meant it as a light that shines outward. A person with a strong vitality of life will emit life through their eyes to others. But Jesus turns it around and says the eye is more like a window letting light inside you or that you remove your focus from him and pull the blinds down over your eyes and live a dark life. When the blinds cover your eyes, you cannot see or receive the light and obviously cannot focus on or seek God’s righteousness. If that is the case, do not expect the other important aspects of a fulfilled life to be added to you as well.
          How dies the song say it?
Oh soul are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see?
There's light for a look at the Savior and life more abundant and free
 
Turn your eyes upon Jesus / Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim / In the light of His glory and grace
 
          How does Jesus in our text begin talking about our focus? No one can serve two masters. You will hate the one and love the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
Notice we have two eyes and Jesus is saying we can’t serve two masters:
When you look at something, each eye receives light rays which land on your retinas and form images. These images are passed along the optic nerve to the brain where the two images are combined into the one clear picture you see.

The cornea, which is at the very front of your eye, and the lens, which sits behind the cornea, work together to bend (refract) the light rays to bring an image into proper focus. Refractive error, or blurred vision, occurs when something is wrong with this focusing system. In addition to refractive error, other eye or health conditions may interfere with the focusing system and affect how well you see.
Symptoms of poor eye coordination include double vision, headaches, eye and body fatigue, irritability, dizziness, and difficulty reading and concentrating. Children with poor eye coordination might cover one eye, skip lines or lose their place while reading, perform poorly in sports, avoid tasks that require close work and tire easily.
Although each eye processes what it sees independently, both eyes must work together to see properly. Binocular vision gives you depth perception and in order to see with binocular vision, your eyes must be aligned correctly.
          You can’t serve both God and Money.
Through death into life everlasting / He passed and we follow Him there
O'er us sin no more hath dominion / For more than conquerors we are
 
Turn your eyes upon Jesus / Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim / In the light of His glory and grace
No one can serve two masters. The Greek for master is Kyrios. The word is on a continuum from a teacher to the ultimate Lord and master – God. And here, it is suggesting both – you can serve an earthly master or a heavenly one – but not both. However, the term ‘serve’ is not an adequate translation for us. The Greek here for serve is duleo indicating the work of a slave, not an employee or student. A person could work for two employers or have multiple teachers, but a slave can only have one master. There can be no double vision, you either serve the world or you serve God. FOCUS
          Last week I shared something from the writing of Nicodemus that likely was not written by him. Not all extra-biblical material of the time was bad – it was just not right to be accepted as holy scripture. In the 2^nd century, the Testament of Judah says this, “My children, love of money leads to idolatry because once they are led astray by money, they designate as gods those who are not gods. It makes anyone who has it go out of their mind. On account of money, I utterly lost my children. The prince of error blinded me, pointing to Satan’s activity in using material idolatry to lead God’s children astray.
          Think about how many parents sacrificed life and training and love with their children for the pursuit of money. That is not to say, quit your job and live on love. It does say, keep your eyes focused where they should be focused and not on the things of this world. Keep your eyes focused on God’s righteousness and on His word.
His word shall not fail you; He promised / Believe Him and all will be well
Then go to a world that is dying / His perfect salvation to tell
 
Turn your eyes upon Jesus / Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim / In the light of His glory and grace
 
          When I think about focusing on Jesus, on seeking his kingdom above all other things I cannot help but think of Mary and Martha where Martha was distracted by stuff while Mary sat at the feet of Jesus who confirmed that what Mary was doing was the right thing.
          Here that is that same idea in a modern setting:
A noted young concert violinist was asked the secret of her success. “Planned neglect,” she replied. Then she explained, “Years ago I discovered that there were many things demanding my time. After washing breakfast dishes, I made my bed, straightened my room, dusted the furniture, and did a host of other chores. I then turned my attention to violin practice. That system, however, failed to accomplish the desired results. So I realized I had to reverse things. I deliberately set aside everything else until my practice period ended. That program of planned neglect accounts for my success!”
 

CONCLUSION

When Israel lost their focus they turned to foreign gods and it always went bad for them from the smashing of the 10 commandments by Moses to exile in Babylon. Though we may never bow to foreign gods we may follow the simpler idolatry’s that Israel also participated in. Seeking after material possessions at the cost of relationships. Or the idolatry of worry, which is rampant today. People work to hard worrying about what is not yet present. You cannot handle tomorrow's struggles because you don’t yet have tomorrow’s strength. You will not have that till tomorrow. You only have strength for today to meet today’s struggles. Don’t allow the idolatry of worry to blind you to seeking after God’s righteousness. Open your eyes and focus on Him and Him alone – not material wealth and not the problems of the day. And then, and only then, will all theses other things be added to you as well.

