04-25-21 “Standing before God at the Water Gate”

Scripture  Nehemiah 7:73-8:18

    Do you believe the bible to be true? Do you believe that God is the author of the whole Bible, who inspired approximately 40 people to write what they wrote? Do you believe some of the Bible, but not all of it? If so, what parts?
Have you ever read the Bible? It is fascinating that most people who say they don’t believe the Bible to be true or to be authored by God, have never actually read the Bible, or at least not all of it. How can you disbelieve something to be false that you have never read? I believe it is the job of the atheist, agnostic, and the curious seeker to read the Bible and then come to a reasonable and intelligent conclusion about it.
    The worst way to try and read the Bible is to start with Genesis and end with Maps. With “The Story”, we are about to embark on one of the simplest and best ways to, at least get a good idea, of what the entire Bible is about in just 31 weeks which requires an investment of about 62 hours (1 hour or less of preparation each week and one hour in a community group each week). That is equal to about 2 1/2 days out of your entire life to see if you really do believe the Bible to be true or not. Does that sound like an investment worth taking?
    Today, we are going to look at one small part of a larger story, that will show us what happened when a group of people, who had not been able to read the bible, and who were not living by the heart of the Bible’s message, were given that opportunity once again and what happened to them when they began hearing and responding to the author; to the God of Bible.
 
    600 years before Jesus was born, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Jerusalem, and over several years he took many of the Jews captive; taking them from Jerusalem to Babylon We call that the ‘Babylonian Exile’. Some of the most famous Jews who were taken into exile were Daniel, Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego. Let’s see where Babylon was. MAP SLIDES: babylonian empire 1 then babylonian empire 2 Texas

After about 60 years of exile, Babylon was taken over by Persia. Cyrus, the King of Persia, began allowing exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem. It was another 60 years when Artaxerxes allowed Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls which had been destroyed by the Babylonians. 13 years before Nehemiah arrived to rebuild the walls, a priest named Ezra arrived to begin rebuilding, not the walls, but the people.
 
          Ezra Nehemiah was once one book that was eventually divided into two. In Nehemiah 8, we find the culmination of what Ezra had been preparing the people for during those 13 years.
 
Nehemiah 7:73-8:18
When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, 8:1 all the people assembled as one man in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.
2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 The Levites-Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah — instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.
9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
10 Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, "Be still, for this is a sacred day. Do not grieve."
12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.
13 On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the scribe to give attention to the words of the Law. 14 They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in booths during the feast of the seventh month 15 and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: "Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make booths"-as it is written.
16 So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves booths on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate and the one by the Gate of Ephraim. 17 The whole company that had returned from exile built booths and lived in them. From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated it like this. And their joy was very great.
18 Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read from the Book of the Law of God. They celebrated the feast for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation, there was an assembly.
 
 
The best way to make sure we respond positively to the opportunities God provides us is to prepare ahead of time for them. But how do we anticipate those moments? The Lord has shown us how.

(Photo: Scribe copying the Scriptures. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
At the end of the exile, God moved the heart of the pagan King Artaxerxes to allow Ezra—a scribe and priest—to return to Jerusalem 13 years before Nehemiah returned to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, Ezra returned to rebuild the people. He did it by calling them to return to the Word of God.
Ezra shows us both how to prepare for the opportunities God provides and how to protect ourselves from what threatens them.
EZRA’S PRIORITY
The best-known verse in the book of Ezra serves well as Ezra’s life verse 7:10: Ezra had determined to study and obey the Law of the LORD and to teach those decrees and regulations to the people of Israel.
Ezra’s threefold passion models a priority for all of God’s people. Each part is essential, as is the order in which they occur:
·         Determined to study . . . the Law of the Lord
·         Determined . . . to obey the Law of the Lord
·         Determined . . . to teach those decrees and regulations
Ezra taught the people at Jerusalem’s Water Gate.
 
The location of the Water Gate in Jerusalem is likely near the Gihon Spring—a distribution point for water. If so, the location where Ezra read the Law—near Jerusalem’s only source of fresh water—provides in itself a powerful metaphor.  He faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone who could understand. All the people listened closely to the Book of the Law. —Neh. 8:3 NLT

(Photo: Water Gate excavated by Eilat Mazar. Courtesy of the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)
 
Because Ezra devoted himself to dispensing God’s Word to the people, when Nehemiah came to Jerusalem 13 years later, the people responded immediately to his challenge to rebuild the walls.  When enemies threatened to discourage their work, the people pressed on in spite of the threats. Ezra’s preparation of the people with the Word of God had made them trust in God’s protection.
So, it’s no surprise why the people requested Ezra read them the Bible that day at the Water Gate. Ezra had whetted their appetite for the truth.
 
