11-27-16 Who is going fishing this Christmas?

Scripture   Philippians 2:6-11 

Who is going fishing this Christmas?

All my life I have seen pictures of fish shanties (1) on Lake Eire with people braving the cold stuck in a tiny shack on top of the ice hoping to catch some fish.  Nothing could be less appealing to me than trying to catch fish through a little hole in the ice while it is freezing outside. It’s bad enough going to the cold section of the store to pick up some already fileted fish.

HOWEVER,

Let me suggest that fishing at Christmas is one of the best times of the year to do so. People are more likely to accept an invitation to come to church at Christmas or Easter than at any other time of year. Even the most unchurched people have an idea that Christmas has something to do with the church.

In view of our theme, God sent His son out into the deep to let down his nets for a catch. Listen to this Christmas text and how it describes Jesus going into the deep to let down his nets for a catch – even in the midst of difficult uncomfortable cold ice fishing:

(2) Philippians 2:6-11  Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (How deep did he go from being God in heaven to being a human on earth 2000 years ago?) (Now, watch him go fishing and see the results) And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Simply put, the entire Christmas event (Bethlehem, Shepherds, Angels, Herod, Wise Men, a stable and a manger) all of it was God the Father sending His son on the biggest fishing trip known to man. The goal was to go out into the deep, let down his nets to catch as many fish as possible to bring them back home with him. Here’s the thing; Jesus had to return home but the fishing trip still continues. He has asked us to keep fishing and keep filling the boat because he doesn’t want a single fish to flounder. 

At First: Gen 6:17-18  I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish.

And Then: Gen 9:11   I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth."

And Now: 2 Peter 3:9   The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

THEREFORE (another great Christmas verse) (3) John 3:16   "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Let’s look at those who serve as an example of sharing the good news that God has sent his son Jesus and does not want any life to go to waste, but all to receive eternal life. This is truly GOOD NEWS.

In the Christmas story who was first to announce the good news?

The Star = appeared before the birth of Christ which told the wise men a king was being born.

Then the angels = Luke 2:10-12 I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

Then Mary and Joseph = (would have shared their story with the shepherds.

Then the Shepherds

Then Simeon and Anna

Then Herod’s priest’s and teachers of the law (The Christ is to be born in Bethlehem)

It seems that everyone in the Christmas story, everyone who encountered Jesus, shared this good news with others. In other words, they all became fishers of men. When I think about the shepherds, what did they do after their encounter with Jesus? They spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen.

          They went back to work and to their homes. As they went, the shared the good news of Jesus. Jesus wants us to simply do the same – (4) 2 Cor 5:17-20   Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors/fishermen, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Get into the net/Be reconciled to God.

          When we revisit our theme – “Go into the deep and let down your nets for a catch”, there is one problem: People are not sitting around waiting for us to tell them about Jesus or invite them to church. One reason we don’t fish is that we know people avoid the net at all costs. But that is how it has always been. As sweet as we make the Christmas story – (5) JESUS CAME UNINVITED INTO THE WORLD.

Into this world, this demented inn, in which there is absolutely no room for Him at all, Christ has come uninvited. He cannot be at home in it, because He is out of place in it, and yet He must be in it, His place is with those for whom there is no room. His place is with those who do not belong, who are rejected by power because they are regarded as weak, those who are discredited. With those for whom there is no room, Christ is present in the world. He is mysteriously present in those for whom there seems to be nothing but the world at its worst…, for whom there is no room.

Sharing the good news of great joy is what God did…is what He wants us to do…what we must do. It is not welcome, which is exactly why we do it.

1974 Christmas was my favorite. 11-4-74 I was swimming and swam into His net and he brought me into the boat. That made that Christmas the most special for me…

11-20-16 Faith is NOT enough!

Scripture                                                     Luke 17:11-19

Luke 17:11-19

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" 14 When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him — and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"  19 Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

11-13-16 Riding the waves of Thankfulness!

Scripture  1 Thessalonians 5:18

1 Thessalonians 5

Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. #blindside – people will be stunned at what is happening!

          But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

          12 Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14 And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

          16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

          19 Do not put out the Spirit's fire; 20 do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21 Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil.

          23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.

          25 Brothers, pray for us. 26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. 27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

          28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Are you dying toward the return of Christ or are you living toward the return of Christ?

