10-24-21 “The widow's (mite) might”

Scripture     Mark 12:37-44

INTRODUCTION

          The stain glass window at first Baptist Urbana (describe it) 2 slides Stained Glass 1 & 2

Jesus…After commending one specific teacher of the law, then denounces the religious leaders as a class of people who like to walk around in flowing robes. What they wore was not as important as why they wore them. They used them to flaunt their education, their financial and their religious status as being above everyone else. The robe was their visible sign of authority to teach others - It showed they were right about the law and you receive what they say is right. (This was nothing new - Joseph and his multi color coat said he was above his brothers) On the other hand, Jesus' teaching was his authority. [Luke 4:31-32  Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people. They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.  Matt 7:28-29  When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.]

Jesus denounced their desire to show off by their clothing; but they also made a show before man & God in the synagogue taking the best seats and seeking the place of honor at banquets. [Jesus another time said: Luke 14:8-11 When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.]  Worse than all that, these teachers of the law he is addressing on this day had a total disregard for the poor and outcast - the lowest of whom would be older women who were widows. "They devour widow's houses." [Isaiah 10:1-2  "Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless."]

Finally, he condemns them for their long prayers that are for show, not to communicate with a holy God.

(Does any of this happen today? Phil Driscoll & Mars Hill 10 year rise and fall  ///  Like Leroy Jenkins who used to fill arena's and live in mansions and sell healing water - ended up destitute living in a motor home and half filling a 500-seat hotel ballroom. The state said his water would not heal but would give you diaria. His lowest move was marrying an old widow who hit a $6,000,000.00 lottery shortly after her husband died. The family got that marriage annulled because she was incompetent to make her own decisions.)

          All of this is setting up a short 4 sentence story that is one of the biggest parts of HIStory in all of the Bible.

Mark 12:37-44     Luke 20:45-21:4  (less detail)

The large crowd listened to Jesus with delight.

38 As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely."

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          Widow's Mite 1 41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.

          43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, Widow's Mite 2  this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything — all she had to live on."

13 chests in the temple treasury in the court of the women all shaped like a trumpet - 9 were for the receipt of what was legally due by worshippers (Half shekel tax, Temple tax, purification offering - sin offering - trespass offering, etc.); the other 4 were free-will offerings.

The rich used these to show off - taking larger, heavier coins and "throwing" them in to make noise - like sounding a trumpet. They were made of metal and made noise. The less valuable a coin - the less metal it was made from and the less noise it would make - a mite was the smallest of all coins.

She didn't have to give it. Why did she?

Do you have money, or does money have you?

I can’t help at church because I don’t have enough time. Or does time have you?

Give the rest of your life to God - when I go to work, the quality I give is to be more like you. With my family, I give you my best. With my neighbor and the stranger, I give myself totally to God.

When people have hard times they often pull away from God and His church. This widow is the opposite - she was going through hard times - a widow in 1^st century Israel had it difficult - she gave ALL she had - she had it rough, but she still gave all she had.

The widow's might was not in her pocketbook, it was in her heart. Her devotion was to the God she loved. (Like the unnamed woman of St. Luke Presbyterian Church) She gave, not a piece of herself, she gave ALL of herself - everything she had and did it voluntarily - not for show, but in confident humility.

CONCLUSION

The Apostle Paul's Thesis

Phil 3:7-14

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ — the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

          Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

John the Baptist's Thesis

John 3:30

He must become greater; I must become less.

INVITATION

Remember HIStory is not just about you and your response - though that is a part of it - but it is about showing who God is - One verse shows who God is and how much He notices and affirms us when we give our all to him:

Mark 12:44 (The MSG)  "All the others gave what they'll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford — she gave her all."

Matt 25:21  Jesus will say, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! Come and share your savior's happiness!'

