1-22-23 ALL IN CONCLUSION AND INVITATION We are living in the land of the Giants!

We are living in the land of the Giants!

Scripture                                                  Luke 5:1-11

In 2011 the New York Giants were just a handful of days from the Week 16 game against the New York Jets, with the Giants stuck at 7-7 and their season fast slipping away. Losers of four of their previous five games, it seemed as if the Giants were destined to finish second or even third in the NFC East. But then...

Giant Paul Gonzalez took the stand at the team’s weekly chapel service and, before roughly two dozen players and coaches, began to challenge the players on and off the field where their motivation lies.

Gonzalez, a teacher in Union City, N.J., had spoken to the team several other times, but on this occasion he challenged the players spiritually and hit them with their responsibilities as husbands and fathers. But what surprisingly stuck was his challenge to them not just off the field but on it as well. When Gonzalez asked those gathered if they were "all in," his two words resonated in a way he didn’t see coming.

A spiritual challenge would ignite a Super Bowl run and make believers of this Giants team in the rest of the NFL.

"I really had no idea; I was just glad I could hopefully encourage them on that night in December. It really exemplifies that when individuals join together and totally commit themselves to a common goal amazing results are possible and people will take notice--which I think is exactly what they are doing against all the odds. They are looking 'All In."

Giants chaplain George McGovern said that chapel attendance usually hovers in the mid-20s and that there has been no rush of new converts to fill the pews since Gonzalez’s service and the team’s improbable playoff push. But the challenge from the pulpit clearly spurred something in the way the Giants played.

Before the Jets game in his pregame speech, Giants defensive end Justin Tuck co-signed what Gonzalez said to the team, using the "All In" phrase in his speech. The Giants beat the Jets on Christmas Eve and the "All In" tag was used publicly by Tuck in his postgame remarks.

The next week, 80,000 white towels (SLIDE towel)

filled MetLife Stadium with Gonzalez’s words emblazoned on each one. The Giants won again with the crowd waving the "All In" towels as the players left the field, having clinched the division.

"The phrase can be applied in many ways and some players carried it over to their professional lives and determined to be 'All In' when it comes to competing on the field. "The phrase has taken on a more immediate meaning and is now centered on the players’ efforts on the field and among each other. But for those men who were at chapel that night, the echo still reminds them of the initial application."

It was a winning bet by Gonzalez, who said he felt "led by God" to deliver this particular chapel message to the team. Towards the end of the 20-minute service, he handed those in attendance a poker chip to tie together the "All In" mantra firmly.

"I gave them a poker chip, and silver sharpies. I then asked them to initial one side, and think about what God is calling them to be 'All In' about. Maybe it is being 'All In' as a man of God, father, or brother, or teammate, or all of those," Gonzalez said. "I let them keep the chip and challenged them to put it in a place they could remember it, to remind themselves that they are 'All In.'"

And some of those blue Giants are likely keeping that chip next to a Super Bowl ring.

Luke 5:1-11

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,

Kinneret is a city situated on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, mentioned in both the OT and NT. Older Bible translations spell the name Kinnereth or Chinnereth. In time the name became Ginosar and Gennesaret. The remains of the city have been excavated at a site now called Tel Kinrot in Modern Hebrew. Due to this city's prominence, the lake (or the "Sea of Galilee") for long periods of history, was known as the Sea of Gennesaret. As other places around the lake rose to prominence, the name of the lake also changed to Lake Tiberias, and eventually as the Sea of Galilee.

To understand its size. Lake Erie (smallest of the great lakes by volume) is 241 miles long and 57 miles wide. The Sea of Galilee (the largest freshwater lake in Israel) is 13 miles long and 8 miles wide.

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God,

            What were the people doing? Crowding around Jesus and listening to the word of God.

          What was Jesus doing? He was preaching & teaching the word of God with a lot of people, not just around him, but crowding around him (the Mike McClellen effect). (only time I experienced that kind of crowd was at the Ohio State fair waiting to see Sony & Cher). How many of you would be uncomfortable in that situation? As a boss, a teacher, a preacher, a sales person?