Praise and Thanksgiving are not the same – 1^st cousins

Psalm 100:4

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

Psalm 100:4 shows the distinction:

Thanksgiving – Thank God for things (Thank parents for a car – Praise parents for their generosity)

Praise – Praise for who God is

Every day this week write down four things: I thank God for (something I have) I thank God for (someone in my life) I thank God for (something He has done/is doing/will do) I praise God for (aspect of who He is). Bring that list to church next week

5 slides here:

       1) I thank God for SOMETHING I HAVE

       2) I thank God for SOMEONE IN MY LIFE

       3) I thank God for SOMETHING HE HAS DONE/IS DOING/WILL DO

       4) I praise God for A QUALITY OF GOD

        5) (list all four above on one slide)

Here is an example of a man who knew the secret of thanking God even through trials. When he was 7 years of age, his family was forced out of their home, and he went to work. When he was 9, his mother died. He lost his job as a store clerk when he was 20. He wanted to go to law school, but he didn't have the education. At age 23 he went into debt to be a partner in a small store. Three years later the business partner died, and the resulting debt took years to repay.

When he was 28, after courting a girl for four years, he asked her to marry him, and she turned him down. On his third try he was elected to Congress, at age 37, but then failed to be re-elected. His son died at 4 years of age. When this man was 45, he ran for the Senate and lost. At age 47 he ran for the vice-presidency and lost. But at age 51 he was elected president of the United States.

The man was Abraham Lincoln, a man who learned to face discouragement and move beyond it. Did you know that it was Abraham Lincoln who, in the midst of the Civil War, in 1863, established the annual celebration of Thanksgiving? Lincoln had learned how important it is to stop and thank God in the midst of great difficulties.

CONCLUSION

When you are going through trials you don’t need to be all spiritual and say, well I know this is good for me – in fact this is where people so often misinterpret Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:31-39

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 

          Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Example of praise and thanksgiving while in struggle but not related to the struggle.

Acts 16:22-32

The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

          About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!"

          The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

          They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your household."

11-06-16 Martha…Martha…Maarrtha!

Scripture  Luke 10:38-42

Example: mint dill cumin – don’t neglect but pay attention to more important things [one is ‘gooder’]

Luke 10:38-42

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

          41 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Here’s the story, of a lovely lady,

who was busy making food for her Lord.

She made fish, bread and cheese, like her mother,

And poured some wine to drink.

Here’s the story, of her sister Mary,

who likes sitting and talking with her Lord.

Just the two of them conversing all day

She never felt alone.

Till the one day when Martha got upset

And she said “Jesus make her help me now!”

He said, Martha you are too distracted,

And Mary’s chosen what is right!

What is right

What is right

Mary’s chosen what is right!       

                                                            BY JEFF COOPER Nov. 4 2016

John 11:1-47

Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick."  (Lois Lane getting news to Clark Kent that Jimmy Olsen is hanging off the empire state building by his fingers which are about to come loose and Superman needs to come quick and save him)

          4 When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it."  5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.

          7 Then he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea."

          8 "But Rabbi," they said, "a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?"

          9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world's light. 10 It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has no light."

          11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up."

          12 His disciples replied, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better." 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

          14 So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him."

Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."

On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."

          And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. "The Teacher is here," she said, "and is asking for you." When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. "Where have you laid him?" he asked. "Come and see, Lord," they replied.

Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?" Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. "Take away the stone," he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days." Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

          So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"  The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.

John 12:1-11

Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

          7 "Leave her alone," Jesus replied. "It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."

9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him.

10-30-16 The Reformation taught us to say, “I AM MOT ASHAMED!”

Scripture  Romans 1:16-17

Movie Trailer “I am not ashamed”

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJJ2xphZjjA)

Romans 1:16-17

I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

In 1516–17, Johann Tetzel, a papal commissioner for indulgences, was sent to Germany to raise money to rebuild St Peter's Basilica in Rome. (In the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, an indulgence is "a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for sins". It may reduce either the penance required after a sin has been forgiven or the temporal punishment after death, in the state or process of purification called Purgatory)

On October 31st 1517, Martin Luther wrote to Archbishop Albrecht, protesting against the sale of indulgences. He enclosed in his letter a copy of his "Disputation of Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences," which came to be known as The 95 Theses. Luther did not mean to condemn, rather to reform the catholic church.  However, some of the “95” were not received well; like thesis 86, which asks: "Why does the pope, whose wealth today is greater than the wealth of the richest Crassus, build the basilica of St. Peter with the money of poor believers rather than with his own money?" Luther also objected to a saying attributed to Tetzel that read, "As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs." He insisted that, since forgiveness was God's alone to grant, those who claimed that indulgences absolved buyers from all punishments and granted them salvation were in error.