YOUR RESPONSE REVEALS YOUR HEART OF WORSHIP

King of endless worth - No one could express - How much You deserve

Though I'm weak and poor - All I have is Yours - Every single breath
I'll bring You more than a song - For a song in itself - Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within - Through the way things appear - You're looking into my heart

I'm coming back to the heart of worship - And it's all about You - It's all about You, Jesus 

Sing Song: The Heart of Worship

10-10-21 “How do you respond when you hear a rattling sound?”

Scripture    Ezekiel 37:1-14
 
Vast army - pressed uniforms, shiny buttons, chariots in mint condition attached to grand stallions, weapons at the ready, the greatest army ever known on earth with regimental banners unfurled across the valley where the staccato sound of marching feet echoed through the surrounding hills. As they chanted the military cadence call, you could hear their in sync breathing between the phrases.

Ezek 37:1-14
The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"
          I said, "O Sovereign Lord, you alone know."
          4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones and say to them, 'Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. 6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.'"
          7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
          9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.'" 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet — a vast army.
          11 Then he said to me: "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.' 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.'"
 
Art imitates the Bible - the bones come to life and form skin, etc. back to life.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Undead skeletons could only live again if all Aztec gold coins were returned with the blood of those who took it, and the final blood offering could only happen through the only son of the last pirate - Will Turner.
Synopsis
God explains that these are the bones of the House of Israel. The people believe that their fate is sealed and that there'll be no restoration of their kingdom and their land. But there will, and this is the meaning of the dry bones coming to life.
 
GOD'S BREATH GIVES LIFE
Genesis 2:7
The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
ABSENCE OF BREATH MEANS DEATH
Genesis 25:8
Then Abraham breathed his last and died at a good old age, an old man and full of years; and he was gathered to his people.
Psalm 104:29-30
When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth.
Luke 23:44-46
It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
John 20:19-22
JESUS' LAST BREATH REACHED THE DEAD AND BROUGHT THEM BACK TO LIFE
Matthew 27:50-53
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
THE RESUREECTED JESUS HAS AN ETERNAL BREATH TO OFFER
John 20:19-22
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"  After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."  And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
 
SONG: "GLORIOUS DAY" "You called my name and I ran out of that grave"
 
 
WORSHIP
Ps 150
Praise the Lord.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord.

10-03-21 “Wash up before dinner”

Scripture       John 13:1-34

Pastor washes feet while the scripture is read with music underneath.

          You have just heard the beginning of the book of glory. John 13 and following compared to John 1-12 takes a monumental shift much like the OT to the NT. The hour of Christ glorification has been pointed to through Jesus public ministry in John 1-12. 18-21 is his final glorification and 13-17 is the most intimate section of scripture recorded. It is Jesus alone with his disciples. The closest thing to compare this to would be Adam and Eve in the garden with God before the fall.

          In this intimate setting Jesus makes it even more so by beginning with something that was so intimate it shocked Peter. Foot washing was common. People wore sandals and walked on dirt roads. Coming to a formal sacred meal like Passover, it would have been customary for the servant, even the slave, to wash everyone's feet. It was considered the lowest task for the servant with the least seniority.

          Why then, did Jesus wash his disciple's feet? We know it was as an example for them to go and do likewise. But it was so much more than that. It was a picture of the crucifixion he was about to face. Let's consider this when we look at the exchange with Peter.

Jesus poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. Jesus poured out what was needed for cleaning feet. On the cross Jesus poured out his blood, which is the only thing that will cleanse us of sin.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"

Jesus knows he is the only one who can wash away sins and he must do it or people will remain unclean.

Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

"No, you shall never wash my feet."

Peter had the right idea from a human (lower story) point of view that the master should not stoop below the student. From God's point of view, the student is unable to wash himself - never has been able and never will.

"Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

"Then, Lord, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"

Again, peter has the right idea from his perspective but not from God's.

Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you."  For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean.