Apparently, it bothered Jesus as well who did not look for an escape but needed a solution to this problem,

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen,

What does that tell us about those boats? Two things - they were boats that were used in the business of fishing. He could tell by the way it was crafted or by the things that were on the boats. Secondly, we learn that no one is on these boats - "left there by the fisherman" indicates that they were beached with no one on the boats. Where were the fisherman and why did Jesus take note of these boats while he was doing something important like preaching the word of God?

Jesus saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets.

He knew that because nearby he saw the fishermen who were cleaning their nets. Whenever fishermen would come in from fishing they would clean their nets and fix or mend them if they had any tears in them. This was important as these fisherman only had two tools to earn their entire livelihood - a boat and nets. Jesus saw the care they were taking to be able to have a good business.

3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon,

If you were standing near your boat (which is your livelihood) and someone you never met got into your boat, how would you respond? "Hey buddy, what are you doing in there? Get out of my boat!" Peter was not a shy man and would have possibly thrown someone like that out of his boat or maybe cut off his ear. But he didn't, which let's us know that at this point, he knows who Jesus is and has already met him.

In the boat, Jesus asked Simon to put out a little from shore.

Peter got in the boat with Jesus, just the two of them and he did what Jesus asked - he put out a little from shore.

Then Jesus sat down and taught the people from the boat.

I love Jesus' creativity; he created the first floating pulpit. I am also thinking this coming summer, church should be held on the water front at Maumee Bay State park and I will pull up in my boat and preach from there.

After his benediction, Jesus turned his attention from the many to just one - one who was becoming a disciple. Discipleship rarely happens in large groups, it happens one on one or in small groups. Because of the wording in a moment, I believe that Andrew and possibly a few others who work with them got in the boat as well. The text will also give us clues that the other boat that was there also got boarded by their fishing partners, James, John, their father Zebedee, and others who worked with them.

4 When Jesus had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."

What were they previously doing when Jesus showed up? Cleaning and mending their nets - so they could go home. What were they doing before that? Fishing - all night!

5 Simon answered, "Master, (again, that title lets us know that Simon and Jesus had not only had conversations, but that Simon was already a disciple - which is why he does what Jesus asks.) we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."

So far, Peter has had his employment interrupted, been asked to do a small favor that mostly required time and a small use of his personal property, now he has been asked to work when it is past time to be off work and knowing it is the wrong time and wrong place to go fishing - but in every instance, even when he doesn't want to do it, he still does all that Jesus asks of him. He has the makings of a great disciple.

What would have happened is he had not done what Jesus asked? In each case he would have missed out on tremendous blessings.

          "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch." 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets (those nets they had just cleaned and mended) began to break.

7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink. Do you have any idea how many fish you would need to have in a boat for it to begin to sink - let alone enough for that to happen to two boats. And all this after a night of catching 0 fish and going out now at the wrong time and in the wrong place - but the key is that it was done in obedience to the right person.

8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" 9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.

Though Jesus turn his focus from the many to the one, even the few who were present were blessed by observing and participating in what happened.

Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men."

Now look at what happens to Simon, Andrew, James, and John.

11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

From that very moment for the rest of their lives, they were now ALL IN with Jesus.  They didn't become perfect, they didn't do everything right, they even failed Jesus directly at times, but there is no doubt that this group of young men were now ALL IN for the kingdom of God as disciples of Jesus. When it says the "LEFT EVERYTHING" that means not only their business, family and business partners, they also left the greatest catch of fish anyone had ever seen (worth a lot of money and free publicity). Apparently, the idea of following Jesus to fish for people was a far greater possibility than the best part of their life's long work - fishing.

Salvation happens at a point in time - even if you came to faith over time - there was a moment that Jesus became real to you. Discipleship is different - it is completely over time. When Jesus says work out your salvation - that has everything to do with being an ALL IN disciple. ALL IN doesn't mean you go from 0-90 in 5 seconds in your spiritual life.  Look at how well Luke crafts his wording of what Jesus did with Simon Peter in this story:

Put out a little from shore is all we do at church.