Again, Luther did not want to break from the Catholic Church – he wanted reforms to take place and to become a biblical Christ centered people. How much better if were a United Universal Church. Even when a break was inevitable – the reformers could not agree on anything which is how we ended up with so many denominations.  Now it is worse – People think it is great to have an Interdenominational or worse of all a Non-denominational church. The battle cry is “We don’t have some leaders telling us what we can and cannot do when the truth of that idea is – “We are Christians and we are going to do things OUR way without any accountability or real relation to any other Christian group.

Churches are not in competition with each other. It is also not the church against the world – in fact it is the church FOR the world.  John 3:16-18 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes (faith) in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to have the world through him. Christ was not against the world but FOR the world. We look at

the world and say “Oh what a horrible place” God looks at the world and says “My son can fix this!”

Martin Luther was not ashamed – Rachel Scott was not ashamed – Ashland Church is not ashamed!

It is Jesus who provides the answer but the church has to be the one to help the world ask the right questions.

          I have noticed over the past few years one reason the church in America has been dying. I also realize that I may drive people crazy when I emphasize it, but I am not ashamed to do so, because it is necessary to change the tide of church decline along with a declining number of people turning to Jesus for Life. That observation is this: The church has been told for 20 years that we no longer live in a church culture but we have done little to change our mindset, language or how we do things, outside of changing some of our music.

          We don’t really believe there are people who have never heard of Jesus. We don’t believe there are people who have never been to church. We like that church is a place where there are things familiar to us and assume they are familiar to everyone. I am not talking about Ashland Church; I am talking about the church in America of which we are one. But we are one who will do well in not only hearing that we live in an unchurched culture, but alter how we speak and act to reach those who are truly not unchurched but NEVER-CHURCHED or the CHURCHLESS. As you might expect, the data show some striking generational differences when it comes to secularization. The pattern is indisputable: The younger the generation, the more post-Christian it is. Nearly half of Millennials (48%) qualify as post-Christian compared (40%) of Gen X-ers, 1/3 of Boomers (35%) and 1/4 of Elders (28%).

          I have been guilty of insider thoughts and comments and so have most of us. Even the Apostle Paul did it in today’s text: He said; For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed. That is insider language. You had to be a Jew (and Paul was the missionary to the Gentiles) to understand what he was saying. The righteousness he speaks of is very much an Old Testament concept.

Isa 51:5-8    My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my arm.  Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.  "Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts: Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults.  For the moth will eat them up like a garment; the worm will devour them like wool. But my righteousness will last forever, my salvation through all generations."

          Righteousness is THE requirement for salvation. However, the people are incapable of being righteous. So God says I am bringing MY righteousness. Our salvation is dependent on God’s righteousness coming into us. SO when Paul says For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed. He is announcing that God’s righteousness can be delivered to us in the gospel. Gospel is the good news that Jesus died on a cross and rose again to remove our sin and become righteousness for us because we are incapable of being righteous.

          OT righteousness is that God is just and cannot be anything else (i.e. the flood). He is ‘right’ in all thoughts and actions. NT righteousness has to do with our right relationship with God.

          Therefore, to understand what Paul is saying you needed to be an insider – a Jew or one who knows the OT.  It is up to the church to take the Old and New Testament and present it in such a way (language and actions) that people in today’s ever changing culture can understand it and apply it to their lives.

          For instance, the church used to say “Here is Jesus, become like us and you will find him” Now we have to say, “Here is Jesus let us help you find him.” Instead of people becoming like us and pointing to Jesus, we now point to Jesus and help them find him however we can. 1 Cor 9:19-23   Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

          Because we are guilty of sin we should all be ashamed. God’s righteousness in Jesus justifies us. It doesn’t make us not guilty – OH we are guilty. It declares us NOT GUILTY. Jesus accepts us as the sinners we are but brings the gavel down as if we are not guilty. Once we are justified – by His righteousness through our FAITH, then begins the process of sanctification, becoming more and more what God has declared us to be. Because we have been declared righteous by what Jesus did, we can proclaim salvation in no one but Jesus and stand and say “I AM NOT ASHAMED! You sinned but Jesus did not and he makes you as if you too did not and removes your shame so you now stand UNASHAMED and not ashamed to call him Lord and tell others they too can find righteousness in Jesus alone!!!