As a regular intake of water is essential to our physical lives a regular intake of God’s Word is essential to our spiritual lives.
Take your time at the Water Gate.
 
          Nehemiah 8 moves from the Water Gate scripture reading to tell us about the Feast/Festival of Booths, when the people made booths – or little huts to stay in to remind them of the years of wandering in the wilderness when they lived in temporary shelters and were in a spiritual wasteland. The festival lasts for 7 days + 1. The day after is, by some considered a separate festival. The eighth day is called Shemini (“Eighth Day of the Solemn Assembly”). The eighth day commemorates the completion of the annual cycle of readings from the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) and is called Simḥat Torah – or - (“Rejoicing of the Law”).
 
          The only way the people could come back from exile (being in a place distant from God) was to immerse themselves in God’s word, which is exactly what they did which then prepared them to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem where they could live protected and in peace.
 
          How distant are you form God? Would you like to get closer to Him and do some rebuilding of your life where you will feel a sense of protection and peace? The only way to do that is to immerse yourself in God’s word – “The Story” is a great way to begin doing that.
 
          However, the Bible is worthless if it doesn’t connect us to Jesus. You just heard an entire sermon and heard nothing about Jesus…or did you? Let’s see.
John 4:13-14
Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." I admit that sounds good but there is nothing there to that comes from everything we heard in Nehemiah 8, but it sure is good preparation for what we hear 3 chapters later in John that means everything you have heard in the message today connects us to Jesus when you understand His word which you are about to do.
 
John 7:37-38

On the last and greatest day of the Feast, (What feast? The feast of the booths. Which day? The last day, which likely means the 8^th day - Shemini – Rejoicing of God’s Word) Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

04-18-21 “When the army sings, the battle is already won!”

 Scripture   2 Chronicles 20:1-30

According to ancient music historian Theodore Burgh, "If we were able to step into the biblical period, we would find a culture filled with music . . . where people used music in their daily lives." "Such music was capable of expressing a great variety of moods and feelings or the broadly marked antitheses of joy and sorrow, hope and fear, faith and doubt. In fact, every shade and quality of sentiment are found in the wealth of songs and psalms and in the diverse melodies of the Hebrew people as well as the Christians of the New Testament, and the people of Ashland."

 

Colossians 3:16-17

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

 

Psalm 98 has 3 stanzas. Ps 98:1-3, the subject of musical praise is announced, Ps 98:4-6, the manner of that musical praise is prescribed; and, Ps 98:7-9, the universal extent of musical praise is proclaimed.

 

Psalm 98

Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

 

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn — shout for joy before the Lord, the King.

 

Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.

 

Those of us who are sinners (all of us) can take heart from the fact that the Lord will judge his people graciously.  Because of his grace, our sins, which were like scarlet, have become white as snow (Isaiah 1:18).  It isn’t as if our sins have become invisible, but still present, lurking in the background.  Instead, our sins have ceased to exist.  They are gone.  When the Lord comes to judge, our account will read “Paid in Full!”

 

2 Chronicles 20:1-30

The Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to make war on Jehoshaphat. Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already in Hazazon Tamar".   Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.

Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard and said: "O Lord, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. O our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 'If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.' "But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you." All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.

Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel as he stood in the assembly. He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.'"

Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with very loud voice.

Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful." After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever."

As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.

When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped. So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value — more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it. On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they praised the Lord. This is why it is called the Valley of Beracah to this day.

Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the Lord had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies. They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the Lord with harps and lutes and trumpets.

The fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard how the Lord had fought against the enemies of Israel. And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.

 
“When the army sings, the battle is already won!”
And that is the time to “RAISE A HALELUJAH!”

4-18-21

Prelude: April 18 Pre/Post CD 5:00 Video: Countdown “Come Thou Fount, Come Thou King”

Live Prelude: "Be Thou My Vision" (Theme song for Ashland Church in 1986) Guy & Becky Esbin, piano duet

Welcome: Pastor Jeff Registration / Giving / The Story (Prayer - Teresa play under)

Thank You Video Part 1

Message: “When the army sings, the battle is already won!” Pastor Jeff       2 Chronicles 20:1-30

"Raise A Hallelujah" (Bethel Music) Praise Charts, 4/4, mm=83, Db, WT & PB

Thank You Video Part 2

(Dan Camick MC)    Sue Coburn reads Sandy’s tribute                                    Lynne Fuller  (Plaque)                                   Tammy Potter  (Card Bouquet)                                   Jim Detwiler  (Love Gift)

Thank You Video Part 3

Special song written for the day Scott Harris

Presentation to Becky Pastor Jeff

Becky’s opportunity to speak.