Because Peter already believed Jesus to be the messiah, he was clean. Jesus knew that even before morning, Peter would sin 3 times, even denying that he knows Jesus and that his feet (his mouth) can only truly be cleansed by the ultimate eternal sacrifice of Christ himself. And to confirm this, after his resurrection, Jesus commissions Peter to carry on the ministry not one, but 3 times. Remember, Peter has difficulty understanding forgiveness. He once asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone. This foot cleansing ceremony is to help them understand the eternal cleansing that will take place shorty on the cross.

Even before that exchange with Peter, it says - he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. Jesus got up from his heavenly table, took off his heavenly clothing and put on the clothing of humanity. Phil 2:5-8 Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!           THEN:

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place.

When Jesus was crucified and risen, he put back on his heavenly clothing and returned to his place to continue being a servant and prepare that place for our arrival, while we are to be washing feet on his behalf.

If the foot washing is a picture of what the crucifixion will be, this adds to why people see the crucifixion as Christ's darkest hour. Not so, both reveal his glory. This is why he came. The crucifixion was not a failure, it was God's moment of triumph over sin and death that plagued the world since the garden of Eden. People saw it from and earthly perspective, Jesus saw it from a God perspective. Much like the scene in Apollo 13.

JUDAS

The story of Peter and the foot washing & last supper show us what it means to receive forgiveness and salvation in light of the cross, then the story of Judas and the foot washing and last supper show us what it means to miss forgiveness and salvation in light of the cross.

Jesus knew Judas would betray him but had him come to the last supper anyway. The one who would seal his fate also had Jesus kneeling before him, washing his feet, just hours before he would betray him. And the saddest picture of all is that Judas was sitting close to Jesus - close enough to receive a piece of bread directly from him. Elsewhere, Jesus and Judas share a bowl into which the dip their bread. John points out that Jesus dipped the bread and gave it to Judas. During the sedar (Passover) meal, the hosts dips the bread and gives it to someone he loves - someone who is the honored guest at the table. No one could be closer to God on earth than that moment when Jesus honors Judas and hands him the bread. Immediately after receiving it, it says the devil entered him - had full control - brought him over to the dark aide - literally. It says, when he left it was night - dark. This act is the antithesis of Jesus who is the light of the world.

Are you more like Peter or Judas in this story? Jesus tells us we should be more like him. We are given a new command to love one another. In this moment he is only talking about us loving those who are part of his body - the church. That love should look like one person humbling themselves for another by washing their feet. When a person walks into a church, they should see people who deeply love one another - not just their friends - but everyone who is there.

Simultaneously while we are growing in our actionable love for one another, we are going into all the world to invite people to the great wedding feast of Jesus! COMMUNION PREP>>>

(GIDEON STORY)

Gretchen said, We were all having a rough morning, I was having a rough morning, I was sitting with Gemma trying to help us all calm down and Gideon went upstairs.

He came back down and scooted a toy bin over and asked me to put my feet in it.  I was confused and then I saw two little towels on his shoulder and he began washing my feet.  What a beautiful moment of grace and reminder of God's love. 

09-26-21 “Can iron float?”

Scripture   2 Kings 6:1-7
JOKE:         Dear Frank. We've been neighbors for six tumultuous years. When you borrowed my tiller, you returned it in pieces. When I was sick, you blasted rap music. And when your dog went to the bathroom all over my lawn, you laughed. I could go on, but I'm certainly not one to hold grudges. So, I am writing this letter to tell you that your house is on fire. Cordially, Bob
 
That’s funny, but borrowing your neighbors’ tools can have serious consequences, especially if you lose or break one. I recently borrow some tools from my neighbor. I have a dog who likes to chew – well anything. Yep, he chewed up the neighbor’s tool I had borrowed. Needless to say, this created a bit of anxiety on my part. Fortunately for me, I was able to find the exact make and model in a store and gave it to my neighbor with the explanation as to why I bought him a new one.