Put out into the deep is all we do outside of the church.

Matthew 25:23 (The Living Bible) "'Good work,' his master said. 'You are a good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over this small amount, so now I will give you much more.'"

          The sermon began talking about the NY giants - Heavens giants are Christian who decidedly live a life that is ALL IN for Jesus! Always remembering how much Jesus was, is, and will always be ALL IN for you. When more of us grow indiscipleship, we will al be living in the land of the Giants.

01-15-23 “Salvation is not a choice. It's a command!”

“Salvation is not a choice. SLIDE 1

It's a command!”

Scripture                                                Romans 10:8-13

          I read very little as a student. I only began to read at all once I became a follower of Christ. Besides the Bible being my constant companion, one of the most influential books in my early faith journey was SLIDE 2

"Disciple" by Juan Carlos Ortiz (tell who he is).

          In the 90's I went to a conference at our SLIDE 3

ABAC in Greenlake Wisc. where he was one of the main speakers. He would not arrive till the 3^rd day of the event. When I saw my name tag on a registration table, I also saw one for Juan Carlos Ortiz - SLIDE 4 this famous Latin American preacher, evangelists, and author, and thought to myself, "why not"? So for the next 2 days I wore his name tag. I was stunned at how many people came up to me, including people of Hispanic decent and told me how much my books had meant to them and how they were looking forward to hear me speak. I have to say, I never thought anyone would seriously think that Mid-west born, very white, 20 years younger - Jeffrey, could possibly be mistaken for Juan Carlos Ortiz, but I sure enjoyed it.  When he arrived, I gave him his name tag - told him the story - and we both had a good laugh.  END SLIDE 4 

          His preaching did not disappoint. Just last week I saw his books on my shelf in my office. Over the years I have thinned my shelves only to books that are more recent - or to ones that still have great meaning to me - his book is still at the top of my list and I picked it up and thumbed through it re-reading my highlights, of which there were many, and some parts that I had not highlighted. It once again brought inspiration about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. I will preach today and next week, many of the thoughts that come from scripture as written and taught by Juan Carlos Ortiz through the lens of someone wearing a name tag that says Jeff Cooper, a disciple of Jesus Christ!

 

          The book begins, "What is a disciple? A disciple is one who follows Jesus Christ. But because we are Christians does not necessarily mean we are His disciples, even though we are members of His Kingdom. Following Christ means acknowledging Him as Lord; it means serving Him as a slave. It also means loving and praising." The title of the first part of this book is appropriately titled, "NEW WINE"!

          Luke 6:46 Jesus said, "Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?"

There is an immediate problem for those who speak Spanish. The word "Lord" is Señor which is equivalent to our word Mr. - Señor Jesus = Mr. Jesus. In English as have 2 words - Mr. and Lord. But that is not all that helpful as Lord only has meaning for us related to the 'Lords of England' which doesn't carry any real weight for us.

          What did Jesus mean when he spoke that word to a Greek speaking people 2000 years ago? kurios (kurios) = meant maximum authority, the one above everyone else - with a lower case 'k', it was the word slaves used to address their masters. With an upper case 'K' it is how Caesar of Rome was referred too. On the street you would say "Caesar is Lord!" and the response would be "Yes, Caesar is the Lord". No wonder Caesar persecuted Christians, because they would respond, "No, Jesus is the Lord!" They were committed to an authority greater than Caesar - the earthly king. Jesus is at the center of the gospel - there is no getting around it.

          Even today, I and others preach that you need to accept Jesus, but the greater and first truth is that Jesus accepts us.

          Revelation 3:20 Jesus says, "Here I am! 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 with me." We are so self centered we think that we are doing Jesus a favor by opening the door and inviting him in. NO! He is favoring us with a lavish grace by knocking at the door of our heart! We don't share Jesus because someone is lost without him. We share Jesus because it will grow the kingdom where He is Lord.  Acts 2:36 "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah."

     Zacchaeus - How would we approach him today VS. how Jesus approached him. P19

     Matthew - Matt 9:9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

     Rich Young Ruler - "Go sell all you have and come follow me." "He went away sad."