"My Story" Soloist: Mark Blowers + All Worship Team

Benediction: Pastor Jeff

Postlude: "Hallelujah Chorus" DVD demo

04-11-21 “God’s got moves! Do you?”

Scripture    Acts 16:16-40

Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.
          19 When the owners of the slave girl realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, "These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice."
          22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
          25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!"
          29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in, and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"
          31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your household." 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God — he and his whole family.
          35 When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: "Release those men." 36 The jailer told Paul, "The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace."
 
37 But Paul said to the officers: "They beat us publicly without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens, and threw us into prison. And now do they want to get rid of us quietly? No! Let them come themselves and escort us out."
          38 The officers reported this to the magistrates, and when they heard that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, they were alarmed.   39 They came to appease them and escorted them from the prison, requesting them to leave the city. 40 After Paul and Silas came out of the prison, they went to Lydia's house, where they met with the brothers and encouraged them. Then they left.

    They went to Lydia’s house where they were in a small group – I imagine the jailer and his family were there.
          The point of the story (even as I have often preached it) has to do with the miracle earthquake that came as a result of Paul & Silas praising God even though they were in prison. It is a good sermon. However, that is not why this scripture exists. Using this text to get us to praise in all circumstances isn’t bad – it just isn’t the main point of the story. God would free Peter from jail, not while he was praising but while the church was scared and praying. This is not an exceptional miracle compared to others. In fact, if the miracle was the point of the story, then Paul, Silas and the other prisoners would have escaped to continue to preach elsewhere – just like Peter when he was miraculously released from jail by an angel.

          So then what is the main point? What is the story? What is this story about? Why is this story in scripture? As we know, most of the Bible is a window through which we look to see who God is. This story does just that.
          This story started when Barnabas wanted to take Mark with them on the next missionary journey. Paul refused to bring him as he had abandoned them before when things got tough. Barnabas wanted to give Mark a second chance. Getting angry with one another, these Christian brothers, ministers, friends parted ways: Barnabas took Mark to revisit churches and Paul chose Silas to go with him (Silas had come from Jerusalem to oversee the work Paul was doing and likely bring a negative report back to church central in Jerusalem) But Silas saw that Paul’s work among non-Jews (outsiders) was quite effective and God honoring. So, Silas joined Saul.
          The story continued when the Holy Spirit kept Paul & Silas from entering certain towns and areas until Paul was given a vision of a man from Macedonia begging him to come there to preach Jesus. Paul & Silas went at once and came to the town of Philippi.
          That almost brings us up to our story for today. There is one more important fact that took place that is central to this story. We don’t know what day they arrived in this mostly heathen city, where very few Jews lived. So few that there was not even a synagogue. But on the Sabbath, they wanted to worship with God’s people and heard about a place of prayer that some gathered outdoors near a river. Arriving, they only found females – women who had been proselytized to Judaism, or who married Gentile men. In either case, these women were God fearing and chose to still meet on the Sabbath even without a synagogue and even if it was done outside. Sitting down, they shared with these women about Jesus. There was a woman there from Thyatira, who sold purple cloth – her name was Lydia. Thyatira was famous for its dyeing and was a center of the indigo trade (between blue & purple). Among the ancient ruins of the city, inscriptions have been found relating to the guild of dyers in the city. Lydia was there to sell her cloth and could have skipped sabbath worship and kept selling as there was no formal synagogue, but honoring God was important to her even if it was inconvenient. 
When she heard Paul preach about Jesus she believed in him. She instantly invited Paul and Silas to stay in her home.