ANXIETY IN AMERICA
Anxiety is the most common mental illness in the country.
Who is experiencing anxiety in our country right now?
Healthcare workers.
Airline attendants.
Employers who can’t get help. (Including - Churches who can’t find pastors.)
Teachers / Students
First Responders / Police officers
Politicians
Small Business owners
All ages, races, male & female, and across all socio-economic parts of society.
 
What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is worried thoughts and associated physical changes like increased heart rate. Anxiety is natural, anxiety disorders are more extreme. Anxiety disorders involve intense fears with more severe physical responses that can interfere with a person’s daily life. Living with anxiety is like living with a piece of iron across your shoulders weighing you down.
Why Is Anxiety So Common in America? What Changed?
It should come as no surprise that many mental health consultants blame the rise of the internet, and social media especially, for anxiety in teens and twenty-somethings. Comparing lifestyles depicted in social media and a fear of missing out (FOMO) are likely causes of anxiety as well as the way social media ironically makes people feel lonely. Not to mention the fact that social media is addictive, producing the same increase in dopamine that drugs give you. At this point, it appears anxiety and millennials are intertwined.
With the rise in technology also came an increase in artificial lighting and bad sleep habits. The blue light waves from your phone or computers late at night can have twice the adverse effects on your body’s production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, than normal artificial light. Could something as simple as unplugging alleviate some of the anxiety in millennials?
(fire & candlelight – to gas & oil lamps – to electric lights, to television, to computers & phones)
 
We could focus on how someone might overcome anxiety – which is a Christian thing to do BTW. God cares about the smallest details of your life – he doesn’t want you living with anxiety and fear.  1 Peter 5:7  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Jesus said, Matthew 10:28-31   Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
          Clear back to the prophets, we see what God doesn’t wanting us carrying anxiety with us through life.  Jeremiah 29:11   The Lord declares, For I know the plans I have for you,  plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

 

          These verses tell me something about God. Not only does he want us to not live in fear and anxiety, but more so, he wants us to live in peace. Before we get to anxiety’s alternative as a way to walk and live in peace, let’s look at one of HIStories (a not so famous one). It covers a mere 7 verses in scripture and doesn’t seem to be tied to anything around it. It seems to be a small unrelated story, but God has it there for a reason, and today we are going to see what that reason might be for you and me.
HIStory “Can iron float?
2 Kings 6:1-7
The company of the prophets said to Elisha, "Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to live."
And he said, "Go."
          3 Then one of them said, "Won't you please come with your servants?"
          "I will," Elisha replied. And he went with them.
          They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. 5 As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. "Oh, my lord," he cried out, "it was borrowed!"
          6 The man of God asked, "Where did it fall?" When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float. 7 "Lift it out," he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it.
 
JESUS GIVES PEACE
          When Jesus healed someone, he would often say what? “Your faith has made you well, go in peace.”
Luke 19:41-42   As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace — but now it is hidden from your eyes.”
 
John 14:25-27   “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
 
CONCLUSION
Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
 
Notice the condition:
Prayer – coming to God            (coming into His presence – “Surely the presence,,,”)
Petition – asking God               (James 4:2 You do not have, because you do not ask God. 
John 16:24   Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.)
Praise – thanking God               (Ps 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts
with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
 
When you break the tool you borrowed from your neighbor, God can work a miracle moving you on a pathway from Anxiety to Peace: Prayer, Petition, & Praise… And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
 
Living with anxiety is like living with a piece of iron across your shoulders weighing you down.
          Jesus took, not a piece of iron, but a beam of wood on his shoulders and bore it for us. He died and was buried in a sealed tomb. God threw a stick down form heaven that rolled away the stone and lifted Jesus out of that tomb of death. And now he tells us to reach out and grab him.

09-19-21 “Preaching, like you’ve never heard before!”

Scripture       Matthew 5-7

Why I don’t subscribe to canned sermons. The word is living and active. A passage I preached 5 years ago is fresh when I prepare to preach it now. I don’t read sermons – I don’t use someone else’s sermon – except today.
 