10-23-16 Have you learned anything?

01 - SHEMA VIDEO 

Scripture                                                   Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.   5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 02 – tie them 

Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

THE SHEMA is the central prayer in the Jewish prayer book and is often the first section of scripture that a Jewish child learns. During its recitation in the synagogue, 03 – cover eyes 04 - mezuzah

orthodox Jews pronounce each word very carefully and cover their eyes with their right hand. Many Jews recite the Shema in the morning and evening. The Shema is written on a tiny scroll and placed inside a mezuzah.

          The Shema is 3 parts in one unity:

05 – Shema Words First Part: Shema = 6 words / Shema Yisrael, Adonai eloheinu, Adonai echad

           Response 6 words / barukh shem kevod malkhuto le’olam va’ed

After a pause Deut 6:5-9 is recited stressing command to love God with heart, soul and might.

06 – Three Parts Second Part: Vehayah = Deut 11:13-21 stresses the blessings that come through obedience to Adonai and the consequences that come through disobedience.

Third Part: Vaiyomer = Numbers 15:37-41 This passage concerns the use of the tallit, 07 – tallit 

a rectangular prayer shawl with four fringes (called tzitzit). One tzitzit is attached to each corner of the tallit. The reason for wearing the tzitzit is to remind oneself to observe all of the commandments of the Lord.

LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED

First 2 are right from the 10 commandments

Honor your parents – What was there to rebel against?

Don’t steal – Oct 23

Next is a life lesson where a biblical application can be made

Disappointments happen – endure them – Baseball at age 7

          Heb 12:7-11   Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Stole flags – from cemetery and sold them – learned respect for other people.

          This seems obvious because this person couldn’t get over what disrespect they had shown. When asked permission to share the story without their name – they said – by letting me do that maybe they can finally forgive themselves. Biblical application to make it a true life lesson. John 8:36 If the son sets you free you are free indeed. OR 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten

by Robert Fulghum
ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW about how to live and what to do
and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not
at the top of the graduate-school mountain, but there in the
sand pile at Sunday School. These are the things I learned:

Share everything. 

Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush. (Does every life lesson need a biblical application? FLUSH Deut 23:12-14

Designate a place outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement. For the Lord your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you.

OK everything does not need a biblical application.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.
Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.
Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.
And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest
word of all - LOOK.
Everything you need to know is in there somewhere.
The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation.
Ecology and politics and equality and sane living.
Take any of those items and extrapolate it into
sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or your government or
your world and it holds true and clear and firm. (THAT IS WHERE BIBLICAL APPLICATION IS IMPORTANT)
Think what a better world it would be if all - the whole world - had cookies and milk about
three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments had a basic policy to always put things back where they found them and to clean up their own mess.
And it is still true, no matter how old you are - when you go out into the world, it is best
to hold hands and stick together.

© Robert Fulghum, 1990.

So what?! – this was a sweet lesson about life lessons and how to connect the bible to daily lessons we learn. But what does that have to do with our text? – If I am not preaching the scriptures and the scriptures as Christocentric – Christ at the center – then what is the point?

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.   5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

Where is Jesus? Jesus is the fulfilment of the commandments that you and I cannot keep. He kept them – all of them. He never sinned. He took our sin and they were crucified with him.

Jesus summarized every life lesson you and I will ever need.

09 – Scripture  Matthew 22:34-40

 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'   38 This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'   40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Love Jesus with your heart/passion, soul/depth of being and mind/thoughts. Love Jesus – and show that new love by loving others.

10-16-16 Jesus is not constructing a ‘tiny house’!

Scripture  Luke 14:15-24

         

Someone mentioned that their church had grown and they prefer a small church. My immediate response was - Jesus doesn’t. Jesus said on the rock I will build my church. I don’t think Jesus had in mind building a “tiny Church”

Matt 16:17-18

Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 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.

2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Luke 14:16 & 23

Jesus replied: A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests… Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full.’