11-08-20 “Master Card - Priceless” (The worth of every person)

Scripture   John 3:16-17
VIDEO: Master Card – the Dog one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO9_IPhrKNk
    

      

    (PIC A – leave up till changing to PIC B)   Everyday we wonder what something is worth. Is my job worth me staying there? Is this relationship worth my emotional energy? Is a steak at these prices really worth it? Is voting worth standing in line for an hour? Is not sleeping in on Sunday, so I can go to church, worth it? Am I really worth anything to anyone else?
          The answer to some of those questions really doesn’t matter much, but some of them, especially the last one has a great impact on your well-being. The other day, my brother mentioned that my son knows his worth – that he is so self-assured. I agreed then later thought about it – he is Christ assured. Yes, Nathan has a confidence about himself, but I know that his greatest worth is found in Christ, as is true of most everyone in my family. “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name.”
          Like most, I grew up confident in some things, intimidated by others. But when I came to faith in Jesus and his words, I had a new found confidence that was not limited by what the world thought or said about me or what I perceived other people might think. In light of the cross and resurrection of Jesus, I discovered my name is on the Master’s Card and that I am priceless in his sight. Let’s look at what it says on the back of the Master’s Card…John 3:16-17     NIV (PIC B)

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
          John 3:16-17     THE MESSAGE        (PIC C)

This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again.
          Wow, there is a lot there to unpack. What does it mean that God loved the world? Is that the earth? All the people who were alive at that time; or of all time? Does it mean the systems that make the world function; natural – like the elements of our solar system or our governmental systems? I think we can easily agree, it is primarily, if not completely concerning people. However, what people? All people of all time? Or was it meant for the one person Jesus said it too? This was not the sermon on the mount to thousands of people – this was a private conversation late at night with a member of the Jewish ruling council named Nicodemus. That encounter was a single conversation on a single night in Jerusalem, Israel. However, Nicdodemus not only represents himself, or the Jewish ruling council, he represents anyone and everyone who would inquire of Jesus, and therefore Jesus’ response is meant for anyone…everyone.
          To make it personal, you could say, God so loved “my world”…my life…me that he gave his one and only son. Recognizing you are not the only reason, but you are a reason. I think people can read John 3:16 and not know this was spoken BY Jesus to AN individual while including all people of all time.
          Jesus sees you as a person of great worth – he created you – he wants you to know him and experience his love. Consider how he prayed for the disciples and know he would pray the same way for you:
John 17:9-11  Jesus prays for us – “Father protect them”
I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name — the name you gave me — so that they may be one as we are one.
 
Matthew 6:25-34 If God cares for the bird’s so that they have food and shelter, how much more will he care for you?
 
The gospels show Jesus talking to the crowds, but over and over again it shows him responding to the individual and recognizing them as persons of great worth.
*Matthew 12:9-13 Healing the shriveled hand on the sabbath.
Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other.
          Jesus was willing, at the risk of his own safety to care for people because he loved them:
Matthew 12:14-16  But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick, warning them not to tell who he was.
 
Luke 15:4-6 Leaving the 99 sheep to look for the one lost sheep.
 
What Makes a Man?
Three young men who were visiting Washington went into the National Museum. On one of the glass cabinets was a label that read: "The body of a man, weighing one hundred and fifty-four pounds." "Where is the man?" asked one of the young men. No one answered him. In the cabinet were two jars of water and other jars in which were phosphate of lime, carbonate of lime, potassium, sodium, and other chemicals. Another section held a row of clear glass jars filled with gasses—hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. The materials in those cabinets were given in exact proportion as combined in an ordinary man. After looking at the assortment for some time in silence, one of the young men said: "And that is what I am made of? That is all that is needed to make me?"
"That is all," said a bystander as he smiled and walked on.
But the young man did not smile. "If that is all that is needed," said one, "so much lime, so much gas, so much water, we should be exactly alike. There is something more which they cannot put into cabinets."
"Yes," said another, "that which God added after the elements were all in place, God breathed into those elements his very own breath which gave each of us a living soul." They passed on in silence, their souls and their God suddenly becoming real before those cabinets filled with all the material essentials for the making of a man.
 