Do you think God works to see that we come to faith in Him? (My story – God put a group of musicians together with a group of churches to bring them to Zanesville, and spurred my new friend to invite me to go an hour away from home where my heart was opened to Christ) Here is something you miss without Bible Study = Thyatira, where Lydia was from stood on the border between Lydia and Mysia. Remember I said the Holy Spirit kept Paul from going certain places and Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia to come there – hence ending up in Philippi? Acts 16:7-8  When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia (close to Thyatira) and went down to Troas.
If Lydia had been in her home town and not “out of town” selling her purple cloth, she would have never heard about Jesus because Paul & Silas were kept from going there. If she sold her cloth on the Sabbath or chose not to find the few Jewish women in Philippi who worshipped God, she would not have heard about Jesus. God appointed Paul to be with Silas; and also Lydia to be there on that day, at that moment, so she would come to know Jesus as her savior.
The opening of Lydia’s heart was her Lord’s doing. Whatever is done in Heaven’s great work with the soul of a person, is the Lord’s work. Only God’s hand can touch the heart; or more than that, open the heart, and, being opened, can cleanse it, fill it, satisfy it. He opens not only the receptive organ—the heart—but He opens even the perceptive organs—He opens the ear, He opens the eye, He enlightens the understanding, He changes the heart, He makes us willing, He gives us the power of faith to believe in Him.
So far the main point of the story is that God wants Jews to believe in Jesus…but the story continues.     --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Now God uses a Gentile slave girl to accomplish his purpose. She has a spirit that allows her to tell the future. Unlike most slaves to save money for their owners, this woman actually made them money – with some freedom to sit in the market place and tell people’s fortunes for a fee. When Paul & Silas walked through town to go preach – she would follow them shouting that they were going to tell you how to find salvation and know the one true God. (Sounds like good publicity but Paul got annoyed by it after several days) It did not benefit the woman to do this, but God would use it to His benefit. So Paul cast the Spirit from her. Her owners were furious because they no longer had a cash cow in this slave girl, and they had Paul & Silas to blame for it and got them thrown in jail for disturbing the peace.
          The jailer was given specific instructions to guard the prisoners closely. For fear, he locked them in the inner prison and put them in the stocks. For Paul, he was thrilled – he had a literal captive audience to share Jesus with. He and Silas broke out some praise and worship at midnight and God offered them (and the other prisoners) freedom by causing an earthquake. Amazing things can happen when we give God praise.
          The jailer ran in – saw that the prison doors were all open and all the prisoners could escape. He drew his sword to kill himself. WHY? The jail would have likely been a family business (even attached to his house) – his wife probably provided the meals and his kids probably served as janitors. The jailer, wanting to protect his family from any fall-out of having prisoners escape was willing to take his own life in hopes that his family would be left alone. Paul STOPPED him, saying “we are all here”. Paul could have escaped but knew he was part of a much bigger story.
          The jailer called for lights (his kids lighting the torches). He ran and got on his knees before ul & Silas and asked, “What must I do to be saved?” Obviously the jailer had been listening to Paul’s preaching and praise to even know what to ask. Paul responded, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your household." That did not mean is he was saved his whole household would all be saved. They were all there listening, and Paul was telling his whole household how they could be saved.
          The jailer brought them into the house to tend to their wounds and everyone in his household believed and were baptized and they set a meal before them to break bread together. There was great joy in the house that night.
          We don’t know why – maybe because of the earthquake, the officials told the jailer to release the prisoners. Paul said – not so fast – we are Roman citizens and were not given due process – have the officials come and escort us out, and they did.
         
          What is this story about? How much God wants ALL people to be saved. Lydia, the Jewish woman, the Gentile jailer and his household. We don’t even know about the other prisoners, the slave girl, or the officials. They may have also responded to Jesus.
          Think about the intricate movements of God. A slave girl who could tell fortunes was the reason Paul & Silas ended up in jail (well the greed of her owners too). If that had not happened, then there would have been no midnight worship service, no earthquake and no jailer and his family finding faith in Jesus Christ. So not the Jews only, not the Gentiles only, 2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

          Acts 16 as a window has shown God’s passion to see people find forgiveness of sins and eternal life in Him. Let me slide the mirror of Acts 16 up for just a second and see if you have the same heart as Paul & Silas, to allow your continuing story to be caught up in God’s story of seeing others come to faith in Jesus. It may not look as dramatic – it may be a simple invitation to church or to begin believing, belonging, and becoming by inviting someone to join you in a community group as together we read and learn “The Story”, therefore HIStory.
          “God’s got moves! So did Paul & Silas! Do you?”
Acts 17:24-28    "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.'