Jesus taught about subjects such as prayer, justice, money/giving, lust, anger, swear words, care for the needy, handling the religious law, divorce, fasting, judging other people, salvation,
 
Here is the manifesto of the new Monarch, who ushers in a new kingdom with a new message.
The last message in the Old Testament is, “And he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse” (Mal. 4:6). By contrast, this first great sermon of the New Testament begins with a series of blessings.
 
Matthew 5-7
When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:
Blessings
"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are — no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.
"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.
"You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'carefull,' you find yourselves cared for.
"You're blessed when you get your inside world — your mind and heart — put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.
"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family.
"You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.
"Not only that — count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens — give a cheer, even! — for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.
Salt and Light
"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.
"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand — shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
Completing God's Law
"Don't suppose for a minute that I have come to demolish the Scriptures — either God's Law or the Prophets. I'm not here to demolish but to complete. I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama. God's Law is more real and lasting than the stars in the sky and the ground at your feet. Long after stars burn out and earth wears out, God's Law will be alive and working.
"Trivialize even the smallest item in God's Law and you will only have trivialized yourself. But take it seriously, show the way for others, and you will find honor in the kingdom. Unless you do far better than the Pharisees in the matters of right living, you won't know the first thing about entering the kingdom.
Murder
"You're familiar with the command to the ancients, 'Do not murder.' I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother 'idiot!' and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell 'stupid!' at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill.
"This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God.
"Or say you're out on the street and an old enemy accosts you. Don't lose a minute. Make the first move; make things right with him. After all, if you leave the first move to him, knowing his track record, you're likely to end up in court, maybe even jail. If that happens, you won't get out without a stiff fine.
Adultery and Divorce
"You know the next commandment pretty well, too: 'Don't go to bed with another's spouse.' But don't think you've preserved your virtue simply by staying out of bed. Your heart can be corrupted by lust even quicker than your body. Those leering looks you think nobody notices — they also corrupt.
"Let's not pretend this is easier than it really is. If you want to live a morally pure life, here's what you have to do: You have to blind your right eye the moment you catch it in a lustful leer. You have to choose to live one-eyed or else be dumped on a moral trash pile. And you have to chop off your right hand the moment you notice it raised threateningly. Better a bloody stump than your entire being discarded for good in the dump.
"Remember the Scripture that says, 'Whoever divorces his wife, let him do it legally, giving her divorce papers and her legal rights'? Too many of you are using that as a cover for selfishness and whim, pretending to be righteous just because you are 'legal.' Please, no more pretending. If you divorce your wife, you're responsible for making her an adulteress (unless she has already made herself that by sexual promiscuity). And if you marry such a divorced adulteress, you're automatically an adulterer yourself. You can't use legal cover to mask a moral failure.
Empty Promises
"And don't say anything you don't mean. This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, 'I'll pray for you,' and never doing it, or saying, 'God be with you,' and not meaning it. You don't make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say 'yes' and 'no.' When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong.
Love Your Enemies
"Here's another old saying that deserves a second look: 'Eye for eye, tooth for tooth.' Is that going to get us anywhere? Here's what I propose: 'Don't hit back at all.' If someone strikes you, stand there and take it. If someone drags you into court and sues for the shirt off your back, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. And if someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more tit-for-tat stuff. Live generously.
"You're familiar with the old written law, 'Love your friend,' and its unwritten companion, 'Hate your enemy.' I'm challenging that. I'm telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best — the sun to warm and the rain to nourish — to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.
The World Is Not a Stage
"Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don't make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won't be applauding.
"When you do something for someone else, don't call attention to yourself. You've seen them in action, I'm sure — 'playactors' I call them — treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that's all they get. When you help someone out, don't think about how it looks. Just do it — quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.
Pray with Simplicity
"And when you come before God, don't turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?
"Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.
"The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They're full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. Don't fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, you can pray very simply. Like this:
Our Father in heaven, Reveal who you are. Set the world right; Do what's best — as above, so below. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. You're in charge! You can do anything you want!You're ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes. Yes.
"In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can't get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God's part.
"When you practice some appetite-denying discipline to better concentrate on God, don't make a production out of it. It might turn you into a small-time celebrity but it won't make you a saint. If you 'go into training' inwardly, act normal outwardly. Shampoo and comb your hair, brush your teeth, wash your face. God doesn't require attention-getting devices. He won't overlook what you are doing; he'll reward you well.
A Life of God-Worship
"Don't hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or — worse! — stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it's safe from moth and rust and burglars. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
"Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!
"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.
"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. 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.
"Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? 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, 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.
"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? 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. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. 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.
"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.
A Simple Guide for Behavior
"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults — unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.
"Don't be flip with the sacred. Banter and silliness give no honor to God. Don't reduce holy mysteries to slogans. In trying to be relevant, you're only being cute and inviting sacrilege.
"Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn't a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing. You're at least decent to your own children. So don't you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?
"Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God's Law and Prophets and this is what you get.
Being and Doing
"Don't look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life — to God! — is vigorous and requires total attention.
"Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don't be impressed with charisma; look for character. Who preachers are is the main thing, not what they say. A genuine leader will never exploit your emotions or your pocketbook. These diseased trees with their bad apples are going to be chopped down and burned.
"Knowing the correct password — saying 'Master, Master,' for instance — isn't going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience — doing what my Father wills. I can see it now — at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, 'Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.' And do you know what I am going to say? 'You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don't impress me one bit. You're out of here.'
"These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit — but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.
"But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don't work them into your life, you are like a stupid carpenter who built his house on the sandy beach. When a storm rolled in and the waves came up, it collapsed like a house of cards."
When Jesus concluded his address, the crowd burst into applause. They had never heard teaching like this. It was apparent that he was living everything he was saying — quite a contrast to their religion teachers! This was the best teaching they had ever heard.