Luke 9:59-62

      A Man - He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

      Another Man - Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family." Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

          You follow the command or you don't. If you don't follow your superior officers command, what happens? You are court marshalled. And in the case of disobedience to Jesus, you are dishonorably discharged - cast out of the military.

          The kingdom of God does not accept naturalized citizens. You have to be born into the kingdom. Suppose the laws of the US were like that. Picture one person of the more than 2,000,000 people from Central and South America trying to enter the US in 2022.

Nicholas is going through all the proper channels and would be a good and hardworking citizen. Nicholas comes to the immigration office and says "I want to be an American."

"Where were you born?"

"El Salvador"

"Then you cannot be an American, because all Americans must be born on American soil."

"But Sir! I really want to be an American!"

"Where were you born?"

"El Salvador"

"I just told you Nicholas, the ONLY way to be an American is to be born in the United States of America."

"Oh Sir! How can I do it? I really truly want to be an American."

"Well, the only thing you can do is to die, then be born again, but this time make sure you are born in America. That is the ONLY way! We do not accept visitors. We do not accept visas anymore. You have to be born HERE!"

SLIDE 5 

In John 3 Jesus had nearly that exact same conversation with Nickolas (Nicodemus) with the implication, even if you are a Pharisee, even if you are a land that calls itself "The Savior = El Salvador" you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven - the only way in to heaven, into my eternal kingdom is to be Born Again through ME!

          END SLIDE 5

CONCLUSION

          John 14:5-6  Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

MORE REMEDIES

Have you heard about the farmer who went to a government official specializing in animal health? The farmer sought help from the "expert" because ten of his chickens had suddenly died. SLIDE 6 The government expert instructed the farmer to give aspirin to all the surviving chickens.

Two days later, however, the farmer returned. Twenty more chickens had died. What should he do now? The expert said quickly: Give all the rest castor oil.

Two days later, the farmer returned a third time and reported 30 more dead chickens. The government expert now strongly recommended penicillin.

Two days later a sad farmer showed up. All the rest of his chickens had now died. They were all gone.

"What a shame," said the expert, "I have lots more remedies!"

END SLIDE 6 

The world offers many so-called remedies to the problem of sin. There is only one qualified physician to deal with this problem, and he is an obstetrician - he is the only one who can deliver you and make you become born again. He is El Salvador - The Savior, and his name is Jesus!

          Romans 10:8-13  "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."  For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

01-08-22 ALL IN - tied to an anchor!

Hebrews 11:32-12:3

ALL IN people were not only in the Bible but existed in Church History as well.

The Apostolic Fathers (AD 35 – 150)

The apostolic church fathers were Christian leaders who were contemporaries of the apostles and were taught by them.

1. Clement of Rome (AD 35 – 99)

Clement of Rome (not to be confused with Clement of Alexandria) was a bishop of the church in Rome after the death of Peter and Paul. Many scholars even believe he was the Clement Paul mentioned in Philippians 4:3.

Clement is mainly known for a letter he wrote to the church of Corinth around AD 96. He wrote this epistle to address divisions among the Corinthians regarding leadership and called them to humility, repentance, and peace. He said in 1 Clement 49, “love admits no schisms: love gives rise to no seditions: love does all things in harmony.”¹  His epistle might be the earliest document written after the New Testament, and it was widely read throughout the ancient Roman Empire for several years.

In AD 101, Emperor Trajan banished Clement from Rome to work in a stone quarry where he was martyred by being thrown into the Black Sea tied to an anchor.

Clement lived by following the example of those who came before him and died for Christ.

2. Ignatius of Antioch (AD 35- 110)

Although Ignatius was one of the most significant figures in the early Church, little is known of his life. We know that he was from the city of Ephesus, a disciple of John, the apostle, and was a bishop in Antioch.

AD 110, Emperor Trajan sentenced Ignatius to die in Rome. And on his way there, the soldiers allowed Ignatius to visit several churches and even write them letters. In his letters, he warned believers against the false teachings of Gnosticism and Docetism— the belief that Jesus didn’t come in the flesh.