This message began at the beginning of Jesus ministry in John 3 with a story about an individual – remember his name? Nicodemus; an individual to whom Jesus uttered the most famous words of all of scripture - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
          Now we come to the end of the sermon with the story of Jesus and another individual who is not given a name in scripture, but is given the name Dismas in a writing that was not included in the canon of scripture – that work just happened to be called, the Gospel of Nicodemus. And so here is the story of that individual, from Luke 23 – the end of Jesus ministry should be read beside the story of the other individual and we will know our individual worth when we see how Jesus views Nicodemus and dismas.
CONCLUSION
*Luke 23:32-34, 39-43   “Today you will be with me in paradise”
          When Jesus was dying on the cross and he said, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. Who was the they he was talking about – who should God forgive. We assume he meant the ones crucifying him, therefore we are off the hook. Let’s read it and see:
Luke 23:32-43
Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals — one on his right (apocraphal – his name is Dismas), the other on his left.
34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." 36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." 38 There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
          39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" 40 But the other criminal rebuked the first. "Don't you fear God, since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
(PIC D leave up through the underlined part)

The greatest obstacle to being physically or mentally challenged, is not the condition but the stigma society still associates with it. The truth is we are valuable because of who we are, not because of how we look or what we accomplish. And that applies to all of us, the disabled and the temporarily able-bodied alike. A female author wrote, I'm convinced God didn't turn His back at the moment of Jeff's conception, who had both mental and physical challenges form birth. He is still the God of miracles, but in this instance, the one who received healing was me. Our Lord is still in the business of changing lives, but not always in the ways we expect. Several years ago, Jeff played in a special Little League for kids with disabilities. After many seasons of watching from the bleachers and rooting while his big brother played ball, Jeff's opportunity finally arrived. When he received his uniform, he couldn't wait to get home to put it on.
When he raced out from his bedroom, fully suited up, he announced to me, "Mom, now I'm a real boy!" Though his words pushed my heart to my throat, I assured him he had always been a "real boy."
When we put our faith in Jesus Christ alone, confess our sin and claim him as Savior and Lord of our lives, we are given new clothes that will last throughout eternity, and we can come to him and say, “Now I am a real person” to which he will reply, “My child, you have always been a real person, created in the image of God, it just took believing in me for you to see yourself the way I see you, full of value and worth.”
 

11-01-20 “Picking up the Old Rugged Cross”

COMMUNION SUNDAY  Luke 9:23-27

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true / Its shame and reproach gladly bear /
Then He'll call me someday to my home far away / Where His glory forever I'll share.
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross / Till my trophies at last I lay down /
I will cling to the old rugged cross / And exchange it some day for a crown.
That is the last verse to the favorite hymn of long time church member: Ann Dawson and it is that verse which gets at the heart of what Jesus said about the cross. But first let me tell you a little bit about Ann and her favorite hymn. (PICTURE ANN DAWSON)

Family Church background?
Her aunt and uncle adopted her. Sent her first to a country church where her vague memories are of being in the cherub choir in a Christmas Pageant. Ann started attending Ashland around 7 years old – again, mainly being dropped off and picked up afterward. Can you imagine a parent doing that today?
Favorite experience in Church?
Fellowship of Ashland – people have been so good to Ann. She lost her son 12 years ago. – the quilting group of ladies, even though Ann was not a quilter, were so supportive and helpful. For those who may not know Ann, if you were coming prior to COVID, she was the one quietly sitting in the church lobby before church with the library cart encouraging you to read a good Christian book.
When and How did Jesus become real to you?
As a child growing up in Ashland. Gradually came to faith – I would not know what to do without my faith. Baptized and joined church at age 19 on June-6-1954.
What service through the church have you been most blessed by?
Part of the 1^st brownie troupe that Ashland had led by Mrs. Schugert who provided overnight camping in her backyard for the girls. And then Girl Scouts. As an adult the Ministry that has been a major blessing to her has been the choir and all forms of music, especially her favorite and other familiar hymns.
Favorite Scripture: The Beatitudes. Her hopes for the future of Ashland Church are to grow and help more people know and love Jesus.
What words of Jesus can you paraphrase or quote?
Matthew 6:25-27   "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”
Favorite Song to sing in Church?
The Old Rugged Cross
 
STORY OF THE OLD RUGGED CROSS
The author, (PICTURE GEORGE BENNARD) 