09-12-21 “Always a Carpenter”

Scripture    Nehemiah 1:1-5
Oh Lord God, my brother Hanani and others have come from Judah here to Susa, the capital where I serve as cup bearer to the king of Persia, They said to me, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire." You know oh Lord I have been weeping and fasting for days.
Nehemiah 1:5-11
          "O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father's house, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, 'If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.'
They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man."
VIDEO: Nehemiah: What do you see? (Right Now Media)

          20 years ago today, we woke up to a different world. We woke up one day after the most gripping visual punch in the gut a country could imagine. On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Almost 3,000 people were killed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
          Prior to that day, we lived in a world where war and mass killing took place “somewhere else”.  Our military intelligence have prevented many other such attacks with no guarantee to stop all of them.
          The spiritual parallel is found in the story of Adam and Eve. They lived in an idealic location where everyone lived in peace and relative safety. The moment they chose to sin and eat from the tree they were told to leave alone; it was like a terrorist attack on their soul. They woke up the next day, no longer walking with God in the cool of the evening. They were now separated from him and from the possibility of eternal life. It was not until one man took a risk with his own life, leaving the comforts and glory of heaven and taking on the form of a servant, he offered his life in place of all who sinned, so we could be made whole again and once more have, not the possibility, but the guarantee of eternal life.
 
          In the story of Nehemiah, we once again see who God is. When Nehemiah looked over the city of Jerusalem – he wept and mourned that the walls lie in ruins. When Jesus looked over the city of Jerusalem, he wept and mourned that the souls of men and women lie in ruins.
 