Like his teacher John, Ignatius fought for the truth. He said in one of his letters to “stop your ears when you hear these false teachers”.

It was crucial to Ignatius that Jesus came in the flesh because, as a human, Jesus identified with our sufferings. He died holding fast to that truth and to His savior.

3. Athanasius of Alexandria (AD 298-373)

Athanasius was the twentieth bishop of Alexandria, Egypt. He is well known for contending for the faith and fighting heresy in the fourth century.

During his time, a man named Arius started teaching that Jesus was a created being and was not the eternal God. When Athanasius caught wind of this false teaching, called Arianism, he condemned the theology and affirmed the deity of Jesus and his eternal relationship with the Father.

Despite Athanasius’s valiant efforts, Arianism continued to spread in the church and caused division. Consequently, Emperor Constantine sought to end the debate and convened a council of bishops in Nicaea to decide on the matter. Athanasius attended that council and was one of the lead speakers. He became the principal author of the Nicene Creed, which declared the Son to be “begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father.”

Arianism still continued as more bishops accepted it. Not Athanasius! He vigorously affirmed the deity of Christ fought against the Arians. His stance on the truth cost him five exiles from his city and church. It led to an expression Athanasius contra Mundum, or “Athanasius against the world.” He died 8 years before the Council of Constantinople confirmed the Nicene Creed.

Athanasius is also known for being the very first person to list all 27 books of the New Testament that we have today.

4.       Perpetua (AD 181–203)

Perpetua, one of the first female African martyrs of the early Church, was born in Carthage, North Africa (Tunisia). She lived during a time when Rome had been persecuting Christians all over the Empire, and accepting Jesus was punishable by death. Nonetheless, Perpetua (who at the time had a young child) was baptized. She was eventually arrested for her faith, refusing to be called anything other than a Christian.

On the day of her trial, her father showed up with her infant son, pleading with her to recant her faith in Jesus for the sake of the child. She refused and was thrown in the arena to the wild animals. When the crowd grew impatient for her death, Perpetua and the other prisoners with her were lined up and killed by the sword.

Agents of the Protestant Reformation (AD 1300 – 1600)

The Roman Catholic Church was teaching new doctrines like the transubstantiation of Christ, purgatory, justification by works, and indulgences. They believed their authority was on par with the Holy Scriptures because of the apostolic succession—

However, many people protested the authority of the Roman Catholic Church and its teachings which eventually led to the reformation in 1517.

5. John Wycliffe (1330 – 1384)

John Wycliffe was an English theologian, Oxford professor, and scholar. Although he lived and died a hundred years before the official start of the protestant reformation, he played a significant role, and he is one of its forerunners.

Wycliffe was a student of the Word and believed many teachings of the Roman Catholic Church did not align with Scriptures. He was especially against the Church’s monopoly of Scriptures and thought all Christians should have a copy of the sacred text in their mother tongue. (At the time, The Roman Catholic Church only authorized texts in Latin, and very few people could read it.)

Although the Roman Catholic Church vehemently opposed it, Wycliffe decided to translate the Bible in English. With the help of his followers called the Lollards, he began translating the Latin Vulgate into English. However, Wycliffe died before it was complete. The Council of Constance posthumously charged him with heresy. They dug out his bones from the holy ground, burned them, and scattered the ashes in a river.

One of Wycliffe’s followers named John Hus continued promoting Wycliffe’s idea of making the Bible accessible to everyone. He even encouraged people to rebel against the tyranny of the Roman Catholic Church. Consequently, the Church burned Hus at the stake, and they used Wycliffe’s manuscript Bibles to kindle the fire.

According to tradition, Hus last words were “in 100 years; God will raise up a man whose calls for reform cannot be suppressed.” ¹

Almost a hundred years later, Martin Luther began the Protestant reformation.

6. Corrie ten Boom (1892–1983)

Born in Holland to a Christian family, Corrie ten Boom lived a quiet life until World War II broke out, and the ten Boom family became involved in resistance efforts. Her family’s home in Haarlem, the Netherlands, became a hiding place for six Jews—Corrie using her job as a watchmaker in her father’s shop as a cover.