04-04-21 “Easter Breakfast”

Scripture  Revelation 3:20

How many of you remember at church having a BIG easter breakfast? Bacon and eggs and toast and pancakes and sausage. Often the men would arrive before sunrise and begin cooking. People would show up in their very best church clothes (even new Easter clothes) and hug their church friends and see people they haven’t seen at church…since Christmas.
You would sit at those old heavy wooden tables covered in white plastic table cloths with a pastel colored center piece. Think about what the tables represented. You sat at a table that symbolized friendship, companionship, fellowship, family, or as we at Ashland like to say; “Belonging”. Is there anything that says you belong more than sitting together for a meal?  Think about how we do World Wide Communion Sunday – more than any other worship service – sitting around that communion table, seeing each other’s faces as we partake of the food – the Christ centered meal, says that we belong to Christ, and that we belong to “one another”.
       Here are 10 of my favorites “One-Another” verses out of the dozens found throughout the NT.
One-another commands
1.     Wait for one another before beginning the Communion (1 Co 11:33)
2.     Be kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving to one another (Ep 4:32)
3.     Love one another (Jn 13:34, 15:12, 17; Ro 13:8; 1 Th 3:12, 4:9; 1 Pe 1:22; 1 Jn 3:11, 4:7, 11; 2 Jn 5)
4.     Regard one another as more important than yourselves (Php 2:3)
5.     Serve one another (Ga 5:13)
6.     Wash one another’s feet (Jn 13:14)
7.     Encourage and build up one another (1 Th 5:11)
8.     Pray for one another (Jas 5:16)
9.     Be hospitable to one another (1 Pe 4:9)
10. Comfort one another concerning the resurrection (1 Th 4:18)
 
          Why don’t we plan now to do that next year? Not a simple continental – which has been good in these changing times, but let’s do one year with the whole Chabang. April 17, 2022.
 
Jesus reveled who God is every time a meal was involved.
 
At his last supper Jesus showed that he did not come to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. Before the meal he washed the feet of 12 dirty men, including one who would betray him, another who would deny him, 3 who would fall asleep when he needed them most, and all who would dessert him.      Remember he said, “I have eagerly desired to eat this meal with you before I suffer.” Jesus wanted to eat with his disciples – Jesus wanted his disciples to be close to him. While eating it is easier to talk because your hands and tastebuds are busy. As well, you are sharing a common meal which unites you. Food provides physical nourishment while conversation and breaking bread provides mental, emotional, and spiritual nourishment.
 
Luke 24:13-35
 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.
He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?"
They stood still; their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
"What things?" he asked.
"About Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see."
He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?"  And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them.  (WAIT – they thot he knew nothing about Jesus, then he used the scriptures to tell them all about Jesus – and they don’t question the turn around???)
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?"
They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, "It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon." Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. There is Jesus showing up again at a meal. He used food to reveal himself.
The Easter story continues but guess what – more food!
 
Luke 24:36-47
While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. (why do give “doubting” Thomas such a bad rap -these guys saw Jesus and didn’t believe) And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?"  They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence. He 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." 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.” Jesus revealed who God is…with food. It proved that he was God in the flesh – but this time, resurrected God in the flesh who could still eat earthly food.
 
God used food to prove he was God and to prove he was bodily resurrected. Not a trick – not a 3D hologram – Jesus was resurrected in the flesh, yet different from Lazarus or others…his body was also fit for eternity.
 
 
He prepared breakfast for the disciples on the beach – but he also invited them, to provide part of the meal (that is the best way to teach someone – like Ruth taught me in college – she did a lot then gradually, without me noticing, had me doing more and more.)
 

CONCLUSION

He showed through food that he wants to be close to us, that he came to serve us, that we can recognize him, that we can see him, that we can find forgiveness and restoration with him. Finally, that we can have abundant and eternal life with him – in other words that he wants to be with us in the every dayness of life and wants us to be with him in the every dayness of eternal life. All of that because of resurrection Easter Breakfast – or breaking bread with Jesus.
Revelation 3:20 “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If you open the door, I will come in and eat with you and you with me.” That is resurrection talk and his resurrection makes it possible that he can…in this life eat with us, and eating with him means that we too will one day be resurrected. To eat at his heavenly table. What will that be like?
Isaiah gives us a hint: Isa 25:6-8a    On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine — the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. (Sounds like Easter breakfast to me)
 
All of these food stories that are part of the Easter story show us one thing above all others (window) about who God is. God is passionate beyond imagination to have you, me and everyone who would be willing, to come to heaven and eat with him – to be close to him, to live life forever with him. YOU still aren’t convinced – here is the final scripture for Easter Sunday:
          Luke 14:16-24
Jesus said: A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' "But they all alike began to make excuses. Lame excuses.
The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.'
"'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.'
"Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full.’
         
I hope to see you next year for Easter Breakfast – till then, let’s invite others to feast with us in the resurrected glory of Jesus Christ.
Rev 3:20 – Behold! I stand at the door and knock – if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he will eat with me!
For, greater is He that is living in me.  He's conquered our enemy.
No power of darkness.  No weapon prevails.  We stand here in victory
The same power that rose Jesus from the grave.
The same power that commands the dead to wake.
Lives in us.