          Nehemiah’s first response was to pray about the mess and destruction that people were having to endure around them.
          Jesus’s first response was to pray about the mess and destruction that people were having to endure within them.
          Nehemiah relied on a foreign king, with whom he was very close, whose life he held in his hands, to provide items that were needed to begin rebuilding.
          Jesus relied on the King of kings, with whom he was very close, to provide items that were needed to begin rebuilding people’s lives.
          After walking around the city and seeing the scope of the destruction, determining what it would take to rebuild the walls, Nehemiah called together the nobles and officials to help him do the work.
          After walking around for three years and seeing the scope of the destruction, determining what it would take to rebuild lives, Jesus called together his closest followers to help him do the work.
          Once the work of rebuilding the walls around Jerusalem began, opposition arose and tried to stop the rebuilding from happening so Nehemiah had everyone work with a weapon in one hand while they did the work with the other.
          Once the work of rebuilding the lives around the world began, opposition arose and tried to stop the rebuilding from happening so Jesus has everyone work with a Sword of the Spirit (word of God – Bible) in one hand while they do the work with the other.
          After 52 days, the walls were rebuilt and those living in Jerusalem could now live, work and worship in a place of safety, and a place of community.
          For Jesus, the work of building lives will continue until he returns. 2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
 
          Do you know that the core word that describes the heart of Ashland is the word “build”. During a 2 year process called church unique, everything we prayed and talked about considering who Ashland has been, is and will be, considering our current location and the culture in which we live, everything came down to the single word “build”.  I don’t know why I was surprised by that revelation, when we look at who God was, is and will always be. God is a builder.
 
God built the world and everything in it.
 
God built a nation of people for Himself.
 
When things fall apart, sometimes God builds new, sometimes God rebuilds.
-         Nehemiah – rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.
 
God built a community into which Jesus would be born, minister, die, be raised, and ascend to heaven.
 
God is building His church
Matt 16:18   And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
 
God is building our lives for His glory.
 
God is building us a forever home.
John 14:2-6   In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going. 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.
 
I’m reminded of the 2^nd chapter of Acts song – Mansion builder.
https://youtu.be/QqEFokssrfk
 
CONCLUSION
Mark 6:1-3  Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. "What's this wisdom that has been given him, that he even does miracles! Isn't this the carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?"
 
God is always a carpenter.
 
Ashland is always a carpenter – Our Mission is to:
“Build an inspired community that creatively and compassionately connects people to Jesus Christ.”
 
 
Cornerstone

09-5-21 “A name you don’t know, that you will never forget!”

Scripture  2 Samuel 9:1-13

[TEACHING: Use Easel Pads and Markers to list main characters.]
PEOPLE:
Saul – 1^st King of Israel
Saul married Ahinoam, & they had 4 sons (Jonathan, Abinadab, Malchishua and Ish-bosheth) and two daughters (Merab and Michal).
Saul also had a concubine named Rizpah, and they had 2 sons, (That is important to our story and we will return to her two sons later.) Armoni and Mephibosheth.
Jonathan – Saul’s eldest son and a great warrior
Becomes best friends with another great warrior, David, who they both hope one day will be king.
Saul wanted Jonathan’s help to kill David because he was jealous of him and Jonathan refused and saved David’s life from his own father. Because David was married to Saul’s daughter, Michal, that means David and Jonathan were also brothers-in-law. Jonathan is the father of one son (also important later in the story).
David – Son-in-law of Saul, Friend of Jonathan, would become the 2^nd king of Israel.
 
In a battle against the Philistines, King Saul falls on his own sword knowing he will be killed, and Johnathan and two brothers are killed in that same battle. David becomes king after being contested by Saul’s one remaining son, Ish-bosheth who was eventually murdered.
 
DAVID a former shepherd was known for his passion for God, his meaningful-beautiful psalms and musical abilities, his inspiring courage and expertise in warfare, his good looks and illicit relationship with Bathsheba. Born around 1000 BC, like King Saul and King Solomon, David reigned for 40 years. Although just as flawed or sinful as the kings who preceded and followed him, in Judaism and Christianity, King David is presented as a model king of piety, repentance, and submission as well a forerunner to the Messiah-Jesus.
 