Nazi’s raided the house on February 28, 1944, and Corrie, her father, and her sister, Betsie, were arrested and taken to concentration camps. Despite her deplorable living situation, Corrie held Bible studies in Barracks 28, which “became known throughout the camp as ‘the crazy place, where they hope.’”

Corrie survived the Holocaust, and her story and Christian witness resulted in a prolific writing and speaking ministry. Her book The Hiding Place told of her family’s wartime activities and became a bestseller. Before death in 1983, she had carried the gospel to more than sixty countries.

7. Conrad Grebel  (1498-1526)

          Born 1498. He came to Zurich, Switzerland with his family around 1513. Worked as a proofreader in Basel, married in 2-6-1522 (460 before Kim & I), Conrad became a Christian minister around 1523.

Previously, in Paris Grebel engaged in a loose lifestyle, and was involved in several fights with other students. When Grebel's father received word of his son's demeanor, he cut off Conrad's funds and demanded that he return to Zurich. Conrad Grebel spent about six years in three universities, but without finishing his education or receiving a degree.

In 1521 Grebel joined a group gathered to study with Huldrych Zwingli. With him they studied the Greek classics, the Latin Bible, the Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament. They became a group of young radicals and in 1525 the group met together for counsel on January 21^st in the home of Felix Manz. This meeting was illegal according to the new decision of the council. George Blaurock asked Grebel to baptize him upon a confession of faith. Afterward, Blaurock baptized the others who were present. As a group they pledged to hold the faith of the New Testament and live as fellow disciples separated from the world. They left the little gathering full of zeal to encourage all men to follow their example.

Grebel and others took their new message to others and Grebel was arrested. He was scheduled to be executed but escaped and lived in hiding at his sisters and died from ill health at age 30. When he was scheduled to be executed, it was going to be by drowning = "Those who dunk shall be dunked." No where is that method recorded but it would be something like tying him to an anchor and throwing him into a body of water - exactly like Clement of Rome over a thousand years earlier.

8.   Jesus (0-33 AD-ish / also from Eternity to Eternity) (tell his story)

Jesus was killed the same as some of these others -- tied to an anchor and thrown into the sea to drown. NO? Metaphorically it is the same and certainly has the same result. What makes you die if you are drowned in the sea? You can't breathe. What makes you die if you are crucified on a cross with nails through your hands and feet so that the pain is unbearable to push yourself up? You can't breathe. In the water tied to an anchor or on a cross nailed through hands and feet - the result is the same - DEATH!

In Jesus death, he flips the script on the image of death. On how we view the cross and what the anchor now symbolizes for us. It has gone from a symbol of death to a symbol of hope. The anchor - Christ's death and resurrection is what gives us HOPE when the storms of life threaten to drown us. He becomes the anchor that holds us secure in the storm.

Hope is the anchor of the soul, the stimulus to action, and the incentive to achievement.

Hebrews 11:32 - 12:3

And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about those who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 6:19-20

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf.

 

 

EXTRA MATERIAL:

Written by Conrad Grebel against infant baptism  (In answer to the charge that faith is required of all who are to be saved, we exclude children and on the basis of the above texts accept that they will be saved without faith and that they do not believe; and we conclude from the description of baptism and from Acts (according to which no child was baptized) and also from the above texts, which are the only ones which deal with the subject of children, and all other Scriptures which do not concern children, that infant baptism is a senseless, blasphemous abomination contrary to all Scripture and even contrary to the papacy, for we learn through Cyprian and Augustine that for many years after the time of the apostles, for six hundred years, believers and unbelievers were baptized together, etc. Since you know this ten times better than we, and have published your protestation against infant baptism, we hope that you will not act contrary to God's eternal Word, wisdom, and command, according to which only believers should be baptized and will not baptize children. If you or Carlstadt do not adequately write against infant baptism and all that pertains to it, how and why one is to baptize, etc., I (Conrad Grebel) will try my hand at it)