Let’s dive deeper in to that text:

THE SET UP BEFORE THE PARABLE

Luke 14:1-11    (Pharisees were out to get Jesus)     One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. There in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy. Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?"  4 But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away. Then he asked them, "If one of you has a son or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull him out?"  6 And they had nothing to say.    (Transition to second part of set up)

          7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: (Interesting – this is not a parable – listen to what Jesus says to the Pharisees seated at the dinner table) "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."

NOW THE TEXT

Luke 14:15-24

(The next person speaking obviously had no clue Jesus was just talking to him…) When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, "Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God."

          16 Jesus replied (Now we get a parable) "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.'

          "But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, 'I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.' "Another said, 'I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.'  "Still another said, 'I just got married, so I can't come.'  (The excuses were: I have possessions / work / and relationships that stand between me and responding to your invitation! What keeps people form putting their trust in Jesus? Possessions / work / relationships to name a few!)

          21 "The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry (God is offering eternal life – he sent his son to die so that we could be forgiven and receive life forever – Wouldn’t you be mad if people rejected your invitation after giving up so much?) and ordered his servant, 'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.'

          22 (This was a good servant anticipating what his master wanted – the way the church should be) "'Sir,' the servant said, 'what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.'

          23-24 "Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.'"

          The MSG version: Luke 14:23  "The master said, ‘Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full!’

CONCLUSION

My dad loved to play games – 1:00 in the morning golfing under the lights – start to leave and he motions for you to stay = no no no – let’s just do one more. We can all play – it will be fun.

I see Jesus always doing that: No no no Zacchaeus, let’s go to your house for dinner. Martha, the food can wait – join Mary and I just hanging out together. To Lazarus – no no no come on – you aren’t that dead – let’s keep going. Peter, so what if you fished all night – put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.

NO EXCUSE SUNDAY: DEDICATED TO MISSING CHURCH ATTENDEES! To make it possible for everyone to attend church this Sunday, we are going to have a special "No Excuse Sunday": Cots will be placed in the foyer for those who say, "Sunday is my only day to sleep in." There will be a special section with lounge chairs for those who feel that our pews are too hard. Eye drops will be available for those with tired eyes from watching TV late Saturday night. We will have steel helmets for those who say, "The roof would cave in if I ever came to church." Blankets will be furnished for those who think the church is too cold, and fans for those who say it is too hot. Scorecards will be available for those who wish to list the hypocrites present. Relatives and friends will be in attendance for those who can't go to church and cook dinner, too. We will distribute "Stamp Out Stewardship" buttons for those that feel the church is always asking for money. One section will be devoted to trees and grass for those who like to seek God in nature. Doctors and nurses will be in attendance for those who plan to be sick on Sunday. The sanctuary will be decorated with both Christmas poinsettias and Easter lilies for those who never have seen the church without them. We will provide hearing aids for those who can't hear the preacher and cotton wool for those who think he's too loud! Hope to see you there!

Oregon, Ohio

20,291 population in 2010

90% White African American, Hispanic 7%, 1.5%, Asian 1.0%

Age 17 and under 23% / 65 and older 17 % / 18-64 60%

o   It takes the average evangelical church 100 people and one year to introduce one person to Jesus Christ.

Live churches' expenses are always more than their income; dead churches don't need much money! 
Live churches have parking problems; Dead churches have empty spaces! 
Live churches may have some noisy children; Dead churches are quiet as a cemetery. 
Live churches keep changing their ways of doing things; Dead churches see no need for change! 
Live churches grow so fast you can't keep up with people's names; In dead churches everybody always knows everybody's name. 
Live churches strongly support world missions; Dead churches keep the money at home! 
Live churches are full of regular, cheerful givers; Dead churches are full of grudging tippers! 
Live churches move ahead on prayer and faith; Dead churches work only on sight! 
Live churches plant daughter churches; Dead churches fear spending the money, time, and talent! 
Live churches outgrow their Sunday School facilities; Dead churches have room to spare! 
Live churches welcome all classes of people; Dead churches stick to their own kind! 
Live churches' members read their Bibles and bring them to church; Dead churches' members seldom do! 
Live churches' members enthusiastically support the ministries; Dead churches have no ministries--only functions! 
Live churches' members look for someone they can help; Dead churches' members look for something to complain about! 
Live churches' members reach out to share their faith in Christ; Dead churches' members don't have enough to share!