          So far we only have 3 main people in our story (Saul, Jonathan, and David). There is one more person whose name is largely unknown but whose place in God’s story is of great importance to understand how God views us. When we first meet him, he is a normal healthy 5-year-old boy, grandson of the king, and son of Jonathan. Being the son of royalty, he has a nanny, in this case, a nurse who takes care of him. When news reached his nurse that Saul and Jonathan had been killed in battle, his life was about to change forever…
 
2 Samuel 4:4
(Jonathan’s son was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became crippled in both feet. His name was Mephibosheth.) = “from the mouth of shame”
Imagine being 5 years old – healthy and happy, the son of royalty and in one day you lose 2 uncles, your grandfather, your father, and you become crippled – unable to walk for the rest of your life.
 
Why did the nanny run? In that part of the world at that time, the descendants of one king would be killed when another king took the throne. For that reason or for the reason of him being crippled and now put at the lowest state in society because there is little work he would be able to do, he was taken from the royalty of Jerusalem – plush yards and gardens to a place called Lo-debar (no pasture) the desert. This is where he grew up and eventually became a father, having a young son of his own but socially and economically having nothing.
 
          It’s at this point in scripture that we see Mephibosheth again.
2 Samuel 9:1-13
David asked, "Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?"
          2 Now there was a servant of Saul's household named Ziba. They called him to appear before David, and the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" "Your servant," he replied. 3 The king asked, "Is there no one still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show God's kindness?" Ziba answered the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in both feet." 4 "Where is he?" the king asked. Ziba answered, "He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar."
          5 So King David had him brought from Lo Debar, from the house of Makir son of Ammiel. 6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honor. David said, "Mephibosheth!" "Your servant," he replied. 7 "Don't be afraid," David said to him, "for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table." 8 Mephibosheth bowed down and said, "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?"
          9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "I have given your master's grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your sons and your servants are to farm the land for him and bring in the crops, so that your master's grandson may be provided for. And Mephibosheth, grandson of your master, will always eat at my table." (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.) 11 Then Ziba said to the king, "Your servant will do whatever my lord the king commands his servant to do." So Mephibosheth ate at David's table like one of the king's sons.
          12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica, and all the members of Ziba's household were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 And Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem because he always ate at the king's table, and he was crippled in both feet.
  
          David had built this new kingdom in a new place and was experiencing peace in the land and turned to old business. Previously,
1 Sam 20:15  Jonathan said to David, “do not ever cut off your kindness from my family — not even when the Lord has cut off every one of David's enemies from the face of the earth.”
1 Sam 20:42  Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord, saying, 'The Lord is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.'"

          We were created perfect in God’s eyes – like a 5-year-old child – so young and innocent but old enough to begin thinking for ourselves and having developed personality and also old enough to begin making some of our own choices. Once we do that, we find that our perfection-our innocence is removed – and we become spiritually crippled in both feet. We no longer walk in the way God designed us to walk – no matter how hard we try there is no way we will walk right again. It is at that point we are also sent to Lo-Debar – the spiritual desert – far from God and when God finds us, our end will be death because we are no longer in the king’s household, but rather the household of the enemy – the devil. When God searches and finds us and calls us before Him we come trembling knowing that death is what we deserve and what we expect – out of nowhere, he emphatically calls us by name “Mephibosheth!” When we bow before him, recognize his kingship and our unworthiness to even be in his presence, he then raises us up, restores to us, all the fruit this world has to offer provides others to tend it on our behalf and greatest of all insists that we eat daily at the king’s table, not as a guest, but s one of His sons.

 
Ephesians 2:1-7
          As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
 
Let’s Pray:
Your blood has washed away my sin  -  Jesus, thank You
The Father’s wrath completely satisfied  -  Jesus, thank You
Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table  -  Jesus, thank You