George Bennard was born in Youngstown, Ohio, in 1873 and spent his childhood in Iowa. His father was a tavern owner and later, a coal miner. Bennard's conversion at the age of 22 through the evangelistic ministry of the Salvation Army in Canton, Iowa, led to his ordination and commissioning as a traveling evangelist in 1898.
In 1912 Bennard was preaching a revival in Michigan and was heckled incessantly by several youth who were at the revival meeting. Troubled by their disregard for the gospel, Bennard turned to Scripture to reflect on the work of Christ on the cross. He later recalled, "I seemed to have a vision ... . I saw the Christ and the cross inseparable."
The melody came easily, and the verses were written while preaching at various revivals in Michigan. After completing the hymn, before starting his next revival in Pokagon, Michigan, he performed the song in its entirety for the sponsoring pastor and his wife, Rev. Leroy and Ruby Bostwick, in the living room of the parsonage. The Bostwicks were moved to tears and incorporated the song in the revival service on June 7, 1913. First, Bennard sang his hymn with guitar accompaniment, and then a five-voice choir sang with organ and violin accompaniment.
Today, (PICTURE RUGGED CHURCH) 

that same church building, originally a hops barn, is owned by the non-profit Old Rugged Cross Foundation and welcomes thousands of visitors annually.
The hymn quickly spread throughout the region and came to the attention of the evangelist Billy Sunday, who frequently utilized it in his meetings.
 
NO TOMB WIHTOUT THE CROSS
I have a stronger affinity for the empty tomb then I do for the old rugged cross. I love the symbol of life more than the symbol of death. Having said that, the empty tomb does not exist without the horrific event of the cross. Forgiveness of sins is not possible if Jesus is not nailed to a cross to die. The Grace I preached last week – Getting what we don’t deserve = eternal life, does not exist without first receiving God’s MERCY – not getting what we do deserve = death, as the penalty for our sin. But I have discovered something that puts the cross in a new light. Jesus talked about the disciples and their own cross before anyone had an inkling that Jesus would die on a cross. The cross is not just a symbol of what Jesus has done for us – it is also a symbol of how we are to follow him in life.
 
TAKE UP YOUR CROSS
Luke 9:23-27
Then Jesus said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? 26 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God."
WHY DID JESUS SAY TAKE UP YOUR CROSS? (what came before)
Luke 9:20-22
"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "The Christ of God." 21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. 22 And he said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."
WHY DID JESUS SAY TAKE UP YOUR CROSS? (what came after)
Luke 9:28-36
About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. 29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, 31 appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, "Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters — one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." (He did not know what he was saying.)
          34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him." 36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves, and told no one at that time what they had seen.
          The kingdom of God is not just some place we go to someday. It is here and now. It is something that Jesus is asking us to build with him as the lead carpenter. And we are asked to build it inspired by the Holy Spirit, to do so creatively and compassionately as a way to connect other people to Jesus! Christianity is not just getting our ticket punched to get to heaven and Mercy is not a one time event – God’ mercies are new every morning based on a one time event – Christ’s death on the old rugged cross.
          As we daily pick up our cross to follow Jesus we must have a renewal of mind… Rom 12:1-2 in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will. But also requires a commitment of the heart. No one picks up their cross who is not fully committed to loving and serving Jesus Christ. Don’t look for God’s mercy when you don’t know what it feels like to carry your cross. It is in carrying that cross that we comprehend what cost was made so we could receive his mercy. A cross bearers life is never stagnant, never unwilling to learn more and walk deeper while following Jesus.  20 years ago, Ann Dawson didn’t say, ok I’ve been there and done that so now I am done bearing the cross Jesus told me to carry. No, she carries it still ever learning and growing and having a heart for the lost.
          Jesus did not go to the cross only so we could have eternal life, he did it so we could be faithful followers in this life. Titus 2:11-14  For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.
          The ticket to heaven is a great byproduct of Christ’s death on the cross, our lives lived here and now for his glory is what the cross makes possible as an example for us to do what he already told us before he picked up his own cross.  HE saved us to change us, to make us different than we were before we knew him. 1 Peter 2:10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
          As we pick up our own rugged cross and follow him, it is then and inly then, in light of his mercy, that we are transformed into the people he designed us to be clear back in the garden of Eden before sin entered the world. Discipleship is for a lifetime, not a week-end part time job. That is why Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
 
CONCLUSION OLD RUGGED CROSS VERSE
In the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine / Such a wonderful beauty I see /
For 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died / To pardon and sanctify me.
So I'll cherish the old rugged cross / Till my trophies at last I lay down /
I will cling to the old rugged cross / And exchange it some day for a crown.